Employer Requirements for BC's Skilled Worker Program?

"Employer Responsibilities In addition to meeting the general employer requirements listed below, your employer must also:

• issue you a written offer of employment
• complete the employer sections of the application forms
• notify the BC PNP if there are any changes in your employment status – such as whether you have been demoted, terminated, laid off, on extended leave, or if the business has closed or changed ownership

General Employer Requirements

Your employer must meet specific requirements in order to support your BC PNP application. The onus is on your employer to demonstrate that these requirements are met. Your employer may be required to provide financial statements or other documents as supporting evidence.

1. be established as an employer in good standing in B.C. Your employer must be in good standing and must have one of the following business structures:

• incorporated or extra-provincially registered OR
• registered as a limited liability partnership in B.C. OR
• an eligible public sector or non-profit employer Your employer must be permanently established in B.C., as defined by the federal Income Tax Act.

Your employer must have operated in B.C. for at least one year (two years if you are registering under the Entry Level and Semi-Skilled category, including employment in the Northeast Development Region of B.C.)

2. have indeterminate, full-time employees

• If your employer is located within the Greater Vancouver Regional District, your employer must have at least five indeterminate, full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) in B.C.
• If your employer is located outside of the Greater Vancouver Regional District, your employer must have at least three indeterminate, full-time employees (or full-time equivalents) in B.C.
• Only individuals who are on the company’s payroll will be considered employees of the company. Your employer may be asked to submit a T4 Summary of Remuneration Paid to demonstrate that this requirement is met.

3. have a history of good workplace and business practices

• Your employer must be financially sound and have a history of good workplace and business practices, including complying with all applicable B.C. and federal employment, labour, immigration, health and safety laws and regulations.
• Your employer may be asked to provide financial statements prepared by a certified professional accountant.

4. sign an employer declaration

• Your employer must sign a declaration, found in the job offer form, that the company meets all of the requirements set out in Employer Requirements, has been in operation in B.C. for at least one or two years (as applicable), and is complying with B.C. and federal employment, immigration, health, and safety laws and regulations. Typed signatures will not be accepted.
• The employer contact who signs the job offer form must be an employee or owner of the company, and have the authority and consent of the company to support the BC PNP application, including any and all requirements of hiring a foreign worker. Failure to obtain this consent may result in a refusal of the application or a withdrawal of the applicant’s nomination.

5. meet domestic labour market recruitment requirements

• Your employer must demonstrate that genuine and bona fide efforts were made to recruit from the local labour market, and that hiring you will not adversely affect employment or development opportunities for local candidates (Canadian citizens and/or permanent residents).

6. a job offer for a full-time, indeterminate position

• Your job offer must state that you have been offered and have accepted a full-time position (at least an average of 30 hours a week, year-round) that does not have an end date*. Contract positions are not eligible. The onus is on your employer to demonstrate that the job offer is bona fide.

7. offer a market wage rate that meets industry standards -The wage stated on your offer of employment must be at market rate and comparable to the rate paid to workers with a similar level of experience and training for equivalent jobs in B.C. and consistent with the wage compensation structure of your employer. For examples of market wage rates by occupation, please visit the Job Bank. -The BC PNP will not consider bonuses, commissions, profit-sharing distributions, tips/gratuities, overtime wages, housing allowances, room and board, or other similar payments to be part of your wage."