Quebec greatly expanded on Friday its list of jobs in high demand for which employers do not need to demonstrate they have tried to hire and failed to find suitably-qualified Canadians.
The Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) updates its list of occupations that qualify for Quebec’s facilitated Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program every year.
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Last year, dozens of job categories that were considered in high demand in 2020 were axed from the list as COVID-19’s second wave continued to rage throughout Canada and slowed down economic activity.
But that was then.
In their latest Provincial Economic Forecast: Strong Growth Likely in 2022, Although Downside Risks Loom, TD Economics’ economists expect Quebec to boom this year after rebounding strongly from the pandemic last year.
Their forecast? Expect real GDP growth and employment growth of 3.6 per cent in La Belle Province this year.
That means employers faced with labour shortages will once again be looking to qualified foreign nationals to fill many of those jobs.
The province is working to make it easier, adding an additional 58 occupations that are exempt from the LMIA process. Those newly-added jobs and their National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes are:
- 0113 purchasing managers
- 0211 engineer managers
- 0513 recreation directors
- 0601 corporate sales managers
- 0631 restaurant and food service managers
- 0632 hotel, motel and resort managers
- 0731 transportation operations managers
- 0811 natural resources production and fishing managers
- 0912 landfill manager
- 1123 publicity agent
- 1211 supervisors, general office and administrative support workers
- 1221 administrative officers
- 1226 conference and event planners
- 1241 administrative assistants
- 1253 records management technicians
- 1254 statistical officers and workers
- 2144 geological engineer
- 2152 landscape architects
- 2211 chemical technologists and technicians
- 2212 geological and mineral technologists and technicians
- 2221 biological technologists and technicians
- 2242 electronic service technicians
- 2244 avionics mechanic
- 2251 architectural technologists and technicians
- 2252 industrial designers
- 2253 industrial design technicians
- 2255 technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology
- 2261 non-destructive testers and inspection technicians
- 2273 ship pilot
- 2275 train operators
- 3223 dental technologists, technicians, and laboratory assistants
- 3231 opticians
- 4167 recreation, sports, fitness policy researchers, consultant and program officers
- 4168 program officers
- 5111 librarians
- 5113 archivists
- 5122 editor
- 5123 journalists
- 5225 audio and video recording technicians
- 5242 interior designers
- 6311 food service supervisors
- 6321 chefs
- 6322 cooks
- 6342 tailors, dressmakers, furriers, and milliners
- 6345 upholsterer
- 7204 contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades
- 7232 tool and die makers
- 7241 electricians, except industrial electricians
- 7243 power system electrician
- 7244 electrical power line and cable workers
- 7313 heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning mechanics
- 7314 railway carmen/carwoman
- 7315 aircraft mechanic and aircraft inspectors
- 7322 autobody worker
- 7372 driller, quarry
- 9217 supervisors in textile, fabric, fur and leather products
- 9224 laminating foreman/woman
- 9232 central control and process operators in petroleum, gas and chemical processing
Although Quebec is generally expanding its list of occupations exempt from the LMIA process, some positions on the list last year did not make the cut for 2022 and have been dropped from this year’s list. Those occupations include:
- 0422 supervisors/school principals and administrators/administrators of education at primary and secondary school programs
- 1212 professional occupations in business management consulting
- 1213 supervisors, finance and insurance office workers
- 1251 medical administrative assistants
- 1252 health information management occupations
- 1315 insurers/underwriters
- 2146 aerospace engineers
- 2224 natural and fishery technicians
- 3221 denturists
- 4156 employment counselors
- 5223 graphic arts technicians
- 6211 sales supervisors – retail
- 6235 financial sales representatives
- 7245 telecommunications line and cable workers
- 7331 oil and solid fuel burner installers
Quebec’s new list of occupations eligible for the facilitated LMIA process took effect Feb. 24.
Facilitated LMIA Occupations For 2022
| NOC Code | Occupation |
| 0111 | financial managers |
| 0112 | human resources managers |
| 0113 | purchasing managers |
| 0121 | insurance, real estate and financial brokerage managers |
| 0122 | banking, credit and other investment managers |
| 0124 | advertising, marketing and public relations managers |
| 0131 | telecommunication carriers managers |
| 0211 | engineering managers |
| 0213 | it system managers * |
| 0311 | managers in health care |
| 0421 | administrators – post-secondary education and vocational training (only for educational institutions designated and recognized by the ministry of education and higher education or another ministry or agency authorized by the state) |
| 0423 | case managers |
| 0513 | recreation directors |
| 0601 | corporate sales managers |
| 0631 | restaurant and food service managers |
| 0632 | hotel, motel, and resort managers |
| 0711 | managers in social, community and correctional services |
| 0712 | construction managers |
| 0731 | transportation operations managers |
| 0811 | natural resources production and fishing managers |
| 0821 | home construction managers and renovators |
| 0822 | managers in agriculture |
| 0911 | horticulture managers |
| 0912 | landfill manager |
| 1111 | manufacturing managers |
| 1112 | financial auditors and accountants |
| 1113 | financial analysts and investment analysts |
| 1114 | securities agents, investment agents and traders |
| 1121 | financial planners and financial advisers (only this name) |
| 1122 | human resources professionals |
| 1123 | publicity agent |
| 1211 | supervisors, general office and administrative support workers |
| 1214 | supervisors, library, correspondence and other information workers |
| 1215 | postal and courier service supervisors |
| 1221 | administrative officers |
| 1222 | supervisors, supply chain, tracking and scheduling co-ordination occupations |
| 1223 | executive assistants |
| 1224 | human resources and recruitment officers |
| 1225 | property management officers |
| 1226 | conference and event planners |
| 1241 | administrative assistants |
| 1243 | purchasing agents |
| 1252 | health information management occupations |
| 1253 | records management technicians |
| 1254 | statistical officers and workers |
| 1311 | health information management occupations |
| 1312 | accounting technicians and bookkeepers |
| 1313 | insurance adjusters and claims examiners |
| 2112 | chemists |
| 2113 | geoscientists and oceanographers |
| 2121 | biologists and related scientists |
| 2122 | forest science professionals |
| 2123 | agricultural representatives, consultants and specialists |
| 2131 | civil engineers |
| 2132 | mechanical engineers |
| 2133 | electrical and electronics engineers |
| 2134 | chemical engineers |
| 2141 | industrial and manufacturing engineers |
| 2142 | metallurgical and materials engineers |
| 2143 | mining engineers |
| 2144 | geological engineer |
| 2147 | computer engineers (except software engineers and designers ) * |
| 2151 | architects |
| 2152 | landscape architects |
| 2153 | urban and land use planners |
| 2154 | land surveyors / surveyors |
| 2161 | mathematicians, statisticians and actuaries * |
| 2171 | computer analysts and consultants * |
| 2172 | database analysts and data administrators * |
| 2173 | software engineers and designers * |
| 2174 | programmers and interactive media developers * |
| 2175 | web designers and developers * |
| 2211 | chemical technologists and technicians |
| 2212 | geological and mineral technologists and technicians |
| 2221 | biological technologists and technicians |
| 2223 | forest science technologists and technicians |
| 2225 | landscape and horticulture technicians and specialists |
| 2231 | civil engineering technologists and technicians |
| 2232 | mechanical engineering technologists and technicians |
| 2233 | industrial engineering and manufacturing technologists and technicians |
| 2234 | construction estimators |
| 2241 | electronic and electrical engineering technologists and technicians |
| 2242 | electronic service technicians |
| 2243 | industrial instrument technicians and mechanics |
| 2244 | avionics mechanic |
| 2252 | industrial designers |
| 2253 | industrial design technicians |
| 2254 | land survey technologists and technicians |
| 2255 | technical occupations in geomatics and meteorology |
| 2261 | non-destructive testers and inspection technicians |
| 2263 | public health, environment and occupational health and safety inspectors |
| 2264 | construction inspectors |
| 2273 | ship pilot |
| 2275 | train operator |
| 2281 | computer network technicians * |
| 2282 | user support workers |
| 2283 | computer systems assessors and the video game tester designation * |
| 3011 | nursing co-ordinators and supervisors |
| 3012 | registered nurses and registered psychiatric nurses / registered psychiatric nurses |
| 3111 | specialist doctors |
| 3112 | general practitioners and family physicians |
| 3113 | dentists |
| 3114 | vets |
| 3121 | optometrists |
| 3122 | chiropractor / chiropractors |
| 3124 | related primary health care practitioners |
| 3131 | chemists / pharmacists |
| 3132 | dietitians and nutritionists |
| 3141 | audiologists and speech-language pathologists |
| 3142 | physiotherapists |
| 3143 | occupational therapists |
| 3211 | medical laboratory technologists |
| 3212 | medical laboratory technicians and pathology assistants |
| 3213 | animal health technologists and veterinary technicians |
| 3214 | respiratory therapists, cardiovascular perfusionists and cardiopulmonary technologists |
| 3215 | medical radiation technologists |
| 3219 | technical assistants in pharmacy (only this name) |
| 3222 | hygienists and dental therapists |
| 3223 | dental technologists, technicians, and laboratory assistants |
| 3231 | opticians |
| 3233 | licensed practical nurses |
| 3234 | paramedics |
| 4011 | university professors and lecturers |
| 4012 | post-secondary teaching and research assistants |
| 4021 | college teachers and other vocational training instructors (only for educational institutions designated by the ministry of education and higher education or another government department or agency) |
| 4031 | secondary school teachers (only for educational institutions designated and recognized by the ministry of education and higher education or another ministry or agency authorized by the state) |
| 4032 | elementary and preschool teachers (only for educational institutions designated and recognized by the ministry of education and higher education or another ministry or agency authorized by the state) |
| 4033 | school information consultants |
| 4112 | lawyers (everywhere in canada) and notaries (in quebec) |
| 4151 | psychologists |
| 4152 | social workers |
| 4153 | marriage therapists / marriage therapists, family therapists / family therapists and psychoeducators / psychoeducators (only this name) |
| 4161 | natural and applied sciences researchers, consultants and program officers |
| 4162 | economists, researchers and economic policy analysts |
| 4163 | economic development officers, marketers and marketing consultants |
| 4164 | social policy researchers, consultants and program officers |
| 4165 | health policy researchers, consultants and program officers |
| 4166 | education policy researchers, consultants and program officers |
| 4167 | recreation, sports, fitness policy researchers, consultant and program officers |
| 4168 | program officers |
| 4211 | legal technicians (only this name) |
| 4212 | social and community service workers |
| 4214 | early childhood educators and assistants (whose employer is authorized to hire is an educational institution designated and recognized by the ministère de l’éducation et de l’enseignement supérieur or another ministry or an authorized agency of the state, or a daycare service recognized by the ministry of family) |
| 4215 | instructors of persons with disabilities |
| 4312 | firefighters |
| 5111 | librarians |
| 5113 | archivists |
| 5122 | editor |
| 5123 | journalists |
| 5125 | translators, terminologists and interpreters |
| 5131 | producers, directors, choreographers and the name technical, creative and artistic directors, technical, creative and artistic directors and project managers – visual effects and video games * |
| 5211 | library and public archive technicians |
| 5225 | audio and video recording technicians |
| 5241 | graphic designers and illustrators * |
| 5242 | interior designers and decorators |
| 5254 | program leaders and instructors in recreation, sports, and fitness |
| 6221 | technical sales specialists – wholesale trade |
| 6231 | insurance agents and brokers |
| 6311 | food service supervisors |
| 6314 | information and customer service supervisors |
| 6321 | chefs |
| 6322 | cooks |
| 6331 | butchers, meat cutters and fishmongers – wholesale and retail |
| 6342 | tailors, dressmakers, furriers, and milliners |
| 6345 | upholsterer |
| 7201 | supervisors, machinists and metal forming, profiling and assembling trades personnel (only this designation) |
| 7202 | electricity and telecommunications foremen / women (only this designation) |
| 7204 | contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades |
| 7205 | contractors and supervisors, other construction trades, installers, repairers and servicers |
| 7231 | machinists and machining and tooling inspectors |
| 7232 | tool and die makers |
| 7233 | sheet metal / metal workers |
| 7236 | ironworkers |
| 7237 | welders and related machine operators |
| 7241 | electricians, except industrial electricians |
| 7242 | industrial electricians |
| 7243 | power system electrician |
| 7244 | electrical power line and cable workers |
| 7246 | telecommunications equipment installers and repairers |
| 7251 | plumbers |
| 7252 | steamfitters, pipefitters and sprinkler system installers |
| 7271 | carpenters / carpenters |
| 7281 | bricklayers / bricklayers |
| 7282 | concrete finishers |
| 7283 | tiles / finishers |
| 7284 | plasterers / drywall installers / applicators and pavers / finishers and interior systems drywall / lathers |
| 7291 | roofers and shinglers |
| 7292 | glaziers |
| 7293 | insulators |
| 7294 | painters and decorators (except interior decorators) |
| 7295 | floor covering installers |
| 7301 | mechanical foreman / woman (only this designation) |
| 7302 | supervisors, heavy equipment operator teams (only this designation) |
| 7303 | supervisors, printing and related occupations |
| 7311 | construction millwrights and industrial mechanics |
| 7312 | heavy-duty equipment mechanics |
| 7313 | heating, refrigeration, and air conditioning mechanics |
| 7314 | railway carmen/carwoman |
| 7315 | aircraft mechanic and aircraft inspectors |
| 7316 | machine fitters |
| 7318 | elevator constructors and mechanics |
| 7321 | motor vehicle, truck and bus mechanics and repairers |
| 7322 | autobody worker |
| 7332 | appliance servicers and repairers |
| 7333 | electromechanical / mechanics |
| 7361 | locomotive and yard mechanics |
| 7371 | crane / operators |
| 7372 | driller, quarry |
| 7381 | printing press operators |
| 8211 | supervisors, logging |
| 8241 | logging machinery operators |
| 8252 | foremen / women, agricultural services, supervisors of farms and specialized workers in animal husbandry (only this designation) |
| 8255 | landscaping contractors and supervisors |
| 9212 | supervisors, petroleum refining, gas and chemical processing, and utilities |
| 9213 | supervisors, food, beverage and associated products processing |
| 9214 | supervisors, rubber and plastics product manufacturing |
| 9215 | supervisors, forest product processing |
| 9217 | supervisors in textile, fabric, fur and leather products |
| 9224 | laminating foreman/woman |
| 9232 | central control and process operators in petroleum, gas and chemical processing |
| 9235 | operators in pulp and paper pulping, papermaking and coating operators |
| 9241 | power station mechanics and power system operators |
| 9243 | water and waste treatment plant operators |
But the provincial government is again allowing a grace period of one month this year.
“A transition period of 30 days, from Feb. 24 through to March 24, 2022 is afforded to employers or their representatives,” the immigration ministry states in French on its website.
“Applications received by the ministry or Employment and Social Development Canada during this period will be considered under the list of occupations permitted under the simplified process in 2021 if the occupation is not on the list currently in effect.”
The list of permitted occupations under the simplified process is created to meet the needs of industry sectors with labour shortages. It includes National Occupational Classification skill types 0, A and B.
Quebec’s immigration ministry has highlighted that some of the occupations on the list are also on the Global Talent Stream List of target occupations. These are highlighted by an asterisk in the list on the province’s website.
Where an occupation qualifies for both processes, applications can be made under either process at the discretion of the employer.
Bullish as it is on economic immigration programs to bring in foreign nationals who will become permanent residents to resolve its labour shortages, Quebec is also trying to bring in more temporary foreign workers.
In early January, the province gave businesses in nine specific sectors ranging from food to health care and manufacturing the green light to hire more staff through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) to a limit of 20 per cent of their workforce. The previous limit was 10 per cent.
Sectors and professions targeted by the 10 -to -20 per cent increase in the TFW threshold in the low-wage component of the program include:
| Sector | NOC | Profession |
| Retail trade excluding food | 6611 | cashiers |
| 6622 | store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers | |
| 6732 | specialized cleaners | |
| Accommodation and catering | 6611 | cashiers |
| 6711 | food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations | |
| 6731 | light duty cleaners | |
| Manufacture of food, drinks and tobacco | 9617 | labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing |
| Management of companies and companies and services administrative, support and others | 6731 | light duty cleaners |
| 6732 | specialized cleaners | |
| 6733 | janitors, caretakers and building superintendents | |
| 8612 | landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers | |
| Healthcare | 6731 | light duty cleaners |
| Forestry and logging | 8616 | logging and forestry labourers |
| Metal manufacturing | 9612 | labourers in metal fabrication |
| Plastic and rubber manufacturing | 9615 | labourers in rubber and plastic products manufacturing |
| Wood manufacturing | 9614 | labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing |
Also part of Quebec’s announcement in January was a decision to exempt certain professions from external posting requirements, designed to ensure jobs are advertised to Canadians before being offered to temporary foreign workers.
These occupations, falling under Level D of the National Occupational Classification, include many of the jobs also included in the threshold relaxation.
They have been exempt from external processing requirements since Dec. 6 last year.
Level D professions exempt from the external posting process include:
| NOC | Job description |
| 6611 | cashiers |
| 6622 | store shelf stockers, clerks and order fillers |
| 6711 | food counter attendants, kitchen helpers and related support occupations |
| 6731 | light duty cleaners |
| 6732 | specialized cleaners |
| 6733 | janitors, caretakers and building superintendents |
| 8612 | landscaping and grounds maintenance labourers |
| 8616 | logging and forestry labourers |
| 9612 | labourers in metal fabrication |
| 9614 | labourers in wood, pulp and paper processing |
| 9615 | labourers in rubber and plastic products manufacturing |
| 9617 | labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing |
| 9618 | labourers in fish and seafood processing |
Quebec is also continuing to pay up to $1,200 for businesses using lawyers or immigration consultants to help them recruit temporary workers
Businesses using lawyers, immigration consultants or notaries can claim back up to half of what they spend, so long as the amount does not exceed $1,200.
Meanwhile, two further measures announced in November are still awaiting federal government approval.
These include NOC Level C professions and NOC Level 0, A and B professions to be added to the list of jobs that qualify for simplified processing through the TFWP.
Quebec says it expects federal approval shortly for the two lists of occupations.
Level C professions added to the list of professions eligible for simplified processing will include:
| NOC | Job description |
| 1415 | personnel clerks |
| 1434 | banking, insurance and other financial clerks |
| 1435 | collectors |
| 1522 | storekeepers and partspersons |
| 1525 | dispatchers |
| 1526 | transportation route and crew schedulers |
| 3411 | dental assistants |
| 3413 | nurse aides, orderlies and patient service associates |
| 4413 | elementary and secondary school teacher assistants |
| 6411 | sales and account representatives |
| 6421 | retail salespersons |
| 6531 | tour and travel guides |
| 6563 | pet groomers and animal care workers |
| 7452 | material handlers |
| 7511 | transport truck drivers |
| 7512 | bus drivers, subway operators and other transit operators |
| 7521 | heavy equipment operators (except crane) |
| 7522 | public works maintenance equipment operators and related workers |
| 8421 | chain saw and skidder operators |
| 8422 | silviculture and forestry workers |
| 9411 | machine operators, mineral and metal processing |
| 9412 | foundry workers |
| 9416 | metalworking and forging machine operators |
| 9417 | machining tool operators |
| 9418 | other metal products machine operators |
| 9422 | plastics processing machine operators |
| 9423 | rubber processing machine operators and related workers |
| 9431 | sawmill machine operators |
| 9436 | lumber graders and other wood processing inspectors and graders |
| 9446 | industrial sewing machine operators |
| 9461 | process control and machine operators, food, beverage and associated products processing |
| 9462 | industrial butchers and meat cutters, poultry preparers and related workers |
| 9463 | fish and seafood plant workers |
| 9532 | furniture and fixture assemblers and inspectors |
| 9534 | furniture finishers and refinishers |
| 9535 | plastic products assemblers, finishers and inspectors |
| 9536 | industrial painters, coaters and metal finishing process operators |
NOC 0, A and B occupations to be added to the list of professions eligible for simplified processing include:
| NOC | Job Description |
| 0113 | purchasing managers |
| 0211 | engineering managers |
| 0212 | architecture and science managers |
| 0601 | corporate sales managers |
| 0632 | accommodation service managers |
| 1123 | professional occupations in advertising, marketing and public relations |
| 1211 | supervisors, general office and administrative support workers |
| 1221 | administrative officers |
| 1241 | administrative assistants |
| 1314 | assessors, valuators and appraisers |
| 2211 | chemical technologists and technicians |
| 2212 | geological and mineral technologists and technicians |
| 2244 | aircraft instrument, electrical and avionics mechanics, technicians and inspectors |
| 2252 | industrial designers |
| 2253 | drafting technologists and technicians |
| 2261 | non-destructive testers and inspection technicians |
| 5111 | librarians |
| 5113 | archivists |
| 5225 | audio and video recording technicians |
| 5242 | interior designers and interior decorators |
| 5243 | theatre, fashion, exhibit and other creative designers |
| 6222 | retail and wholesale buyers |
| 6311 | food service supervisors |
| 6313 | accommodation, travel, tourism and related services supervisors |
| 6321 | chefs |
| 6322 | cooks |
| 6332 | bakers |
| 6342 | tailors, dressmakers, furriers and milliners |
| 7204 | contractors and supervisors, carpentry trades |
| 7244 | electrical power line and cable workers |
| 7305 | supervisors, motor transport and other ground transit operators |
| 7315 | aircraft mechanics and aircraft inspectors |
| 7322 | motor vehicle body repairers |
| 9212 | supervisors, petroleum, gas and chemical processing and utilities |
