Employer sponsorship, as the name suggests, means having an employer sponsor you, allowing you to meet the immigration requirements and then apply for immigration to obtain a Permanent Resident Card. Each province in Canada has immigration programs under their Provincial Nominee Programs that target skilled workers with employer job offers, most of which are referred to as: Overseas Skilled Worker Immigration. This is the policy basis for the existence of employer sponsorship.
Provincial Overseas Skilled Worker Policies
British Columbia:
Obtain a full-time permanent job offer, which must belong to NOC categories 0, A, or B;
At least two years of directly related work experience;
If the job belongs to category B, an IELTS score of at least 4 is required;
Meet the average wage level;
Meet the Provincial Nominee invitation score for British Columbia.
Processing time: Provincial nomination 3-4 months, Federal Express Entry 6 months, Traditional pathway 15-19 months.
Ontario:
Obtain a full-time job offer in categories 0, A, or B;
At least 2 years of relevant work experience within the past 5 years;
Meet the median wage level;
Processing time: Invitations open periodically, approximately 3 months for provincial nomination after invitation, and about 15-19 months for federal processing.
Alberta:
Hold a closed work permit and work in NOC categories 0, A, B, C, or D;
At the time of application, have at least one year of full-time local work experience in Alberta within the past 18 months.
Alternatively, have at least 2 years of full-time work experience in Canada or abroad within the past 30 months. Or accumulate the required experience in the same NOC occupation from local, other provinces, and overseas.
An IELTS score of at least 4, and 5 after January 2020.
Processing time: Approximately 3 months for provincial nomination, and about 15-19 months for federal processing.
Saskatchewan:
Achieve a score of 60 points in Saskatchewan (30 points for employer offer);
At least 1 year of work experience related to the nominated occupation within the last ten years;
Obtain a full-time job offer in NOC categories 0, A, or B, or designated technical occupations;
The employer must obtain a Job Approval Letter (JAL);
Minimum IELTS score of 4.
Processing time: 1-2 months for provincial nomination, and about 15-19 months for federal processing.
Quebec: Work Class PEQ
At least one year of full-time work experience in Quebec within the past two years;
No restrictions on job categories, 0, A, B, C, or D are acceptable;
French proficiency at B2 level;
Spousal work permits can be applied for;
Processing time: 1-2 months for provincial nomination, and about 15-17 months for federal processing.
Atlantic Provinces: PILOT Immigration Program
At least one year of work experience in the last three years (totaling 1560 hours or 30 hours per week);
At least one year of job offer in NOC categories 0, A, B, or C in the Atlantic Provinces;
An IELTS score of 4 (Listening, Speaking, Reading, Writing: 4.5/4/3.5/4);
Processing time: Approximately 3 months for provincial nomination, and about 6 months for federal processing.
Characteristics of Employer Sponsorship in Each Province
The requirements for Overseas Skilled Worker Immigration may seem similar at first glance, but there are many differences in details. For example, Ontario does not have mandatory language requirements, which was its biggest selling point, leading to high costs for employer sponsorship in Ontario. Unfortunately, Ontario recently announced a temporary closure of this program, which will certainly reopen in the future, but it is uncertain when. In Alberta, the core requirement is that an LMIA must be obtained, meaning that open work permits such as spousal work permits are not feasible in Alberta.