Work Visa

General Information:

Individuals from other countries who desire temporary employment in Canada typically need a work permit.

Two primary pathways for obtaining work permits are the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP).

Under the TFWP, work permits are granted to candidates who receive a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This assessment confirms that a foreign worker is required for the specific job and that no qualified Canadian worker is available for the position.

In contrast, the IMP work permits don't necessitate a positive LMIA. However, they do mandate employers to submit an employment offer through their designated employer portal.

Canada offers two categories of work permits: employer-specific work permits and open work permits.

Employer Specific Work Permit:

An employer-specific work permit encompasses conditions like:

Name of a particular employer.
Duration of the candidate's employment.
Location where the candidate will be employed.

Individuals seeking an employer-specific work permit must secure a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from their employer or receive a job offer prior to submitting their application.

Open Work Permit:

An open work permit provides the flexibility to work for any employer in Canada, but these permits are only issued under specific circumstances.

Certain Professions are exempt from the work permit requirement.

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP):

The TFWP facilitates Canadian employers in recruiting foreign workers to address labor market shortages.

This program comprises four streams: high-skilled workers, low-skilled workers, the seasonal Agricultural Worker program, and the Live-In Caregiver Program.

Foreign workers intending to work under the TFWP must possess an approved job offer and a work permit prior to their arrival in Canada. The LMIA process, managed jointly by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), ensures that foreign workers do not fill roles that could be taken up by Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

Opportunities for family members to work in Canada:

Family members of someone holding a Canadian work permit can also come to Canada. Each family member needs to fill out their own application form, but these forms can be submitted together. If a family member wants to work in Canada, they must apply for their own Canadian work permit.

In some cases, spouses or common-law partners can get an open work permit. If the children of a temporary foreign worker want to study in Canada, they need to apply for a study permit.