Working in Canada
Canada offers more than 100 different options for foreign nationals to work in the country. Through experience and time spent working in Canada, foreign workers can apply for permanent residence and, in the longer term, become Canadian citizens.
These options fall under two main programmes: the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP).
The difference between the two is that the TFWP requires a labour market test, known as a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Contents
Overview of working in Canada
Detailed article on theWork permits in Canada.
There are two types of work permit programme in Canada:
- Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP): foreign nationals need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to obtain a work permit.
- International Mobility Program (IMP):Foreign nationals do not need an LMIA to obtain a work permit.
The purpose of the LMIA is for the employer to demonstrate to the Canadian government that hiring a foreign worker will not have a negative effect on Canada’s existing workforce.Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)wants to be satisfied that hiring a foreign worker will not displace workers already in Canada or push down their wages. Workers who require an LMIA fall under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Although the LMIA process is the rule, there are many LMIA-exempt work permits arising from free trade agreements, such as the former North American Free Trade Agreement, now known as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). These free trade agreements allow foreign workers to apply for a work permit without the employer having to obtain an LMIA.
In addition to employer-sponsored work permits, there are many work permit options for foreign workers who do not yet have a job offer, including working holidays, post-graduation work permits and open work permits for spouses. Workers who do not require an LMIA fall under the International Mobility Program (IMP).
Here are some common situations in which a person may work in Canada:
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LMIA required
Detailed article on theLabour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
These work permits require the employer to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) as part of the process.
LMIA exempt
Detailed article on theLMIA exemptions.
Certain situations allow an individual to work in Canada without first obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
CUSMA
Detailed article on theWork permits through CUSMA.
These permits are issued under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (formerly NAFTA) and allow the holder to work without an LMIA.
Intra-company transfers
Detailed article on theIntra-company transfers (ICT)
These permits allow a company to bring certain employees from a foreign office to Canada without an LMIA.
Business travel
Detailed article on theBusiness visitor visas for Canada.
In many cases, business visitors may carry out work in Canada without a work permit, provided they meet certain conditions and do not enter the Canadian labour market.
Post-graduation work permits
Detailed article on thePost-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
After graduating from aDesignated Learning Institution (DLI), international students in Canada may work for up to three years.
Options for working in Canada
If you have a job offer from an employer, you need to consider whether your case requires anLabour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)before applying for a Canadian work permit.
The province of Quebec has its own requirements for employment in Quebec. First, you need to obtain a document known as aCAQas part of the process. You should also note that Quebec hasits own list of occupations for which a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) may be issued quickly.
Canada has a special relationship with the United States and Mexico that allows certain individuals to work in Canada. The former North American Free Trade Agreement, now known as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), allows individuals to work in Canada on aCUSMA work permit.
CUSMA is divided into four categories, covering professionals, intra-company transferees, traders and investors, and allows these individuals to bypass the traditional work permit process.
Canada offers a number of work permit pathways for global tech talent with a job offer in the country, including through free trade agreements such as CUSMA.
One of the most notable pathways is theGlobal Talent Stream. The Global Talent Stream allows tech talent to obtain federal government authorisation to work in Canada within one month.
A Labour Market Impact Assessment is not required for television and film industry workers in Canada, but foreign workers and producers must still comply with Canada’s work permit requirements.
Read more aboutwork permits for the television and film industry.
The programmes through which entrepreneurs can come and work in Canada:
There are several programmes that allowself-employed individuals to work in Canadaunder certain conditions. If you wish to work in Canada as a self-employed person, the process can be somewhat complex.
Depending on how long you have studied in Canada, you may be eligible for aPost-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP). This permit is an excellent opportunity to build Canadian experience, particularly if you intend to apply for Canadian immigration through aExpress Entry, Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)or through Quebec.
If you are looking for work in Canada, you can search the Government of Canada Job Bank athere.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ) about working in Canada
Canadian employers wishing to hire a foreign worker in Canada must obtain authorisation fromEmployment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), also known asLabour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
In most cases, the Canadian employer must demonstrate that hiring a foreign worker will not have a negative effect on the Canadian labour market and that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is currently available to take the position. This is usually done by advertising the position through several channels, thereby showing that no suitable Canadian was found for the job.
The LMIA is a very strict and comprehensive process, subject to close government scrutiny, and must therefore be completed without errors.
Two Canadian federal bodies are responsible for work permits. If a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is required, Employment and Social Development Canada will review the LMIA application and decide whether to approve it.
The work permit process itself is handled byImmigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Once the LMIA is approved, you apply to IRCC for a work permit. If no LMIA is required, you still apply to IRCC for the work permit. A work permit gives you the legal right to work in Canada on a temporary basis.
There are general requirements that all applicants must meet, and specific requirements that depend on the work permit stream being applied for. For example, if you apply under a work permit stream that requires an LMIA, you will need to submit the following documents to IRCC as part of your work permit application:
- An offer of employment letter.
- An employment contract.
- A copy of the LMIA.
- The LMIA number.
In general, all applicants must show that they will leave Canada when their work permit expires, that they have enough money to support themselves in Canada, that they do not pose a risk to public health or safety, and that they will not work for ineligible employers or in ineligible occupations.
Processing times vary depending on a number of factors, such as whether a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is required, the work permit stream you apply under, and the country you are applying from.
If you hold awork permitthat is due to expire, or if you need to change the conditions of your work permit, you must submit a new application at least 30 days before the work permit expires. You cannot extend a work permit beyond the expiry date of your passport.
An open work permitallows a foreign worker to work for any employer in Canada. An open work permit does not require the foreign national to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or a job offer when applying to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for the work permit.
A closed work permit requires the foreign worker to work only for the employer who obtained a positive LMIA and gave them a job offer. If the foreign worker no longer works for that employer, they must apply to change the conditions of their work permit if they wish to continue working legally in Canada.
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)is available to international students who have completed an eligible programme of at least eight months of full-time study at aDesignated Learning Institution (DLI). The purpose of the PGWP is to help international students build professional work experience that they can then use to qualify for a Canadian immigration programme.
If you meet the PGWP eligibility criteria, you can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The maximum duration of a PGWP is three years, depending on the length of your studies in Canada. In general, you can only obtain a PGWP once. By the time the PGWP expires, you must have obtained Canadian permanent residence, obtained another temporary permit, or left Canada.
Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for a work permit provided they meet the eligibility criteria for an LMIA-based or LMIA-exempt work permit. One option available to spouses of Canadian citizens and permanent residents is the Spousal Open Work Permit.
The Spousal Open Work Permit allows eligible individuals living in Canada to obtain a temporary work permit while their spousal sponsorship application is being processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). This work permit allows the sponsored person to work for any employer in Canada.
Yes. You can apply for a work permit on its own or alongside an application for permanent residence. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recognises the concept of “dual intent“.
No, there is no limit. Each work permit has a period of validity. Some work permits can be extended an unlimited number of times, while permits such as the Post-Graduation Work Permit can only be obtained once. If you hold a work permit that cannot be extended, you may apply for a work permit under another category for which you are eligible.
Your work permit will carry conditions, including those printed on the permit itself.
For example, if you hold a closed, LMIA-based work permit, the conditions will cover the type of work you may do, the employer you may work for, where you may work, and how long you may work.
There are other standard conditions that apply to all foreign workers, such as the requirement to leave Canada at the end of your authorised stay.
Yes. If your work permit is still valid, you can apply to extend it while you are living in Canada.
IRCC encourages you to apply for a work permit before travelling to Canada, but some foreign workers are eligible to apply on arrival.
Individuals wishing to apply for a work permit at a Canadian port of entry (POE) must meet the following conditions:
- Meet all other requirements of the work permit stream you are applying under.
- Be eligible for anElectronic Travel Authorisation (eTA)or be able to enter Canada without a visitor visa.
According to IRCC, an offer of employment letter is provided by the employer in Canada and sets out the details of your job. It is less detailed than a contract and is not the same as a “job offer letter”. Instead, it states the wage, the job duties and the working conditions. You must include a copy of the offer of employment letter if a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application is required.
If the employer does not need an LMIA to hire you, they must submit the offer of employment through the Government of Canada’s Employer Portal. Once submitted, the portal generates an offer of employment number that the foreign worker needs in order to apply for a work permit.
Detailed article on theJob offers in Canada
Some foreign workers need a medical examination if they wish to work in an occupation that requires the protection of public health. Examples include health services, childcare, and primary or secondary education.
You may also need a medical examination if you work in an agricultural occupation and have lived in a designated country or territory, or if you wish to work in Canada for more than six months and have lived in a designated country or territory for six consecutive months in the year immediately before your intended date of arrival in Canada.
The list of designated countries and territories is set out on the Government of Canada website athere.
Workers and employers normally have to pay fees for the Canadian government to process a work permit. IRCC lists the fees on the government website athere.
Workers with an LMIA-based work permit must pay the work permit processing fee.
Workers with an LMIA-exempt work permit must pay the open work permit holder fee together with the work permit processing fee at the same time.
Employers who require an LMIA must pay a processing fee for the LMIA application. Employers who do not require an LMIA must still pay the employer compliance fee when submitting the offer of employment through the Government of Canada’s Employer Portal.
IRCC will issue you a port of entry (POE) letter if your work permit has been approved. This letter is also known as a “correspondence letter”, “introduction letter” or “letter of introduction”. It is not your work permit, but it is important, because you must present it to the Canadian border officer when you arrive in the country.
Your POE letter contains a section called “Permit validity” that states how long it is valid for. If the validity date passes, you must submit a new application.
The validity period for participants inInternational Experience Canada (IEC)is normally 12 months. If you have had a medical examination, your POE letter will be valid until the expiry date of your medical results or for 12 months, whichever is shorter.
Yes, you can. Please note that a work permit is not a travel document, so it does not give you the right to enter Canada. Rather, it gives you the right to work in Canada. In addition to a valid work permit, you need a temporary resident visa or an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA).
Full-time students do not need a work permit if they are enrolled in full-time study. A study permit automatically allows the holder to work off campus for up to 20 hours per week during academic sessions, and full time during scheduled breaks, without applying for a separate work permit. Study permit holders must be enrolled in an academic, vocational or professional training programme of at least six months leading to a degree, diploma or certificate at aDesignated Learning Institution (DLI).
To work in Canada, international students must be registered and enrolled at a Designated Learning Institution and obtain aSocial Insurance Number (SIN)from Service Canada. They must also continue to meet the conditions of their study permit in order to retain the right to work off campus.
International students taking general interest or preparatory courses, or studying English or French as a second language (ESL/FSL), are not eligible to work in Canada during their studies. It is the responsibility of the individual and the employer to make sure they are eligible before starting work in Canada. International students who begin working in Canada without meeting the eligibility requirements may face action under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.
Yes. In a limited number of situations, it is possible to be exempt from the work permit requirement in order to work in Canada for a short period.
Theo Global Talent Stream, there are two categories of individual who may enter Canada to work without a work permit.
Although no work permit is required under the Global Skills Strategy, applicants must still apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA), where applicable.
Researchers:To qualify for the work permit exemption, a researcher must show that:
- They will work in Canada for a single period of 120 days in any 12 months; and
- They will carry out research at a publicly funded degree-granting institution in Canada or an affiliated research institution.
Highly skilled workers: To qualify for the work permit exemption, a highly skilled worker must show that:
- They will work in a position considered skill type 0 (management) or skill level A (professional) under theNational Occupational Classification (NOC).
- They will work in Canada for one of the following periods:
- Up to 15 consecutive days in any six months.
- Up to 30 consecutive days in any 12 months.
Workers authorised under the Global Skills Strategy must stop working when the exemption period ends. They must wait until they are eligible for another exemption under this category, or they may choose to apply for a work permit.
As a general rule, a work permit applies to a specific employer. If an individual changes employer, they must apply for a new work permit. Only workers who entered Canada on an open work permit may change employer without reapplying.
An open work permitis an exception and may be available to the spouse or common-law partner of certain work permit holders, the spouse or common-law partner of an international student in Canada, refugee claimants, family members being sponsored from within Canada, and students in financial difficulty in Canada.
A medical examination is always required before starting work in an occupation where the protection of public health is essential. Otherwise, depending on the country of residence, an applicant may have to undergo a medical examination before the work permit is approved if the job offer exceeds six months.
Yes. A spouse or common-law partner and dependent children may accompany or join a temporary worker in Canada. In many cases, a person entering Canada on a work permit can request an open work permit for their spouse or common-law partner. In some cases, children may need a study permit in order to attend school in Canada.
The Canadian government charges a fee of $155 CAD for each work permit application. Additional fees apply if aTemporary Resident Visa (TRV)orElectronic Travel Authorisation (eTA).
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