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Work Permit
Work Permit
A work permit is a legal document which authorizes a foreign worker to work legally in Canada. Barring certain exceptions, most foreign temporary workers need this document to work. A Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) might also be required to enter Canada based of your country or residence or citizenship.
There are two different types of work permits:
Open Work Permit
Employer Specific Work Permit
Open Work Permit: With an open work permit you can work for any employer in Canada except those who have failed to comply with the employment standards or businesses that engage in sex trade such as strip clubs, escort services, or erotic massage parlours. An open work permit is non-job specific, therefore you will not need a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in order to apply.
You may be eligible for an open work permit if you are in one of the following situations:
Permanent residence applicants who have applied to an office in Canada,
Dependent family members of some permanent residence applicants,
Spouses and common-law partners of some workers and international students,
Refugees, refugee claimants, protected persons, and their family members,
Some temporary resident permit holders, or
Some young workers participating in special programs.
In each of these situations, you must meet additional criteria to be eligible.
Employer-Specific Work Permit: An employer-specific work permit allows a foreign worker to work for a specific employer for a certain amount of time. This type of work permit will include the name of the employer you can work for, the duration and location of work if applicable. It is also known as a closed-work permit and is often subject to a job offer by a Canadian employer supported by a positive LMIA which proves that there is no Canadian citizen or permanent resident available to do the job which is being offered.
Do I need a work permit?
Depending on the nature of the activity, you may be exempt from a work permit. In most cases, you will need one to work legally in Canada.
When should I apply?
- a written job offer or employment contract and
- your LMIA decision letter that your employer received from ESDC.
Do I need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)?
A TRV is an official document issued by an officer that is placed in your passport to show that you meet the general requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident. An eTA is a paperless document that is electronically linked to your passport. It also shows that you are eligible to enter Canada as a temporary resident.
If you need a TRV or an eTA, you do not have to fill out a separate application or pay more fees. It will be issued by the officer at the same time as the documents you need for your entry to Canada as a worker.
Are there any conditions on my work permit?
An officer may impose, change or cancel conditions when issuing a work permit. These may include any of the following:
- the type of employment
- the employer you can work for
- where you can work;
- how long you can continue to work and
- the times or periods of work.
