Work permit
Temporary Residents
Conditions the applicants must meet
when applying for a work permit
Intention of leaving Canada
Financial requirements
Employability
Field of work
Family members requirements
Admissibility requirements
Employers are required to submit Labour Market Impact Assessment application, work permit is restricted to region, sector, occupation and employer
Most are required a job offer from a Canadian employer, expertise or work experience in designated occupations
The issuance is based on international agreements between Canada and other countries, the validity will be between 1 to 3 years and some are renewable
Restrictions on region, employer, occupation and other conditions.
No restrictions on industry, region, employers and occupations unless prohibited
These occupations may enter Canada for short-term work
Public speakers
News reporters
Media crews
Military personnel
Foreign government officers
Business visitors
Foreign representatives
Performing artists
Examiners and evaluators
Expert witnesses or investigators
Emergency service providers
Pending decision on work permit renewal
On-campus employment
Off-campus work
Transition to work permit
Registered Indians
Religious leaders
Short-term students in a foreign health care program
Convention organizers
Athletes and team members
Crew
Civil aviation inspector
Aviation accident or incident inspector
Judges, referees and similar officials
Process timeline of work permit applicationand how to maintain the legal status while in Canada
Application submission
Submit the application online to IRCC when all the minimum requirements are met and qualified for at least one category.
Biometrics collection
Receive a request from IRCC for biometrics collection at visa application centers to verify identity and admissibility.
Medical examination
Receive a request from IRCC for a medical examination with panel physicians to provide proof of the health conditions.
Decision
Application approved, the passport is required from IRCC to have a counterfoil visa attached to it and ready to come to Canada.
Entry into Canada
Have a short discussion at the port of entry with CBSA about personal information and eligibility and receive the work permit.
Extend the work permit
Comply with conditions on the work permit, extend to maintain the legal status or leave Canada by the expiry date of the permit.
Eligible applications inside Canada or at the port of entry may be exempt from biometrics collection and/or medical examination.
Applicants who maintain their work permit conditions, are eligible and have applied for the extension by the expiry date of existing work permit may continue to work under implied/maintained status until a decision is made.
Crucial elements affect the decision
Common advantages for temporary foreign workers and their family members to come to Canada
Benefits
Access to high-quality modern public health care as same as Canadian
Advantages to immigrate
Eligible and/or have additional points in federal or provincial immigration programs
Medical
Access to high-quality modern public health care as same as Canadian
Family-friendly
May apply work permit or study permit for spouse, common-law partner or children
Working conditions
Fully protected under federal and provincial employment laws and regulations
Important requirements the applicant should note
- Work permits in Canada include the Restricted Work Permit which only authorized the holders to work for a specific employer, region and occupation AND Open Work Permit allows the holders to work without any restrictions except prohibited occupations.
- Open Work Permit holders must leave Canada by the exipry date of the work, and Restricted Work Permit holders must stop working if their conditions are changed (region, employer, occupation), unless eligible or maintained before the expiry date
- Accompying spouse or common-law partner and dependents may eligible to apply for work and study permit
Immigration Ineligibility
- Change the initial purpose of entry
- Have committed a crime, depends on the seriousness of the conviction
- Have been, are or will be engaging in organized crime
- Have been, are or will be engaging in any activities or organizations that are against Canada, contrary to Canada’s interests or endanger the lives or safety of persons in Canada
- Have a health condition that is dangerous to public health, public safety or may cause excessive demand on health or social services
- Unable or unwilling to financially support yourself and accompanying family members
- Have an immigration application refused for misrepresentation in the past 5 years
- Have been deported for failing to comply with any immigration act or regulation
- Failed to prove the qualifications to perform main duties listed in the employment contract
Open work permit
- International students graduated from an eligible program of 8 months or more
- Spouse and common-law partner of international students or temporary foreign workers who are studying or working in Canada
- Spouse or common-law partner of Canadian or Permanent Resident who resides in Canada and is being sponsored
- Work permit holders who submitted their Permanent Resident application by the expiry date of the current work permit
- International Experience Canada - Working Holiday Visa
- Only available to citizens of Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, United Kingdom.
- Between 18 to 35 years old
- Create the profile online, prepare supporting documents and submit a completed application after being invited
- Open work permits for vulnerable workers - International Mobility Program
- Temporary public policy for Hong Kong residents who graduated from at least a 1 year post-secondary program within the last 5 years
Restricted Work Permit – LMIA Required
Eligible employers are required to submit Labour Market Impact Assessment application
- Temporary Foreign Worker Program (Low-wage, High-wage, Agricultural, Seasonal Agricultural)
- Global Talent Stream
- Quebec Facilitated LMIA
Restricted Work Permit – Job Offer Required
Under International Mobility Program (IMP), exempt from LMIA requirements, for citizens from countries which Canada has a trade agreement with, including categories such as:
- Business visitors or potential investors, no job offer required, valid for 6 months and cannot be extended
- Professionals and Technicians under designated occupations, job offer required, valid up to 3 years and can be extended
- Intra-company transferees in multi-national companies, job offer required, valid up to 3 years and can be extended
- Traders and investors, job offer required, valid up to 1 year and can be extended
Each country is qualified for some or all streams noted above. Trade agreements of which Canada is a member:
- CUSMA: US, Mexico
- FTA: Chile, Peru, Columbia, Korea, Panama
- CETA: European Union (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden)
- CUKTCA: United Kingdom, Northern Ireland
- General Agreement on Trade in Services
- CPTPP (Vietnam, Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore)
Regulatory occupations authorized to work without a work permit
- Public speakers
- News reporters
- Media crews
- Military personnel
- Foreign government officers
- Business visitors
- Foreign representatives
- Performing artists
- Examiners and evaluators
- Expert witnesses or investigators
- Emergency service providers
- Pending decision on work permit renewal
- Short-term students in a foreign health care program
- On-campus employment
- Off-campus work
- Transition to work permit
- Registered Indians
- Religious leaders
- Convention organizers
- Athletes and team members
- Crew
- Civil aviation inspector
- Aviation accident or incident inspector
- Judges, referees and similar officials
