Immigration: New Requirement

Citizenship and Immigration Canada now requires hosts to provide foreign visitors with a signed Employer Declaration when inviting them to Canada. The Employer Declaration is sent to the foreign visitor with the invitation letter and asserts that the letter is an accurate description of the terms, conditions, wages and occupation. The declaration also makes hosts understand that departure from the details listed in the invitation now has consequences, namely, the university could become ineligible to participate in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program for up to two years.

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program* (TFWP) includes foreign Clinical Fellows, Medical Fellows, Research Fellows, Post-doctoral Fellows, Research Award Recipients, Visiting Professors, Exchange Professors, Guest Lecturers, Interns, many Research Assistants and individuals who are invited to the University under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). When participants of the TFWP are invited, the Employer Declaration must be sent to the foreign visitor along with the invitation letter. Directions for completing the Employer Declaration are available in the Employer Declaration Tip Sheet. 

Please send questions about this, or any immigration-related subject to: Academic Services: Immigration.

*All foreign nationals who require a labour market opinion to work in Canada (e.g., Senior Administrators, Professors and Research Associates) are also included in the TFWP; however, because the University already signs a declaration when obtaining a labour market opinion for these individuals, a separate declaration is not required.