Hi folks, I am a Canadian employer who ownes a highway truck and I currently employ a driver for it who lives in the US and is a US citizen. He has been working for me since Sept of last year and has never had a problem hauling freight across our border until today. He was stopped at Pacific Hwy crossing in British Columbia coming north with an empty trailer and they are refusing him entry to Canada because he does not have a work permit. This has never been an issue before and he has crossed many different border crossings with absolutley no problems. He is now going to see about getting a work permit to be able to keep his job and not be left out on the street. Is there any really quick way to make all this legal and get him a work permit ASAP?? Thank you all in advance for you input and info...
Chris

You are being affected by recent clarification to the business visitor provisions. The proper procedure in this case is a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) followed by a work permit. He will not be able to obtain the work permit without your company first obtaining that LMO.

From CIC:

Foreign truck drivers who are employed by Canadian trucking companies to pick up goods in Canada for delivery to the United States, and who are operating Canadian owned and registered vehicles, cannot receive consideration (as business visitors), since both the company and vehicle are Canadian. Nor can independent foreign truckers working under contract to Canadian trucking companies receive consideration (as business visitors), since they are being employed by a Canadian company.