Hello. I was laid off from a construction firm early this year and I am on an LMO. Instead of going back home I stayed in Canada to find some work. Now my work permit is expired. I applied for a 90-days restoration of status to stay in Canada while waiting for a new job but my LMO will expire this week.
These are my questions
1. Can I renew my work visa in Canada?
2. Can I file another restoration to stay while waiting for a new job?
3. What are possible solutions I can follow to remain in Canada?
Thank you sir!!
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If you are on a work permit based on a positive LMO (Labor Market Opinion) from Service Canada, then both your LMO and Work Permit cease to be valid. You should have applied for a change in status to a temporary resident if this happens. If you wait until after your work permit expires, then you can apply for a restoration of your status within 90 days of the expiry date. Since you did that, you can stay in Canada until a final decision is made. Given you were laid off from your job you can not apply for a renewal of your work permit but rather a new one once you find a new job. But first your new employer must apply for a new LMO.
During all this time, make sure you are in valid status in Canada as a temporary resident.
*The LMO was renamed to the LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) in 2014.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
