Work Permits

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Foreign workers must obtain a work permit to be employed in Canada temporarily. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) allows Canadian employers to recruit foreign nationals to address labor shortages.

You can submit an submit an application for a work permit through the following channels:

Employer Specific Work Permit

Foreign nationals seeking employment in Canada typically secure a closed work permit, which may or may not require a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This permit is also known as an Employer-specific Work Permit.

This work permit grants foreign nationals the authorization to be employed under specific conditions or restrictions outlined in the permit itself. It confines the foreign national to a single employer, allowing them to hold only one position with that employer in Canada.

Eligible for an Employer-specific Work Permit?

There are a number of ways to be eligible for an employer-specific work permit. This includes:

Academic credentials
Applicants who are part of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP)
Dancers, actors, orchestral musicians, opera singers or someone in a related field
Entrepreneurs
Film or television production workers
French speaking skilled workers who intend to work in a Francophone community outside Quebec
Intra-company transferees
Professional Athlete or coach
Provincial Nominated applicants who have a job offer
Religious worker or someone doing charitable work
Repair or maintenance worker for industrial or commercial equipment
Researchers at certain Canadian institutions
Start-up Visa program applicants
Workers under a federal-provincial/territorial agreement

Open Work Permit

An Open Work Permit (OWP) enables foreign nationals to seek employment with any employer in Canada, eliminating the need for a confirmed job offer beforehand.

Typically, foreign nationals require a job offer and a positive Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) confirmation letter to apply for a work permit. However, an open work permit operates differently. It grants flexibility, not being restricted to a specific employer or location, and does not demand a job-specific role. Importantly, it eliminates the need for a job offer, an LMIA, or a confirmation letter of employment. This permits the holder to seek and engage in employment across any occupation throughout Canada.

Eligibility for an open work permit.

Dependent family members of permanent residence applicants.
Employer-specific work permit holder and are being abused or at risk of being abused in relation to your job in Canada
Spouse or common-law partner of a skilled worker or International Student
Spouse or common-law partner of an applicant of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
A student’s spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit if:

hold a valid study permit or be provisionally approved for a study permit (if applying as a family group outside of Canada) be studying on a full-time basis in a graduate program (master’s and doctorate) in a university or polytechnic institution, or a professional degree-granting program in a university (e.g., medicine, dentistry, law, etc.)

LMIA Based Work Permit

Typically, both foreign nationals and employers are required to navigate a two-phase procedure to secure a Canadian work permit.

STEP 1: Apply for Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)

STEP 2: Apply for a Canadian Work Permit

To apply for a Canada LMIA-based work permit, candidates must submit a written job offer along with a positive LMIA. The required supplementary documents vary depending on the province and the specific nature of the job.

LMIA Exempt Work Permit

Typically, obtaining a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a prerequisite for applying for work permits in Canada. However, not all employment of Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) by Canadian employers requires an LMIA. Certain categories of Canadian work permits are exempt from the LMIA requirement, accessible through the International Mobility Program (IMP).

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