A Canada Work Permit is a mandatory license issued by the country’s government that allows eligible people from other countries to work in Canada for a fixed period.
People usually apply for this permit after receiving a job offer or contract from a Canadian company or organization.
Applicants must also ensure that their employer has obtained a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada), allowing them to hire people from other countries for positions Canadian residents cannot fill.
Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada, regardless of their country of residence, do not need a work permit or visa to work in Canada.
Foreign nationals who wish to work or visit Canada may be required to obtain a work permit, a visitor visa, or both.
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Types of Canadian Work Permits
Here are the two types of work permits available in Canada. Depending on your qualifications and occupation, your job may fall under two categories of work permits.
There are two types of work permits:
- Open work permits
- Employer-specific work permits.
Open Work Permit
The Immigration Office issues an open work permit to immigrants who want to work for any employer for a fixed period.
Open Work Permits (OWP) are divided into unrestricted and restricted permits. The primary difference is that Unrestricted Permits allow you to work in any occupation and location, whereas Restricted Permits do not.
You can only work in a specific job with a Restricted permit, which limits your ability to move around Canada in search of employment.
Who is eligible to apply for an open work permit?
- You are an international student who has completed your studies at a designated learning institution and is eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program.
- You are a student who can no longer afford to pay for your studies (destitute student)
- You have an employer-specific work permit and are at risk of being abused due to your job in Canada.
- You requested permanent residency in Canada.
- You are a dependent family member of an applicant for permanent residence.
- You are a low- or high-skilled worker’s spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child.
- You are an international student’s spouse or common-law partner.
- You are the spouse or common-law partner of an Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program applicant.
- You are a refugee, a refugee claimant, a protected person, or a family member of a protected person.
- You have an unenforceable removal order. You hold a temporary resident permit.
- You are a young worker who is involved in special programs.
- You must meet additional criteria to be eligible in each of these situations.
Employer-Specific Work Permit:
Employer-specific work permits are issued to foreign nationals who have been offered a job in Canada.
It enables you to work for a particular company and includes information such as the employer’s name, length of employment, and location of employment, if applicable, among other things.
An employer-specific work visa allows you to work in Canada subject to certain conditions, such as:
- The name of the particular employer you can work for.
- The time frame for which you can work.
- The place where you can work.
Who is eligible to apply for an Employer Specific Work Permit?
The nature of the occupation and the applicant’s overall record determine eligibility for an Employer-specific work permit. The following are some of the requirements:
- You must show the immigration officer that you intend to leave as soon as your work permit expires.
- You have enough funds to stay and care for yourself and any visitors you may have during your visit to Canada.
- You have no criminal record.
- You do not endanger Canada’s security.
- You have no serious medical issues that could impact the Canadian population.
- You are not employed by an employer listed as ineligible on the list of employers who failed to meet employment conditions.
- You are not employed by a company that provides promiscuous services such as striptease, erotic dance, massages, escort services, or similar occupations.
The employer who wants to hire you must follow certain procedures and give you a copy of a Labour Market Impact Assessment or an offer of employment number to add to your application before you can apply for an employer-specific work permit.
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Other Work Permit Types:
There are several other types of work permits available, including:
Student Dependent Work Permit:
During their studies in Canada, international students are free to apply for work permits for their dependent spouses, as well as visit visas or study permits for their children.
To apply for an open work permit for a spouse, the student must be enrolled full-time in school, or they can apply together while the student is enrolled in school.
Students with a study permit can work off-campus for up to 20 hours per week. Working on campus does not require a work permit. After completing their studies, students may apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP), allowing them to work full-time.
This permit validates three years and allows the student to apply for permanent residence in Canada under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).
Spousal Work Permit:
Spouses or common-law partners of Canadian citizens or permanent residents may apply for an open work permit if they apply within Canada for Spousal Sponsorship or Common-law Sponsorship and are currently present in Canada.
With an open permit they can work in Canada. The permit allows the spouse/common-law partner to work for one year and can be extended until the final decision on their spousal sponsorship application is made.
As a result, if the sponsored spouse or partner is currently in Canada on any valid status, they can apply for an open work permit in Canada along with the original spousal or common-law partner sponsorship application.
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How do I apply for a work permit?
Applying for a Canadian work permit is a relatively simple process; the only requirement is that the applicant has a job before applying.
There are two steps to this:
Step 1:
In most cases, the first step toward obtaining a work permit is to apply to Employment and Social Development Canada for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) (ESDC). LMIA is necessary because it allows an employer to hire an international candidate for a position in Canada.
Applying for a work permit online is preferable because the processing is faster, and there is no need for mail delivery time from courier offices.
Step 2:
After receiving an LMIA, the applicant may apply for a work permit in Canada. Unless a work permit is open, most permits are employee-specific. Before applying for another job, a person who wants to change employers must obtain a new work permit.
After completing their higher education, international students who want to work in Canada can apply for a post-graduation work permit. PGWP is an open work permit that is not subject to LMIA regulations.
The program length you are enrolled in determines how long this permit will be valid. PGWP can last up to three years. Your PGWP will be granted for two years, for instance, if your current degree is two years long.
The student must have completed a full-time program at a designated learning institution in Canada for at least eight months to be eligible for the PGWP. To be eligible for PGWP, students must apply within 180 days of completing their program.
Required Documents
- The visa office will pay the application processing fee and any other applicable fees (biometric fee or open holder permit fee) in an acceptable payment method.
- A valid passport with a copy of the information page that includes the following information: Passport number, Dates of issuance and expiry, Applicants’ photograph, name, place of birth and date of birth.
- Proof of current immigration status.
- Photocopy of Marriage Certificate, if applicable.
- Proof of eligibility for the job offered Proof of LMIA provided by ESDC to the employer, and copy of job offer or Offer of Employment ID number.
- Proof of completion of the study program when applying for PGWP: A final transcript, a letter of graduation from the college/university.
Online Application
Gather the Required Documents: Applicants must ensure that all required documents are present before applying.
Fill out the Application Form and Answer All Questions: The application form includes questions about the applicant’s personal information, language proficiency, passport information, work in Canada information, education information, and previous work experience if any.
Pay the Application and Related Fees: Applicants for a work permit in Canada must pay three separate fees. The application processing fee, work permit holder, and biometric fees are all included. The following are the fee details:
Note: Applicants for an open work permit must pay both the open work permit and the fees.
Submit the Application: Once the application process has been completed, online applicants can submit their applications with a single click. Offline applicants can send their applications to VAC (Visa Application Center).
After applying for a work permit on the website, applicants must go to an interview and provide additional information and medical exam results, if necessary. Only complete applications are accepted or returned.
