WORK PERMIT

For foreigners seeking to work in Canada


You can come to Canada to work on a Temporary Work Permit, and afterwards you can apply for permanent residency through the Skilled Worker Program

Although there are some exceptions, as a general rule, foreign workers require a work permit to work in Canada on a temporary basis.

Obtaining a Canadian temporary work permit is a multi-steps process that can take several weeks. There are a number of different ways to secure a work permit. Depending on one’s nationality, occupation, and intended work in Canada, there may be possibilities for expediting the process.

In order to be granted a temporary work permit, Canadian employers will need to provide foreign workers either an approval from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) or an Offer of Employment number issued by Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).  
  1. Step: Employer applies for either Labour Market Impact Assessment or Labour Market Impact Assessment Exemption, if necessary.
  2. Step: Employer extends Temporary Job Offer.
  3. Step: Foreign Worker applies for Work Permit.
  4. Step: Work Permit is issued.

Other Immigration Programs

Business
Immigration

Skilled
Workers

Provincial
Nomination

Study
Permit

Family
Sponsorship

Refugee
Claimant

We can assist with the entire work authorization process for both Canadian employers and foreign workers.

Note that a Canada Temporary Work Permit is for those foreign workers who plan on working in Canada for a finite period of time. To work and live in Canada on a permanent basis, foreign workers must undertake the Canadian permanent residence process. However, a temporary work permit may be a stepping stone to Canadian permanent residence. Once in Canada on a temporary work permit, a foreign worker may qualify for Canadian permanent residence under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), through a Skilled Worker category, or through one of the Provincial Nominee Programs.

An open work permit is neither employer nor not job-specific, therefore it allows the holder to work for almost any Canadian employer, without first having to obtain a confirmed offer of employment.

Further, in accordance with the general policy, spouses or common law partners of skilled workers, foreign students, and international students have graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution, may apply for an open work permit if the principal applicant meets certain requirements.

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document that an employer in Canada may need to get before hiring a foreign worker. A positive LMIA will show that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job. It will also show that no Canadian worker is available to do the job

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