Canada Immigration Software Pilot

Software Pilot

There are two "Pilot Projects" in effect. The "Pilot Project for Software Professionals" is designed to increase the number of foreign software developers. The "Pilot Project for Spouses of Highly Skilled Temporary Workers" is designed to enable the spouses of high skill foreign workers in key high growth sectors of the economy to accept employment through a facilitated validation process. person which is considered under either of these Pilot Projects is only required to obtain an employment authorization; he or she is not required to obtain a job validation. 

Procedures for the Employers and their prospective Employees (Software Pilot)   

Employers will be required to provide the prospective employee with temporary offer of employment contract. The Contract must, at minimum, state the job title, duties (including the skills required to perform those duties), wages and working conditions, the duration of the job being offered, if the employee is expected to train and/or transfer skills or knowledge to Canadians, and actual location of employment (which may differ from the company's address). 

To facilitate the evaluation of the effectiveness of the pilot project, employers are encouraged to forward a copy of all job offers made under this pilot to the Software Human Resource Council. Employers and temporary foreign workers who used the pilot project, and Canadian workers and HRDC staff, may be contacted for evaluation purposes.

A covering letter from the employer should provide a company profile that includes the following: a brief description of its activities, length of time in business, the size of its workforce, projects and services, whether it is the head office, branch or subsidiary, and union or industry association affiliations.

The employer party to the employment contract must not be a personnel placement or personnel supply agency. This pilot is not designed for third party recruitment. The employer is considered to be the company who pays the wages/salary directly to the employee.

Once an employer has identified a prospective employee, and determines that the employment fits within one of the job descriptions included in the pilot, the employer will instruct the foreign worker present the offer of employment, the employment contract and covering letter to the appropriate visa office. The visa office will then forward an application kit to the prospective employee for completion. This kit will include an employment authorization form, a Software Development Worker Background Information Form and any other documentation required by the visa office for the processing of a temporary worker. The prospective employee will be required to provide documentation supporting education, training and experience, including previous employment contact names and phone numbers.

Applicants must meet the normal requirements/eligibility for entry into Canada including, where necessary, medical and security clearances for admission to Canada.

The pilot project is intended for the temporary entry of foreign workers only, therefore, immigration applicants for permanent residence will not receive points for arranged employment for job offers under this pilot project.     

Positions available

1.  Senior Animation Effects Editor
2.  Multimedia Software Designer
3.  Embedded Systems Software Designer
4.  MIS Software Designer
5.  Software Products Developer
6.  Telecommunications Software Designer
7.  Software Developer Services