Un work permit est un document légal qui allows un étranger à travailler au Canada. Every year, Canada issues approximately half a million work permits to temporary foreigners around the world.
Canada is an excellent destination for many foreigners looking for job opportunities. Working in Canada is also a good first step for people qui want to imager to the country permanently.
Who is eligible to work in Canada ?
Most foreigners require a permit to work in Canada, with a few exceptions.
Pour appliquer pour un work permit, les candidats requièrent un Canadian job offer, supported by a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). There are some requirement where foreign workers can apply for a work permit without an LMIA or a job offer. Un exemple est a recent graduate of the Canadian Designated Learning Institute (DLI) ou la spouse de someone qui already has a Canadian work or study permit.
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Applicants eligible to apply for a work permit must also meet the following eligibility requirements :
- Indicate que vous plannez de partir once leur work permit expires. And
- Demonstrate qu’elles ont sufficient financial resources to support themselves and their families in Canada and at home ; et
- Not criminal-medical, not accepted in Canada ;
- Plan to work with a qualified employer; And
- They can provide all necessary documents proving their eligibility to enter Canada.
Types of work permits in Canada
There are many different options for obtaining a work permit in Canada. Some work permits require a job offer from a Canadian employer, others require a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the employer, while others require the individual to have some connection to Canada (prior education, partner sponsorship, etc.). Please review the following categories below to find the work permit that best suits your qualifications :
Requires a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
- Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
- Accelerated LMIA (Québec)
- Global talent flow
LMIA exempt, but requires a job offer or employment contract.
- International Mobility Program (IMP)
- NAFTA Work Permit
- CETA Work Permit
- Intra-company transfers
Open work permits (no job offer or LMIA required)
- Work permit after graduation (PGWP)
- Partner Sponsorship from Canada
- International Experience Canada (IEC) (Working holiday visa)
- Connecting to an Open Work Permit (BOWP)
- Spouse accompanying an international student or employee
Immigration Tip : permanent residents of Canada do not need a work permit to work in Canada. As a permanent resident, you have the legal right to live and work anywhere in the country. Learn more about permanent immigration options for professionals and skilled workers.
How to get a work permit in Canada
The process for a work permit in Canada varies depending on the type of permit one applies for. For example, international students studying in Canada are often automatically granted a part-time work permit as part of their study permit.
Most closed work permit applications require the foreign national to have an official job offer from a Canadian employer, supported by a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Even LMIAs qui sont exempts ou waived from the work permit requirement should be aware of the unique documentation qu’ils doivent préparer pour sécuriser leur entrée au Canada. There are two general ways to obtain a work permit in Canada : a closed (restricted) work permit and an open work permit.
Closed work permits sont liés à un spécifique employer, ce qui means qu’un étranger avec un closed work permit doit rester employé par le même employer à la même location unless he change son work permit.
If I am offered a job in Canada, am I eligible for a work permit ?
Un job offer in Canada n’est pas toujours synonyme d’éligibilité pour un work permit. Pour être considéré valid pour certaines work permit applications, a job offer must satisfaire certaines exigences. Pour être éligible pour un work permit, the job offer must, in most cases, :
- Supported by a Positive Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or
- exemption from LMIA requirement.
Il est important de noter que la province de Québec a sa propre procédure pour déterminer la validité d’un job offer.
What can I do with a Canadian Work Permit ?
Your physical work permit will list the specific restrictions that are part of your permit. These limits sont généralement déterminées par le type de work permit que vous qualifiez pour.
Conditions may include the type of work you can do, where you can work, who you can work with and how long you can work in Canada. All work permit holders are prohibited from working in a company where there is a reasonable suspicion that some employees are at risk of sexual exploitation.
Work permit holders sont non permanents résidents du Canada et doivent leave the country at the end of their authorized stay.
Can my family be included in my work permit application ?
If you apply for a supported work permit, you may be eligible to accompany your spouse and dependent children to Canada.
If your children are already in school and in Canada, they can attend Canadian educational institutions without needing a separate study permit. Your spouse or partner can also apply for a work permit that allows him or her to work for any employer in Canada.
How much does a work permit cost in Canada ?
The processing fee for a closed work permit is $155 per person or $255 per person for an open work permit. There are additional costs involved if you renew a work permit or submit an application as a group of artists.
How can I apply for a Work Permit ?
The application procedure varies depending on the type of work permit you need. The first step is to determine which work permit suits you best. If you need help identifying an application, simply contact us. A member of our team will help you schedule a consultation.
To Apply for a work permit in Canada ?(documents are required)
Les documents requis pour un Canadian work permit dépendent du type de permis que vous appliquez pour. Applicants may be required to provide the following documents as part of their Work Permit application :
- Application forms have been completed.
- Proof of Canadian status (if applicable)
- Proof of family member status (if applicable)
- Assessment of the impact on the labor market (if applicable)
- Written Job Offer (if applicable)
- CV/Summary
- Marriage Certificate (if applicable)
- Quebec Certificate of Acceptance (CAQ) (if applicable)
- Proof that you meet the job requirements
- A valid copy of your passport
- Copy of educational certificate
- Medical examination results (if necessary)
- Proof of financial ability to remain in Canada and return to the country
- Proof of payment of relevant state fees.
- Recent passport photos
Biometrics for Canadian work permits
IRCC currently has a temporary measure in place that excludes work permit applicants from Canada. Applicants outside Canada are still required to provide biometric information when receiving a biometric instruction letter.
Follow the Canadian government’s instructions on how to provide your biometric information on their dedicated page.
Police background checks for work permits in Canada
The visa officer assessing your application may ask you to provide a police statement. Depending on where you are applying, this document may be part of your application checklist and must be provided upon your initial submission.
Applicants for a work permit may be required to provide a police certificate from any country in which they have lived for six mois or more since the age of 18.
Medical examination for a Canadian Work Permit
Foreign nationals wishing to travailler au Canada may be required to undergo a medical examination, depending on the intended length of stay, place of residence and type of work.
If you want to travailler au Canada pour moins de 6 mois, you probably don’t need a medical exam, avec quelques exceptions. If you plan to travailler dans un job qui implique un contact étroit avec des personnes, ou si vous êtes a farm worker qui a visité several countries, you will need a medical examination.
If you plan to travailler au Canada pour plus de 6 mois, you must undergo a medical examination, if any of the following conditions apply :
- You have lived ou traveled in one of the countries listed on the ‘See if you need a medical examination’ page for 6 mois ou plus, or
- You are looking for a job in a workplace where you will interact with the people listed in the hyperlink above.
Medical examinations must be performed by a group of physicians designated by the IRCC. You can find a panel doctor near you on the IRCC Find a Panel Doctor website.
Applicants have the option to undergo a preliminary medical examination. This includes contacting a panel doctor directly and taking an exam before applying for a work permit. If you do not submit the results of your medical examination with your application, an IRCC officer will send instructions for completing the medical examination and set a deadline by which it must be completed.
Photo requirements for Canadian work permits
Foreign nationals applying for a work permit in Canada must attach a passport photo to the application. Photos must meet IRCC specifications.
Process my application for a Work Permit ?
The processing time for a work permit application depends on the type of permit and the country where the applicant resides at the time of the application. The processing time varies from several weeks to several months.
How do I activate a work permit ?
How you activate your work permit depends on where you registered and how you registered.
Activate your work permit after registering from Canada
If your application is approved after you apply for a work permit from Canada, you will receive an approval letter from IRCC. If you applied online, an approval letter will appear in your account.
If you have submitted a paper application, the letter will arrive at your postal address. Once you receive your approval letter, your physical work permit will be sent by mail. The permit is now active and you can use it to work in Canada.
Activate your work permit après you have registered from abroad.
If your application is approved after applying from outside Canada, you will receive a letter with instructions on how to obtain a physical work permit at a Canadian Port of Entry (POE).
If you sign up online, you will see an instruction in your online account. If you registered on paper, you will receive a letter at your postal address.
Activate your work permit après avoir appliqué pour it at the port of entry.
Some applicants may be eligible for a work permit at a Canadian port of entry. When you apply for a work permit at the border, you must provide documents proving your eligibility. If approved, the official can print the work permit directly at the border. Your permit is immediately available.
Benefits of working in Canada
There are many benefits to working in Canada. Canada’s labor laws ensurent que les workplaces ont de hauts niveaux de sécurité et que tous les employers complètent avec certaines laws et regulations pour protéger le bien-être de leurs employees.
Likewise, les salaires au Canada sont concurrentiels et les foreigners sont légalement obligés d’offrir des salaires équivalents à ceux de leurs Canadians counterparts.
Finally, some Canadian work permits allow spouses and children of employees to accompany them to Canada. Another important benefit for those looking to immigrate to Canada permanently is that by gaining work experience in Canada, a foreigner can increase their qualifications for many Canadian permanent residency programs. The following programs offer varying levels of value for work experience in Canada :
- Express Entry
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
- Federal Skilled Trade (FST)
- Provincial nominated programs (PNP)
- Immigratieprogramma’s in Quebec
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
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What is the difference between a Canadian Work Permit and a Visa ?
A Canadian work permit allows foreigners to travailler au Canada, while a visa is a travel document used to enter the country.
Un visa ou temporary resident visa (TRV) est a physical sticker placed on your passport that serves as a travel document and allows foreigners to enter Canada ou pass through a Canadian airport.
If you leave Canada, you cannot return without a valid visa or equivalent, even if you have a valid work permit.
Do I need IELTS to apply for a Canadian Work Permit ?
Canada does not require individuals applying for a work permit to write the IELTS or any other test in English or French.
However, if the job offer specifically requires knowledge of French and/or English and the applicant is from a non-French-speaking or non-English-speaking country, the official may request proof of language proficiency, such as a language test.
Do I need my Canadian work permit to enter Canada ?
If you travel outside Canada, you will need a work permit in addition to a valid travel document to re-enter.
A work permit allows you to travailler au Canada, but a work permit does not allow you to travel to Canada. Pour venir au Canada, you will need a temporary residence visa or an electronic travel authorization (eTA) in addition to a valid passport.
Can my employer sponsor me to work in Canada ?
Canadian employers do not « sponsor » candidates to travailler au Canada, but they can assist in recruiting foreign workers by completing a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or by submitting an electronic job offer (without an LMIA category).
Canada requires any Canadian employer who wishes to hire a foreign worker to apply for an LMIA or submit an electronic job offer. Once the employer has obtained an LMIA number or “A” number (Electronic Employment Offer), this can be used to apply for a Canadian work permit.