Canadian Work Permit

Canada is a very popular country regarding opportunities, making it a most sought-after destination for immigrants. The application process for the work permit is relatively stress-free if one has all of the necessary documents and is prepared. The country offers a high quality of living, and people can afford what they need regardless of their earnings. It is also considered a safe place for immigrants, with friendly and welcoming people even to immigrants. The permit procedures for the country are easy to follow when compared to those of other countries since they also encourage people to apply for permits.


Candidates can apply for work permits through the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada website or a Canadian visa office. The processing time for most work permits ranges between 4 and 5 months, depending on the country from which the candidate has applied. Candidates must have adequate funds to support themselves during their stay and not have any criminal records that can threaten the country. The details of the kinds of permits candidates can get are provided below.

Types of Work Permit and Eligibility

Under the IEC (International Experience Canada) scheme (Citizens of most European countries, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea are eligible), professionals can get permits (without sponsorship from eligible employers). Before starting to work in Canada, a temporary work permit is mandatory. This allows the individual to work for a specific employer or any employer as per the type of permit.

There are two types of work permits that individuals can apply for based on the profession they plan to do in the country: Open Work permits and Employer-Specific Work permits. The details regarding the permit and its eligibility criteria have been mentioned below.

Type 1- Open Work Permit

The Open Work permit lets individuals work for any employer in the country. It isn't job-specific, and individuals will not need a Labor Market Impact Assessment/LMIA during the application process. They will also not need proof showing that their employer has submitted an employment offer in the Employer Portal nor if they have paid the compliance fee.

Though they are allowed to work for any employer, they will not be allowed to work for ineligible employers to be on the list of eligible employers because they have not complied with the conditions provided by the government. They won’t be able to work for people who offer striptease, erotic dance, and the like regularly. This permit can be applied for only if there is a temporary job offer. After the initial step, the employer must be willing to extend the job offer and sponsor the employee.

Eligibility for Open Work Permit

The people who are eligible for an open work permit are-

• International students are eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
• Students who can no longer meet their educational expenses during the study. Such students are referred to as needy students.
• Candidates who have an employer-specific work permit but are being abused at their workplace or are facing the threat of being abused in their workplace (within Canada).
• Candidates who have applied for a permanent residence visa.
• Dependent family members of the individual that has applied for permanent residence.
• Immediate relatives (spouse or common-law partner) of the individual who has applied for the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program.
• Refugees, refugee claimants, protected people, or their family members.
• Temporary resident permit holder.
• Young workers who have been or are participating in special programs.

Work Permits/Visa Programs Considered as Open Work Permits

A few of the work permits that are considered to be Open Work Permits are-

Regular Open Work Permit

Individuals not eligible to apply for any of Canada's different kinds of work permits can apply for a Regular Open Work permit from outside the country.

Temporary Resident Permit

This permit allows people considered inadmissible to visit the country for a purpose that will benefit the country or its citizens. It covers both medical and criminal inadmissibility. Individuals with this visa can do specific work they have been assigned, visit family, and be in the country for other emergencies.

Temporary Work Permits for Spouses or Partners

This permit will allow spouses/common-law partners of individuals who have applied for permanent residence to seek employment.

Post Graduation Work Permit

This permit will allow students who have graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution to work within the country for experience.

Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program Spousal Permit

This allows the spouses or common-law partners of Atlantic Immigration Pilot program applicants to apply for a work permit.

Working Holiday Permit

If eligible for this visa, candidates between 18 and 30 who are part of the International Experience Canada/IEC pool can holiday and work in the country simultaneously.

Bridging Open Work Permit

With this special work permit, the candidate can remain and work in Canada while they wait for the outcome of their application for permanent residence. The applicant must have a valid work permit and be in Canada at the time of application.

Type 2- Employer-Specific Work Permit

This permit allows candidates to work in Canada for a specific period under a specific employer. It has conditions and limitations exclusive to the candidate's chosen profession and requires a Labor Market Impact Assessment/LMIA.

Temporary Foreigner Worker Program/TFWP

This program allows employers in Canada to hire temporary foreign workers when there is a labor shortage for certain posts. The job positions that can be provided under this program have been specified, and employers must clear the LMIA/Labor Market Impact Assessment before hiring candidates.

The hiring process will be handled through the International Mobility Program/IMP, and candidates will be provided with Employer-Specific Work Permits. The streams that come under this visa are job-specific and can be listed as follows-

• High Wage Worker Stream
• Low Wage Worker Stream
• Agriculture Worker Stream
• Seasonal Agricultural Worker Stream
• Global Talent Stream
• Home Care Provider Stream
• Foreign Academics

The government has established a steady 20% limit on the number of temporary foreign workers. Additionally, this program allows employers to recruit 10% (max) of their workforce.

International Mobility Program

This program allows employers from Canada to hire temporary workers without an LMIA. Employers will have to submit the offer for employment through an Employer Portal, after which eligible candidates can apply for the work permit. The work permits issued under this program can either be open or employer-specific. The different forms of this program are-

• Postgraduate Work Permit Program
• Reciprocal Youth Change Agreements- like the IEC program
• International Free Trade Agreements
• Intra-Company Transfer Program
• Bridging Open-Work Permit
• Circumstances of Social or Cultural Benefit to Canada- like Mobilite Francophone initiative

Who Needs to Apply for the Work Permit?

Individuals without a criminal record can apply for a work permit to enter Canada. The requirements that the candidate will have to meet will vary from the country or territory they are applying from. The people who do not require or are exempt from requiring work permits are-

• Foreign Diplomats
• Aviation inspectors or investigators
• Convention organizer
• Emergency service provider
• Judge, referee, or similar officials
• Health care workers
• New reporters, film and media crew
• Advertisement crew
• Public speaker
• Highly skilled workers or researchers (short-term)
• Students working on campus or off campus
• Expert witness or investigators
• Military Personnel
• Clergy
• Athletes
• Artists
• Ship/Truck Personnel
• Designated Foreign Buyers/Sellers

Cost of a Canadian Work Permit

The cost for the work permit and for restoring one’s status as a worker is as follows-

Type of Permit	Fee
Work Permit including extensions (per person)	$CAN155
Work permit including extensions (per group of 3)	$CAN465
Open Work Permit Holder	$CAN100
Restore Worker Status	$CAN384
Biometrics	per person- $CAN85 per family- $CAN170 per group of 3- $CAN255

Steps to Apply for a Canadian Work Permit

Employer Must Apply for Labor Market Impact Assessment (for OWP)

The first step in obtaining this permit involves the employer applying to the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) for an LMIA/Labor Market Impact Assessment. HRSDC's job is to analyze whether the prospective employee has a positive or a negative impact on Canada's labor market. This application takes anywhere around 3-11 weeks to be processed. An LMIA is not required only in special cases such as the North American Free Trade Agreement, beneficial output to the Canadian government, reciprocal agreements with other countries, open work permits, and charitable work.

Employer Must Send a Temporary Job Offer

After the employer has cleared the LMIA, they can offer jobs to foreign applicants who wish to work in Canada. The job offer must be sent in the form of a letter that contains the

• Designated Job Title with Description
• Requirements for the Job
• Start and End Dates
• Salary Specification
• Employer Details

Individual Must Apply for Work Permit

Once they have received a copy of the LMIA from their employer, they can gather all the documents required for the particular visa they need. The application will demand specific answers from the applicant, which they must carefully prepare. Once this step has been completed, they can create an online account on the immigration website to see a personalized checklist for the visa they seek. After submitting the documents, candidates must pay the respective amount and apply.

Wait for Work Permit to be Issued

The Canadian Temporary Work Permit will be provided to the candidate at their point of entry into the country. Depending on their citizenship, some candidates must obtain a Temporary Resident Visa before entering the country. For individuals who have received the offer letter for a managerial or executive position and are NOC A professional level workers, two weeks will be provided for application processing.

Documents Required While Applying for Work Permit

The basic documents required while applying for a work permit are-

• Proof of visa application payment.
• A valid passport that will not expire in 6 months.
• LMIA approved document for Employer-Specific Work permit.
• Job offer letter issued by the employer.
• Education and work experience documents.
• Financial statements and personal funds documents.
• Required proof for accompanying dependents, if applicable.
• Proof of English Language Proficiency.
• Photocopies of all the documents must be submitted along with translations wherever necessary.
• Medical Clearance/Certificate.
• Provide Biometric Details.

The additional documents required if the permit requires an LMIA are-

• Copy of Job Offer Letter.
• Copy of LMIA provided to the employer by Employment and Social Development Canada/ESDC.

Work Permit Processing Time

Candidates applying for a Canada Work Permit will have to apply for the same 6 months before the date of their intended visit. The processing time for a Canada permit can range between 1 and 9 months, depending on the country the candidate is applying from. The processing times are revised every week . As of September 9, 2024, the processing time for specific countries is as follows:

• USA- takes 16 weeks
• Russia- takes 43 weeks
• Turkey- takes 33 weeks
• New Zealand- takes 27 weeks

To find the most recent processing time for work visa applications, please click here.

Renewing the Canadian Work Permit

Individuals who wish to renew their work permits can do so if they apply within 30 days before their current work permits expire. Once the candidate has applied for an extension, they can stay in Canada even if their current permit has expired while the application is being processed. If the candidate wishes to stay in the country permanently, they must check whether they qualify for permanent residence. If not, they will be able to get another temporary permit.

Procedure for Renewal

The process involved in applying for a renewal of a work permit is as follows-

• Candidate should complete the online application before submitting it.
• This will involve uploading scanned copies of necessary documents and paying through a debit or credit card.
• The fee that has to be paid for the work permit is $155, while that of an open work permit is $100.
• Online applicants will receive a letter stating they can continue working in the country under their current work permit conditions.
• After the application has been submitted, candidates can check the status of their application through the online portal.

Some Things to Remember

• Visa applications must be submitted at the Canada Visa Application Centre. It can also be submitted to IRCC’s online application system.
• Candidates can appoint a person on their behalf to apply for the visa using the “Use of a Representative (IMM 5476 form /or TTS Consent Form)”.
• The visa fee can be paid online through the online portal of IRCC by using a credit and debit card.
• Applicants can track their application status using the “Track Your Application” option.
• The validity of the visa depends on the work permit the candidate applies for. The factors that decide the duration of the work permit are the job offer made by the employer, the length of time for which the candidate is being hired, and the validity of the passport.
• Candidates must have a job offer to apply for a visa unless they are eligible for an open work permit.
• The Government of Canada has declined to process Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) within the Low-Wage stream, relevant to census metropolitan areas experiencing an unemployment rate of 6% or more, and has shortened the validity period from 18 months to 6 months.
• As of September 3rd, 2024, the processing of Labour Market Impact Assessment applications will be suspended for six months for job offers in Montreal that offer wages below $27.47 per hour.