Work Permit

Close to 200,000 New Foreign Workers Immigrate to Canada Every Year!

Canada issues hundreds of thousands of work permits each year to global talent from all corners of the world. There is no reason why this cannot be you too!

What is Canada Work Permit?

Canadian work permit is the permission to take a job within Canada if you are from a foreign country. Canada Work Permit, or a Work Visa, is issued to eligible overseas individuals to work in that country for a specific time period.

People need to apply for a Work Visa only after getting a job offer or an employment contract from a Canadian designated employer. The employer must obtain from ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada) an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment), which gives them permission to recruit foreign skilled workers for occupations that cannot be filled in by citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

Canadian Work Permit Types

There are two types of work permits in Canada:

1. Work permits that require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
2. Work permits which do not require an LMIA

The purpose of the LMIA is for employers to demonstrate to the Canadian government that the hiring of a foreign worker will not have a negative impact on Canada's existing workforce. The federal department of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) wants to ensure that the hiring of foreign workers will not displace existing workers in Canada nor place downward pressures on their wages.

LMIA Exempt Work Permits referred to International agreements, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), or Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Work Permit Eligibility

  • Prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your work permit expires
  • Show that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada and to return home
  • Obey the law and have no record of criminal activity (Government may ask to applicant to give them police clearance certificate.
  • Not be a danger to Canada’s security
  • Be in good health and have a medical exam, if needed
  • Not plan to work for an employer listed with the status “ineligible” on the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions.
  • Not plan to work for an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages
  • Give the officer any other documents they ask for to prove you can enter the country

Documents Required

  • A valid passport with a validity of more than 6 months from the planned date of arrival in Canada.
  • Two recent passport-sized photographs
  • Educational qualification certificates
  • Proof of professional qualifications, including work experience
  • Proof of having adequate financial resources to cover their expenses during their stay in Canada
  • Medical examination required to be done from registered hospitals.

Can the candidate turn a work visa into Permanent Residency?

If you are currently working in Canada and you have applied for permanent residence, you may be eligible for a bridging open work permit if your work permit will expire in four months or less. This means you can keep working while we make a decision on your permanent resident application.

To qualify, you must have applied under the:

  • Federal Skilled Worker Program,
  • Canadian Experience Class,
  • Federal Skilled Trades Program,
  • Provincial Nominee Program,
  • Caring for Children Class, or

The candidate must also:

  • currently be in Canada,
  • have valid status on a work permit that is due to expire within four months,
  • select “Open Work Permit” as the type of work permit when you complete your work permit application, and