Work in Canada
Canadian Work Permit & Visa Process
A work permit is a legal document that allows a foreign individual to work in Canada while they are here legally.
About half a million work permits are issued to foreign workers each year by Canada.
Canada is a popular destination for foreign nationals seeking jobs. To begin the process of becoming a permanent resident of Canada, working here is a great place to start.
To work in Canada, most foreign nationals need a work permit, which is a legal document permitting a foreign person to work and be paid by a Canadian company. However, a foreign individual may work in Canada without a work permit in some specific circumstances.
Work without a Work Permit
Most foreigners who wish to work in Canada require work permits, which are legal documents that authorize foreign nationals to work in Canada and receive compensation from a Canadian employer. It is still possible for a foreigner to work legally in Canada without a work permit under certain circumstances.
Types of jobs in Canada that DO NOT require a Work Permit
In some cases foreign nationals can engage in employment in Canada without a requirement to obtain a work permit. To qualify for a work permit exemption, a person’s position must be on this list, and they must meet the additional exemption criteria for their specific job:
- Athlete or coach
- Aviation accident or incident investigator
- Business visitor
- Civil aviation inspector
- Clergy
- Convention organizer
- Crew member
- Emergency service provider
- Examiner and evaluator
- Expert witness or investigator
- A family member of foreign representative
- Foreign government officer or representative
- Health care student
- Judge, referee, or similar official
- Military personnel
- News reporter or film and media crew
- Producer or staff member working on advertisements
- Performing artist
- Public speaker
- A short-term,highly skilled worker
- Short-term researcher
- Student working off-campus
- Student working on-campus
Getting started is easy. All you need to do is fill out our eligibility online assessment form here and then one of our immigration professionals will get back to you with your results within one business day.
Business Visitor Visas
Business visitors are people traveling to Canada for business purposes but not directly entering the Canadian labor force.
Visitor visas are required for all foreign nationals holding passports requiring a visa to enter Canada , regardless of the type of activities they undertake once in the country, unless they fall under one of the visa-exempt categories listed above. Therefore, business visitors must apply for a temporary resident visa (TRV) or visitor visa to come to Canada.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) employers in Canada can hire foreign nationals temporarily to make up for shortages of workers. The TFWP is jointly operated by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
LMIA Work Permits
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) issues a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) document which assesses the impact of hiring a foreign national in Canada. An employer with a positive LMIA can employ a foreign national for any position with neither a Canadian citizen nor permanent resident to fill it. Typically, a negative LMIA requires a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to fill a position.
Global Talent Stream
Global Talent Stream (GTS) is a partnership between Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). A program called the Global Talent Stream was launched in June 2017. The GTS helps employers hire highly skilled workers internationally to keep up with global competition. Employers who are successfully approved through the program will be able to expedite hiring foreign nationals through the Global Skills Strategy.
International Mobility Program
International Mobility Program IMP allows Canadian firms to hire temporary foreign workers without conducting a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Many exceptions exist to the LMIA requirement for Canadian employers who wish to hire a temporary foreign worker.
There are times when a Canadian company does not need a LMIA certification to engage a non-Canadian temporary foreign worker. Exemptions from LMIA requirements are maintained by the International Mobility Program of the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
There are times when a Canadian company does not need an LMIA to engage a non-Canadian temporary foreign worker. Exemptions from LMIA requirements are maintained by the International Mobility Program of the Immigration,
Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
• Larger economic, cultural, or other competitive advantages for Canada;
• Reciprocal advantages appreciated by Canadians and permanent residents.
Intra-Company Transfers
Allowing high-skilled foreign citizens to work in Canada as intra-company transfers is one of the main goals of Canada’s International Mobility Program (IMP). An LMIA-exempt work permit can be obtained by a foreign person working for a multinational firm outside of Canada in order to transfer to a site in Canada. All countries are subject to the intra-company transferee rule.
USMCA or NAFTA Work Permits
USMCA, formerly known as the North American Free Trade Deal (NAFTA), is a trilateral trade agreement signed by Canada, the United States, and Mexico in 1994. The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) offers unique employment prospects to inhabitants of the United States and Mexico. Work permits and labor market impact assessments (LMIA) aren’t always required for foreign nationals covered under NAFTA requirements.
CETA Work Permits
Negotiations between Canada and the European Union resulted in the Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) (EU). On the 21st of September, 2017, the agreement went into effect. CETA gives EU nationals the opportunity to work in Canada in a unique way. There may be no need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or even a work permit for those foreign nationals covered by CETA regulations in Canada.