By CBC News | Link to Article
By CBC News | Link to Article
The federal government has granted an exemption to Microsoft Canada that will allow the company to bring in an unspecified number of temporary foreign workers to British Columbia as trainees without first looking for Canadians to fill the jobs.
A notice posted on the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website says foreign workers will receive specialized training in a new human resources development centre in the province. The tech giant will not have to perform a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) — a rigorous process that would include a search for Canadians who could fill the positions.
The exemption was granted under a provincial-federal agreement that gives a pass to companies that gain provincial approval.
The Canadian government argues the arrangement is the result of a significant investment by Microsoft that will create jobs for Canadians as well at a new 400-person training centre.
Nevertheless, some legal observers say the decision appears at odds with the government’s promise to crack down on abuse in the system in order to protect Canadian jobs.