Start-up visa optional work permit Submit an offer of employment for yourself - Canada.ca

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Submit an offer of employment for yourself

Answer the following question to get the steps to submit an offer of employment for yourself.

Submit an offer of employment for yourself using the Employer Portal

Use the Employer Portal to

  • submit your offer of employment
  • pay the employer compliance fee

Before you get started, read these guides:

Create your offer in the Employer Portal

If you don’t already have an account in the Employer Portal, you need to sign up by using your GCKey or a sign-in partner (opens in a new tab).

  1. Sign in to your account.
  2. Under What would you like to do today? choose “Submit an offer of employment.”
  3. You’ll be taken to the offer of employment application page. You must complete these 4 forms:
Business information form
  • Business: The first 3 fields will already have the information you entered when you enrolled in the Employer Portal. You can’t change the information in these fields.

    Enter the business telephone number and choose Next.

  • Business address: Enter your main business location’s physical address and mailing address (if this applies).
  • Type of business: Choose the business type from the drop down menu.
  • Business details: Complete these fields to the best of your knowledge. Base your answers on what you expect for the first year of income and hiring.
  • Business primary contact information: Enter the contact information of the person who will be the main business contact.

After you complete the form

  • validate the information
  • click save and exit
Foreign worker form

Enter your personal information exactly as it appears on your passport. This includes spelling, hyphens, accents, spaces and capitalization.

After you complete the form

  • validate the information
  • click save and exit
Job details form

The first 3 fields will already have the information you entered when you enrolled in the Employer Portal. You can’t change the information in these fields.

  • LMIA exemption title: Choose "A77 - Start-up Business Class Work Permit – R205(a)."
  • LMIA exemption code: This field will already be filled out.
  • Explanation of how the job meets the requirements of the exemption being requested
    • Explain you’re a start-up business class permanent residence applicant and that you have a commitment certificate (letter of support).
    • You also need to explain how your work is
      • essential to your start-up business
      • urgently needed before you get permanent residence
      • a significant economic benefit to Canada
  • Job title: Enter "Start-Up Visa Entrepreneur."
  • NOC Code: Enter “NOC 88888”
  • Physical job location: Enter the address where you’ll work.
  • Main duties of the job: Describe the urgent and essential work you’ll perform.
  • Provincial/territorial/federal certification, licensing or registration requirements for the job
    • Choose “Yes” or “No.” If you choose “Yes,” you’ll need to provide more information about the licensing.
  • Fee payment question: Choose “Yes, I will be paying the employer compliance fee for this offer.”
  • Enter the other details for the job and click Next.

After you complete the form

  • validate the information
  • click save and exit
Wage and benefits form

If your business plan shows you’ll be paid a wage, include your wage in this form.

Under Alternate compensation scheme

  • write that you’re a self-employed entrepreneur
  • show that you have the minimum amount of funds to support yourself and any accompanying family members (if this applies) for 52 weeks
    • Tell us how much you have and what documents you can use as proof.

Make sure the information in these forms is accurate. Once you submit the offer, you can’t change it. If you make a mistake or enter incorrect information, you may have to withdraw the offer and start over with a new one.

Submit your offer of employment

When the status of all 4 forms shows complete, follow these steps to submit the offer of employment:

  1. On the LMIA-exempt offer of employment page, choose Continue.
    1. You should now see Your document checklist.
    2. You can upload more information about your business here (for example, you can indicate how it provides a significant economic benefit to Canada).
  2. Click Next.
  3. On the Your Declaration and Electronic Signature page
    1. read the employer declaration
    2. choose “I agree”
    3. type your name in the signature panel and answer the security question
  4. Click Sign.

Pay the employer compliance fee

Once you sign, you need to pay the $230 employer compliance fee. Follow these steps to pay the fee:

  1. Choose Transmit and Pay.
  2. Review the fees summary page and choose Transmit and pay again.
    1. You’ll be taken to the Receiver General’s online payment website.
  3. Complete the online payment form.
  4. Click Process Transaction.
  5. Review and print the transaction receipt for your records.
  6. Click Return. You’ll be taken back to the Employer Portal.
  7. Click Exit questionnaire to return to the portal welcome page.

In the Employment queue, you should now see your offer of employment number. Save this number somewhere. You’ll need it for your work permit application.

Email your offer of employment to us

You must email the Employer Portal and tell us you’re an entrepreneur.

In your email, include your

  • full name
  • date of birth
  • citizenship
  • country of birth
  • gender

If we approve your email request, we’ll email you

  • the Offer of Employment to a Foreign National Exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment (IMM 5802) form
  • instructions on how to pay your employer compliance fee online
  • instructions on where to return the completed form

You must pay your fee before completing the form. You need the fee payment receipt number for the form.

Complete form IMM 5802

Follow these instructions to complete certain fields in the form.

  • Box 3: Enter your fee payment receipt number.
  • Box 4 and 5: Enter your business operating name and business legal name.
    • If you don’t have a business name yet, enter "New business and [your name]" (for example: “New Business – John Doe”).
  • Box 17 and 24: Enter “Start-Up Vise Entrepreneur” as your job title.
  • Box 21: Choose “Start-up Business Class Work Permit – R205(a).
    • Box 22 will populate automatically.
  • Box 23
    • Explain that you’re a start-up business class permanent residence applicant and that you have a commitment certificate (letter of support).
    • You also need to explain how your work is
      • essential to your start-up business
      • urgently needed before you get permanent residence
      • a significant economic benefit to Canada
  • Box 25: Enter “NOC 88888.”
  • Box 29  Describe the urgent and essential work you’ll perform.
  • Box 33: Leave this field about wage and work hours blank.
  • Box 34: You must complete this section about an alternate compensation scheme.
    • Write that you’re a self-employed entrepreneur.
    • Show that you have the minimum amount of funds needed to support yourself and any accompanying family members (if this applies) for 52 weeks.
    • Enter the amount of settlement funds you have available and what documents you can provide as proof.
  • Box 36: You don’t need to complete this field about benefits.

Complete the Declaration of Employer and sign as the employer.

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