Owner Operator Labour Market Impact Assessments

With the destruction of the immigrant investor and entrepreneur programs in Canada, few options remain to help business immigrants find their way to Canada. In this Episode, Immigration Lawyer, Jeffrey Lowe explains how the Owner Operator LMIA can be the game changer in facilitating permanent residence for not only business immigrants, but one of the groups hit hardest by the creation of Express Entry – the international student.

In this episode of the Canadian Immigration Podcast the Chief Inspirational Officer of Vancouver based Lowe and Company, Jeffrey Lowe, joins us to offer some unique strategies for using the Owner Operator Labour Market Impact Assessment to facilitate immigration opportunities of not only business people, but international students working in Canada on postgraduate work permits.

I was completely blown away by the creativity Jeffrey uses in securing amazing results for his clients. The insight Jeffrey shares can not be found in any immigration law textbook or government website. In this episode he revealed some brilliant strategies that can benefit any immigration lawyer or consultant struggling to assist clients who are left in the dark because of the exclusionary nature of Express Entry. Jeffrey is without a doubt one of the most entrepreneurial lawyers I know and I was delighted to have him join me.

In my interview with Jeffrey, we cover the following areas:

• What is an LMIA?
• What is the basis for the Owner Operator LMIA?
• Practical tips on applying for an Owner Operator LMIA.
• Specific examples of how Jeffrey has used the Owner Operator LMIA to benefit his clients.
• Unique strategies for leveraging off of LMIA exempt work permits to transition to an Owner Operator LMIA and eventual permanent resident status in Canada.

[Tweet “Shut out by Express Entry – Consider an Owner Operator LMIA?“]

Additional Resources:

• The best way to reach Jeffrey Lowe: jlowe@canadavisalaw.com
• Lowe and Company: http://www.canadavisalaw.com
• Free Resources from Jeffrey:
  • Business Imm Options
• Owner Operator LMIAs: http://www.esdc.gc.ca/en/foreign_workers/hire/variations.page

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Read the Transcript

You can read additional notes for this episode, [spoiler]

CIP S1 E19: Podcast Show Notes – Jeffrey Lowe – PLMIAs

Jeffrey S. Lowe  has practiced immigration and business law in British Columbia since 1983.  He holds a bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of British Columbia, and is considered an innovator in the convergence of business, technology and law.

Jeffrey is the Chief Inspirational Officer of Lowe and Company, and has taught immigration law, practice management and legal ethics to lawyers across Canada since 1990.

In this episode of the Canadian immigration podcast we discussed the Owner Operator LMIA. If you’ve not yet heard about this LMIA category, don’t worry about it.  Jeffrey does a fantastic job of setting out the ground rules, and explaining to you some unbelievably creative and unique ways to use this LMIA category to help your clients immigrate to Canada.

Some of the specific areas covered include:

• What is an LMIA?
• What is the basis for the Owner Operator LMIA?
• Practical Tips on Applying for an Owner Operator LMIA
• Specific examples of how Jeffrey has used the Owner Operator LMIA to benefit his clients.

In order to help you jump to the areas of most interest to you, I have included below some timestamps for some of the significant topic covered in this episode.

4:54  – Who is Jeffrey Lowe?

14:25 – What is an LMIA?

19:00 – What is the Owner Operator LMIA?

27:23 – 6 Different ways an individual can come to Canada to start a business with a work permit without an LMIA:

• ICT
• NAFTA Investor
• Korea, Chile, Peru, Columbia – Free Trade Agreements with comparable investor programs
• Post Grad Work Permit Holders – can set up a business (1-3 years to get operating) and then apply for O/O LMIA
• Spousal Open work permit – can also set up a business and then apply for an O/O LMIA
• Work Holiday work permit – can also set up a business and then apply for an O/O LMIA

30:37 – Can an investor obtain an O/O LMIA in the context of “passive investment”

32:20 – What percentage of ownership must an application have to qualify for an O/O LMIA

36:00 – How important is job creation to the success of the O/O LMIA?

33:51 – Specific Examples of how the O/O LMIA can be used. Including a great solution for Post Grad students seeking to remain in Canada a permanent residents of Canada

44:00 – Consider the possibility of having co-owner operators who are both eligible for an O/O LMIA

47:37 – How to locate Jeffrey Lowe – jlowe@canadavisalaw.com

[/spoiler]

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