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WORK PERMIT CANADA

Work in Canada is one of the most sought-after opportunities for foreigners. The country's population is aging, and new workers are not enough to replace retiring workers. Because of this demographic problem, the Canadian government permits employers to hire foreign workers. Foreign nationals must obtain a work permit to work in Canada.

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A work permit allows a foreign national to work in Canada and also ensures that the foreign national is complying with the immigration rules. The government of Canada has rules and regulations as to who can apply for a work permit and under what conditions. Certain categories of people, such as some skilled workers, entrepreneurs, youth leaders and researchers, do not need a work permit because they are not required to obtain one before moving to live in Canada permanently.

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The main work permit programs in Canada are the temporary foreign worker program (TFWP) and the international mobility program (IMP). Foreign nationals who filed a claim for refugee protection and are waiting for their asylum decision may also be eligible to get a work permit under Humanitarian and Compassionate grounds. Depending on the situation, they can be open, which allows working for any employer or employers, or employer- or occupation-restricted, allowing working only for certain employers or in designated occupations.


Each type of work permit is subject to different requirements, including length of stay and employer eligibility. Foreign nationals may come to Canada to work temporarily in business activities, seasonal agricultural trade, and cultural exchanges. The work permits issued to foreign nationals who are working in Canada are valid for specific periods of time, which may vary from one month to four years.

Post Graduate Work Permit

(PGWP)

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) allows students who have graduated from an eligible Canadian designated learning institution (DLI) to obtain an open work permit. The PGWP helps graduates qualify for permanent residence in Canada through the Canadian experience class within Express Entry. Our team can help you to find out if you are eligible for this program, and how it can accelerate your path to permanent residence in Canada.

 

Applicants can receive only one post-graduation work permit in their lifetime.
Post-graduation work eligibility requirements:

  • The applicant must currently hold valid temporary status or have left Canada. 

  • Have graduated from an eligible designated learning institution (DL

  • The program is at least 8 months in duration, leading to a degree, diploma or certificate.-maintained full-time student status in Canada during each academic session

  • Received a transcript and an official letter from the eligible DLI confirming that they have met the requirements to complete their program of study.

  • Apply a maximum of 180 days after you officially finish your program.

 

Before applying to any institution, it is important to check if the school or program of study will make you eligible for a PGWP. To check if your school is eligible, please click here https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/study-canada/study-permit/prepare/designated-learning-institutions-list.html). Also, you can send the school an email or call them with your questions.

 

You can still be eligible for the PGWP in some cases.

 

When choosing the right college or university in Canada, it is essential to understand that not all study programs in Canada allow graduates to be eligible for PGWP.

 

We are here to help you make a difference in your life and the lives of your family. We will guide you throughout the process from choosing a college or university, a study program, obtaining a study permit, to applying for a PGWP and obtaining permanent residency in Canada!

International experience Canada

(IEC)

The International Experience Canada (IEC) Program is a government initiative to facilitate youth mobility and global learning. The IEC Canada allows a young person from around the world to travel and work in Canada for up to one year. The IEC Program provides young adults with the opportunity not only to learn about Canadian society but also to develop valuable cross-cultural, interpersonal and professional skills. You can apply for an IEC work permit if you are between 18 and 35 years old (35 if you are a citizen of Mexico or Chile) and have a valid offer from an employer in your intended occupation. ​The IEC program is composed of three categories:

​Working Holiday

 

International students, recent graduates and young workers who are between 18 and 35 years old can apply to this program. Successful applicants get an open work permit that lets them work anywhere in Canada for up to 24 months. Applicants must also have a valid passport from one of the countries that are eligible. Applicants may qualify for a two-year open work permit if they meet the specific criteria

Young Professionals

 

Young professionals from participating nations can work for a Canadian firm to advance their careers while gaining significant international experience through this category. Participants in this programme have the opportunity to support Canadian businesses looking for young, bright individuals who have just graduated from a college, university, or trade school. A National Occupation Code (NOC) Skill Type Level 0, A, or B must apply to the job being offered.

International Co-op

 

The International Co-op program is designed for citizens of participating countries who are enrolled at a post-secondary institution in their country of citizenship. Participants intern at Canadian companies, during which they acquire valuable work experience related to their field of study. The International Co-op internship provides participants with an opportunity to explore and develop cross-cultural relationships while studying abroad in a new country.

Applicants must fulfill certain conditions in order to move to Canada under the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.


They must meet the following requirements: 

  • be between the ages of 18 and 35 (the upper age limit varies by the applicant's country of citizenship);

  • have a passport that is currently valid; 

  • be citizens of one of the 33 nations that have bilateral youth mobility agreements with Canada; 

  • pass health and police checks; and 

  • have enough money to support themselves while they are in Canada.

Bridging Open Work Permit

(BOWP) allows applicants who have made an application to immigrate to Canada

A bridging open work permit (BOWP) allows applicants who have made an application to immigrate to Canada under one of the following immigration programs: the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Class, the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), or one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) to pursue a work permit while their application is being processed. A foreign worker legally working in Canada may then continue to work until a decision is made on his or her application for permanent residence.

 

In order to apply for a bridging open work permit (BOWP),
the applicant must meet certain criteria:

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  • The foreign national must be currently in Canada, 

  • Have valid status on a work permit that is due to expire within four months, 

  • Be a principal applicant on an application for permanent residence under the FSWP, CEC, PNP or FSTP

  • The principal applicant received a positive eligibility assessment on his or her application.

  • have your acknowledgement of receipt (AoR) letter or approval in principle letter.

LMIA Work Permit

(Labour Market Impact Assessment)

A foreign national must locate an employer with a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment to be eligible to apply for a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) (LMIA).

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The LMIA process is a tool available to employers who want to hire a foreign worker. An employer must apply for an LMIA in order to hire a foreign worker. A positive LMIA means that the employer can bring in a foreign worker and pay them at least the prevailing wage for that kind of work.

All work permits issued under the TFWP are employer-specific. This means a foreign worker may only work for the company named on their permit – that is, a single-employer LMIA. To find new employment, the foreign worker must first apply for and receive a new work permit from the government, then find another employer who will first apply for and receive another LMIA.

LMIA Exempt Work Permit

LMIA Exempt Work Permit

(IMP-work permits are exempt from LMIA)

IMP-work permits are exempt from LMIA, making them easier to obtain for certain foreign nationals. Several types of individuals qualify for this foreign worker category, including spouses of Canadian citizens and permanent residents, as well as some international graduates who wish to stay in Canada and Other Temporary Residents.

Some of the most common LMIA-exempt streams are outlined below.

International Agreements

Canada is a party to a number of international agreements that facilitate the entry of foreign workers. Admission of foreign workers under these agreements is considered of significant benefit to Canada and, as such, does not require an LMIA. The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), Canada-Chile FTA, Canada-Peru FTA, and Canada-Columbia FTA are examples of this case.

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Visit the CUSMA Work Permit section for more information on how to obtain a Work Permit under CUSMA.

Entrepreneurs/Self-Employed Candidates

If you're an entrepreneur or self-employed candidate looking to come to Canada temporarily, you might be eligible for an LMIA exemption.

 

Entrepreneurs are eligible for LMIA-exempt work permits if they can demonstrate that their work in Canada is temporary in nature. If you wish to come to Canada temporarily in order to start or operate a business, this category may be right for you. Applicants must be the sole or majority owners of the business they wish to pursue in Canada and must demonstrate that their business will be of significant benefit to Canada.

 

This category is particularly well suited to owners of seasonal businesses. Entrepreneurs who have already applied for Canadian permanent residence may also qualify for LMIA-exempt work permits in this category.

 Intra-Company Transferees

Intra-Company Transferees (ICTs) may be granted an LMIA exemption for a temporary transfer to Canada. Transferees must be considered executives, managers, or specialized knowledge workers, and must work for a foreign company with a qualifying relationship to the company in Canada.

 

In order to be considered an ICT, you must meet the following requirements:

 

  • You must be transferring from one foreign affiliate of your employer to another foreign affiliate of your employer that is located in Canada.

  • You must be coming to perform management duties or executive duties on behalf of your employer’s Canadian business operations, or you must have specialized knowledge that is needed by your employer’s Canadian business operations.

  • Your employment abroad cannot have been continuous for more than one year at any given time since you first became an ICT.

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Dependents Of Foreign Workers

Spouses and children of Foreign Workers holding a Canadian work permit for a skilled position do not require an LMIA when applying for an Open Work Permit (OWP). Please note that this does not apply to the spouses of workers on an International Exchange Program.

 

Mobilité Francophone Work Permit

Mobilité francophone: Foreign nationals who have been recruited through a francophone immigration promotional event coordinated between the federal government and Francophone minority communities, and who are destined for a province or territory outside of Quebec and qualified under a National Occupational Classification (NOC) 0, A or B;

Academics

This includes researchers, guest lecturers, and visiting professors.

  

Provincial LMIA Exemptions

Workers nominated by a province for permanent residence and who have obtained a job offer in that province may be exempt from the need for an LMIA.

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Note: Being exempt from obtaining an LMIA does not mean the individual is exempt from obtaining a work permit. All streams on the LMIA exemption list still require the individual to obtain a work permit to work in Canada legally.

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​Humanitarian and Compassionate Grounds

As of January 1, 2013, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has issued employment authorizations for refugee claimants who are waiting for the hearing of their claim in Canada. These are known as Humanitarian and Compassionate (H&C) Grounds.

It is important to realize that the issuance of an H&C work permit does not change the status of your refugee claim; it only allows you to work while you are waiting for the decision about your refugee claim.

 

This work permit is open and allows you to work for any employer until your refugee claim is either accepted or rejected.

 

We have expertise in all types of work permit applications, and we are ready to assist you at any stage of your application. We will help you with all the paperwork, including application forms, supporting documents, translations and other things that can be required by immigration authorities.

Global Talent Stream

For highly skilled foreign workers who will contribute to economic growth in Canada

The Global Talent Stream is designed to help employers fill positions with highly skilled foreign workers who will contribute to economic growth in Canada. It allows eligible organizations that are expanding or investing in Canada, as well as certain startups, to bring in temporary foreign workers without first having to go through a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

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  • Computer and information systems managers  (NOC 0213)

  • Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)   (NOC 2147)

  • Mathematicians and statisticians  (*subset of NOC 2161)

  • Information systems analysts and consultants  (NOC 2171)

  • Database analysts and data administrators  (NOC 2172)

  • Software engineers and designers  (NOC 2173)

  • Computer programmers and interactive media developers  (NOC 2174)

  • Web designers and developers (NOC 2175)

  • Computer Network technicians (NOC 2281)

  • Information systems testing technicians  (2283)

  • Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager – Visual effects and video game  (*subset of NOC 5131 and specific rules apply)

  • Digital Media and Design  (*subset of NOC 5241 and specific rules apply)

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​To learn more about Global Talent Stream
or assistance with applying for a work permit,
Contact us today.

Open Work Permit

Work permit that allows a foreign national to work in Canada in any job

An Open Work Permit (OWP) is a work permit that allows a foreign national to work in Canada in any job, without restrictions. The holder of an OWP does not need an LMIA or confirmation of employment first. Once issued an OWP, the holder can apply and work in any job/occupation in Canada.

 

Foreigners that are eligible for an Open Work permit:

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Inland Sponsorship 

While their application for permanent residency is being handled, spouses and common-law partners sponsored under the Inland Spousal/Common-Law Partner Sponsorship Category of the Family Class are eligible for an open work visa. As long as the application for permanent residence is pending, the spouse or common-law partner is free to work at any employment.

 

Spouse/Common-law of Temporary Foreign Worker

A foreign temporary worker's spouse or common-law partner must prove the following:

 

The primary temporary foreign employee is employed in Canada in a management-level position, in a professional capacity, or as a skilled technician or tradesperson. In other words, in accordance with the National Occupational Standards, the major temporary foreign worker's employment must require level 0, A, or B of expertise.

 

Spouse/Common-law partner of Foreign Student

The spouse or common-law partner of a foreign student must demonstrate the following in order to be qualified for an Open Work Permit:

  • ·the foreign student is enrolled full-time at a publicly-funded, diploma- or degree-granting post-secondary institution; or

  • the international student has completed their education and has a valid work permit for employment in a field connected to their study.

 

Open work permits for spouses and common-law partners are typically issued with a validity date that corresponds with the time their spouse is allowed to work or study in Canada, as applicable.

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 International Graduates

International graduates who meet the standards under the
Post-Graduation Work Permit Program must be eligible for an open work permit.

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 International Experience Canada

​Open work permits are also available to candidates for the International
Experience Canada (IEC) Candidates under the Working Holiday category.

Extend or restore 

your stay as a worker

You've made it! You've landed the job you've always wanted, and now you're ready to start. But before you can even think about picking up your tool belt, there's one other thing you have to do: extend or restore your stay in Canada.

 

Extending your Work Permit 

If you're working on an employer-based work permit, it's easy enough to apply for a new one. But what if you're not? How do you stay in Canada legally?

 

If you're working on an employer-based work permit, it's easy enough to apply for a new one—you just need to submit an application at least 30 days before your current permit expires. If your employer doesn't want to sponsor you for another year, though, what are your options?

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