Work Visa

If you are a foreign national who wishes to work in Canada, you may need a work permit. A work permit grants you the status to remain in Canada and offers you the following benefits:

1. You may receive some government benefits such as health insurance.

2. Your qualified work experience may be helpful for your permanent residency application.

3. Your spouse/common-law partner may be eligible for an open work permit.

A Canadian work permit will allow you to gain qualified experience that entitles you to permanent residency under the Canadian Experience Class program.

Do I need a work permit?

You may be allowed to work in Canada without a work permit under certain circumstances, such as:

Eligible study permit holders who work on- or off-campus during school years and breaks
Media crews/Journalists
Crew members
Business visitors
Performing artists
Other

In cases where you enter the Canadian labour market and earn a salary, you will most likely require a work permit.

Types of Work Permits

There are different types of work permits:

Employer-specific work permit - allows you to work according to the conditions on your work permit (e.g. name/location of your employer).
Open work permit (e.g. post-graduate work permit, spouse/common-law partner open work permit, briding open work permit) - allows you to work for any employer in Canada (exception: striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages).
Occupation-restricted open work permit - allows you to work for any employer, but only in the occupation listed on the work permit.

Work in Canada

You may apply for a work permit through one of the following programs:

1. Temporary Foreign Worker Program,

2. Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP),

3. International Experience Canada (IEC),

4. Spouse or Common-Law Partner Open Work Permit,

5. Accompanying Family Member Open Work Permit,

6. Bridging Open Work Permit,

7. Canada United States Mexico Agreement (CUSMA, formerly known as the NAFTA) Work Permit,

8. Refugee and protected person claimants and their family members.

Furthermore, if you apply for a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, your employer must first obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).I'm a paragraph. Click once to begin entering your own content. You can change my font, size, line height, color and more by highlighting part of me and selecting the options from the toolbar.

Where you may apply for a work permit

You may apply for a work permit either in or outside Canada. If you are applying for a work permit in Canada, you must have already held a valid work permit, study permit, or been a refugee claimant. Please note that you cannot apply for a work permit while in Canada as a visitor

Further, people from certain countries of origin may apply for a work permit at the Port of Entry (POE), such as American and Mexican citizens.

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for a work permit, you generally must meet the following requirements:

A valid job offer
A positive LMIA - if applicable
Sufficient financial means to support yourself and accompanying family member(s)
Other country-specific country requirements - if applicable
Be admissible to Canada (criminal background, health)

You can also apply for an extension of your work permit if the conditions of your stay remain the same. In that case, a new LMIA will also be required.

If you are not eligible for a Canadian work permit, you may consider to apply for permanent residency under the Federal Skilled Worker program.

Work Permit and Dual Intent

Dual intent refers to when you apply for a work permit, you also present the desire of becoming a Canadian permanent resident.

Having dual intent does not necessarily lead to a refusal decision. However, it is problematic when you show your intent to work in Canada is not genuine.

Some people might find themselves eligible for a work permit and admissible to Canada but still receive a refusal decision. The reason could be dual intent.

Therefore, if you present dual intent, you need to address it properly.

How I can help you

For a successful application for a work visa, it is crucial to meet all eligibility requirements and address any concerns regarding inadmissibility.