Frequently Asked Questions
Employment
What is temporary employment?
What types of temporary employment are there?
What do I need to become a temporary worker in Canada?
What is a work permit?
Do I need a work permit?
How can I get a work permit?
Can I immigrate to Canada without a job offer?
How can I be sure that a job offer is not a fraud?
How can I know what jobs are available in Canada?
Attestations
Can a power of attorney be signed by two or more people?
What types of powers of attorney can I grant and what is their scope?
Can foreigners request powers of attorney at the Consulate?
Can powers of attorney granted by Canadian notaries have legal effect in Mexico?
How can a power of attorney be canceled?
If I own assets in Canada, can I make a will at the Consulate?
Can the Consulate authenticate juristic acts?
Community Affairs
What is the Institute for Mexicans Abroad?
What services does the Department of Community Affairs provide to the general public?
What activities are excluded from the list of services provided by Community Affairs at the Consulate?
Where can I find more information about these activities?
Answers
Employment
What is temporary employment?
Temporary employment refers to short-term job opportunities offered to foreigners by employers based in Canada. Jobs being offered must first be authorized by the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) department.
What types of temporary employment are there?
Skilled labor: jobs requiring academic training in the field
Unskilled labor: jobs requiring manual or technical training or experience, such as customer service employment at hotels and leisure centers, handling of machinery, agricultural and farming jobs, etc.
What do I need to become a temporary worker in Canada?
The list of requirements may vary for each applicant. Most likely, the applicant will have to:
- find a job offer that matches their academic background or technical skills;
- make sure that the employer and the job offer comply with the ESDC guidelines;
- apply for a temporary work visa;
- apply for a temporary work permit.
What is a work permit?
A work permit is a written authorization issued by an immigration agent granting foreigners permission to work in Canada. For more information, please visit www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/apply-who.asp.
Do I need a work permit?
For some types of employment, because of their nature and duration, no work permit is required. For more information, please visit www.cic.gc.ca/english/work/apply-who.asp.
How can I get a work permit?
To obtain a permit to work in Canada, applicants must:
- have a job offer from said country;
- obtain a copy of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the ESDC;
- prove that they meet the requirements to perform the job;
- prove that they meet the legal requirements to enter Canada;
- prove economic solvency for them and their dependants during their permanence in the country;
- meet other specific requirements.
For more information, please visit http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/guides/5487ETOC.asp.
Can I immigrate to Canada without a job offer?
The Government of Canada prohibits entry to its country to people intending to find a job. To immigrate, it is essential to have a job offer certified by the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) department.
How can I know that a job offer is not a fraud?
The legitimacy of a job offer can be verified with the documents that the employer must give to the applicant, which are essential to obtain a visa and a work permit. These documents are:
- a copy of the positive LMIA, also called letter of confirmation, by the ESDC;
- a document detailing the job offer, which the applicant must provide to the immigration agent to obtain their work permit.
In addition, the employer must make sure that the applicant is covered by medical and health insurance and workers' compensation.
How can I know what jobs are available in Canada?
The Government of Canada has made the tool Job Bank available to those looking for a job. If an employer does not find any candidate in Canada for a job position, the Government of Canada may give them approval to hire a foreign employee. Nonetheless, job offers are first made to permanent residents and Canadian citizens.
Attestations
Can a power of attorney be signed by two or more people?
Two or more people can sign a power of attorney. To do so, each principal must show their passport, a copy of it and their marriage certificate (if applicable). They should also provide all the information required on the application.
What types of powers of attorney can I grant and what is their scope?
To get an answer to this question, you are advised to seek advice from a lawyer or legal expert in Mexico that you trust.
Can foreigners request powers of attorney at the Consulate?
Yes, they can. However, if they do not speak Spanish, a trusted translator must accompany them. Translators must identify themselves. If the power of attorney is granted by two or more people, none of them may act as a translator, and no member of the Consulate staff may act as one either.
Can powers of attorney granted by Canadian notaries have legal effect in Mexico?
Yes, they can if they meet the following conditions:
- since Canada is not a signatory to the Hague Apostille Convention, the power of attorney must be certified by the Chamber of Notaries;
- the power of attorney must be legalized by the Consulate.
If the aforementioned requirements are fulfilled, the power of attorney must then be translated by a certified translator in Mexico, and a Mexican notary must issue a protocol.
How can a power of attorney be canceled?
Powers of attorney can be canceled through a revocation. To do so, it is necessary to show the original notarized power of attorney document, your application and an ID.
If I own assets in Canada, can I make a will at the Consulate?
Wills and testaments drafted by the Consulate are effective only in Mexico.
Can the Consulate authenticate juristic acts?
The Consulate cannot authenticate juristic acts, certify documents, sign contracts or certify the signatures of any document.
Community Affairs
What is the Institute for Mexicans Abroad?
The Institute for Mexicans Abroad (IME, acronym in Spanish) is a decentralized body of the Secretariat of Foreign Affairs that aims at supporting fellow nationals living abroad by running programs implemented by the Federal Government. Said programs are designed to improve the living conditions of the Mexican community.
What services does the Department of Community Affairs provide to the general public?
The Consulate provides information regarding programs for distance learning, the 3x1 Program by SEDESOL and the Red de Talentos program, and it gives information about art, cultural and other types of events that might be of the community's interest. The Consulate also provides free primary school textbooks and runs calls for applications, the Jornada de Educación Financiera (Day of Financial Education) and the Jornada de Salud (Health Day).
What activities are excluded from the list of services provided by Community Affairs at the Consulate?
- Managing calls for applications offered by the Federal Government
- Promoting businesses
- Receiving job applications
- Promoting for-profit events
- Renting the space Espacio Mexico
- Charging for any event or service
Where can I find more information about these activities?
If you wish to know more about programs, activities and upcoming events, please send an email requesting this information:
Department of Community Affairs This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. (You can provide your name and your occupation.)