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.
- Step: Employer applies for either Labour Market Impact Assessment or Labour Market Impact Assessment Exemption, if necessary.
- Step: Employer extends Temporary Job Offer.
- Step: Foreign Worker applies for Work Permit.
- Step: Work Permit is issued.
Other Immigration Programs
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