WORK IN CANADA

Work Permit Canada

Apply to work permit Canada, extend a work permit or hire a foreign worker.

There are 2 types of work permits.

  • Employer-specific work permit
  • Open work permit

Open work permit Canada

An open work permit lets you work for any employer in Canada, except for those are listed as ineligible.

You may apply for an open work permit in specific situations including, but are not limited to: 

Employer-specific work permit Canada| LMIA

An employer-specific work permit lets you work in Canada according to the conditions on your work permit, such as:

  • the name of the specific employer you can work for
  • how long you can work
  • the location where you can work (if applicable)

Before you submit your application for an employer-specific work permit, the employer who wants to hire you must complete certain steps and give you either a copy of a Labour Market Impact Assessment or an offer of employment number to include in your application.

Agricultural Workers

The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) is to issue an open work permit, which allows workers to work for any SAWP employer in Canada.  

These employers can hire TFWs from participating countries for a maximum period of 8 months, between January 1 and December 15, provided they are able to offer the workers a minimum of 240 hours of work within a period of 6 weeks or less.

To qualify for the SAWP, employers must meet 3 criteria:

  1. the TFWs hired must be citizens from Mexico or participating Caribbean countries (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Mexico, Montserrat, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago). 
  2. production must be in specific commodity sectors
  3. the activity must be related to on farm primary agriculture

Other than SAWP, other agriculture workers will be issued employer-specific work permit, which requires an approved LMIA to their employer. 

International Experience Canada - IMP

If you’re aged 18 to 35, International Experience Canada (IEC) offers you the opportunity to work and travel abroad. IEC provides you a path to work and explore in one of 36 countries and territories. You can verify your eligibility through IRCC’s online tool. 

There are three streams under the IEC:

  • International Co-op (employer-specific)
  • Young Professionals (employer-specific)
  • Working Holiday (open work permit)

Candidate needs to contact one of the seven recognized organizations that provide assistance in the three IEC streams. Foreign national youth are eligible to apply through an IEC recognized organization twice in their lifetime, over and above the participations that the YMA allows. Repeat category participations through a recognized organization are allowed. The 2 participations are cumulative among all present, past or future recognized organizations.

Intra-company transferees (ICTs) - IMP

ICT General Requirements

  • This stream is LMIA exempted, but require a work permit,  either under  Significant Benefits or Free  Trade Agreement. 
  • Both well-established and start-up companies in Canada can apply under this program. 
  • Under Significant Benefits category, only a specialized knowledge worker, senior manager or executive managerial  applicant will be considered. 
  • Free Trade Agreement ICT applicant needs to check specific requirements under that specific trade agreement. 
  • Eligible multi-national company could be a parent, a subsidiary, a branch, or an affiliate of that enterprise where the applicant is currently employed.
  • The applicants are usually required to have been employed continuously (via payroll or by contract directly with the company), by the company that plans to transfer them outside Canada in a similar full-time position (not accumulated part-time) for at least one year in the three-year period immediately preceding the date of initial application.
  • There is little restriction on citizenship of applicants. All 150 member countries of the World Trade Organization (WTO) are thus eligible for the commitments that Canada has granted with respect to temporary entry.

  • Start-up companies, corporate aquisition and merger may be eligible under ICT.

Mobilité Francophone - IMP

Who can apply?

In order to qualify for an exemption from the labour market impact assessment, as outlined in administrative code C16, foreign individuals must meet the following criteria:

  • They must have intentions to work in a province or territory other than Quebec.
  • They must possess qualifications to work in occupations classified as TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3.
  • They must convince an officer that their primary language for everyday communication is French.

The term “habitual language of daily use” refers to the ability to communicate at a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveau de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) level 7 or higher.

Supporting documentation with the work permit application includes:

  1. A valid offer of employment, as outlined in section 209.11 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. This offer must be submitted by the employer before the work permit application is made.
  2. Evidence indicating that the intended work location is situated outside of Quebec. It is important to note that telework or remote work arrangements for an employer based in Quebec are not eligible.
  3. Documentation demonstrating language proficiency, such as:
    • Educational records or certificates that validate education completed in the French language.
    • Proof of achieving a Canadian Language Benchmark (CLB) or Niveau de compétence linguistique canadien (NCLC) level 7 or higher in the Test d’évaluation de français (TEF) or Test de connaissance du français (TCF).
    • An assessment conducted by the examining officer during an interview.

Investor's Work Permit Canada - IMP

Free Trade Agreement

Investors under free trade agreements such as CPTPP and CUSMA may apply for work permit without LMIA.

In order to meet the eligibility requirements as an investor under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), applicants must fulfill the following criteria:

  1. Hold citizenship in one of the following countries:

    • Australia (including citizens and permanent residents)
    • Japan
    • Mexico
    • Peru
    • Vietnam

  2. Establish, develop, or manage an investment that involves a significant amount of capital that has already been committed or is currently in the process of being committed. The individual can be either the owner of the enterprise committing the funds or an employee of that enterprise.

  3. Officer discretion should be used if the specific date or timeline for committing the funds is unknown or not immediate.

  4. Hold a supervisory, executive, or a role that requires essential skills. This can include activities such as setting up a specific franchise or operating a laboratory.

Applicants are responsible for providing supporting documentation to demonstrate their eligibility and ability to perform the work outlined in the LMIA-exempt offer of employment. The following documents and evidence are required:

  1. Proof of citizenship or permanent residence in an eligible CPTPP signatory country for the investor category.

  2. Evidence establishing that the investment in Canada is a genuine and active commercial or entrepreneurial endeavor that aims to generate profits through the production of goods or services. This may include a detailed plan outlining future investments, business expansion, or development.

  3. Verification that the funds or capital assets used for the investment were obtained through legal means.

  4. Proof of a productive investment in Canada, such as demonstrating how the investment will create job opportunities locally.

  5. A letter of introduction from the employer, which should include the following details:

    • Position in Canada, job title, place within the organization, and job description.
    • Confirmation of whether the applicant will assume a role as a supervisor, executive, or an employee with essential skills.
    • In the case of an employee with essential skills, evidence supporting the individual’s possession of such skills and demonstrating that the Canadian position requires that expertise.
    • Intended duration of stay in Canada.
    • Description of the financial arrangement that has been or will be utilized for the investment.

Traders and investors engage in significant trade of goods or services between the United States or Mexico and Canada, or they have made or are in the process of making a substantial investment in Canada. These individuals must hold a position of supervision, executive authority, or possess essential skills.

CUSMA

Traders and investors under CUSMA are exempt from the LMIA process but still need to obtain a work permit (under exemption codes T21 and T22) before traveling to Canada. They must apply for the work permit at a Canadian visa office prior to their departure.

Business People Work Permit

Business people whose application is approved, for example, under Entrepreneur progrmam, the applicant is usually granted a temporary work permit and given a set period of time to establish the business in the designation specified in their application.

Caregiver Program Work Permit

As of June 18, 2019, you may be able to apply for permanent residence through the Home Child Care Provider Pilot or Home Support Worker Pilot if you:

  • meet the eligibility requirements, and 
  • have a job offer to work in one of these occupations

The Home Child Care Provider Pilot and the Home Support Worker Pilot are 5-year pilot programs that let qualified caregivers and their family members come to Canada with the goal of becoming permanent residents.

Eligible occupations

  • Home child care provider – NOC 4411: You supervise and care for children in employer’s or own residence (experience as a foster parent doesn’t count) or
  • Home support worker – NOC 4412: You provide care and companionship for individuals and families during periods of incapacitation, convalescence or family disruption ( experience as a housekeeper doesn’t count)

Through these pilots, you’ll get an open work permit to come to Canada and work temporarily.

Qualifying job offer

You must have a genuine job offer from a Canadian employer outside of Quebec in full-time base.

Qualifying work experience

You need to prove that your past experience or training enables you to do the job in Canada.

Qualifying language skills

You need to meet the minimum score of CLB/NCLC 5 in all 4 abilities in English or French with the proof obtained within 2 years before submitting your application.

Qualifying educational background

You must have a completed post-secondary education credential of at least 1 year in Canada or equivalent overseas.

Qualifying work experience toward permanent residence

You need to have worked full-time in Canada in 1 of the two eligible occupations.

Updates: For 2021,  the Home Child Care Pilot  is closed to new applications, but the Home Support Worker Pilot is still open.

How to find a job in Canada?

First of all, you need to have a tailored resume, and very importantly, in Canadian format which may be very different from in your home country. We can help you prepare for resume and give you suggestions while you are doing the research and contacting employers so that your resume fits the requirements and the Canadian employers would see that you are fully ready for the job in Canada.

Then, you need to search and apply for jobs. There are many ways to look for jobs, such as:

  • research companies where you want to work by:
    • check their website for jobs they post
    • contact employers directly to ask if they are hiring
  • go to job fairs in your city or town, where you can meet employers and discuss jobs
  • browse job search websites and newspapers classified sections to see who is hiring, such as
    • Job Bank has up to 2,000 new jobs posted every day
    • jobs.gc.ca has job postings for federal public service 
  • use an employment agency that searches for jobs for you
    • call or visit a Service Canada Centre near you for lists of government employment services and training help
  • ask family and friends if they know about open jobs
    • many jobs aren’t advertised
    • you’ll only learn about some jobs by speaking to people

Avoid fraud in immigration

Fake job offers and fraudulent consultants are common. You need to be very cautious about that. Keep in mind only work with a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) or lawyer that is approved by IRCC. If a company or a person promises you a job offer for work permit or permanent resident and charges you a big amount of fees, think twice because it might be fake. It’s not allowed in Canada that any employer sells jobs to foreign workers!

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