Canada Work Permit
Canada is a prime destination for many foreign nationals who are seeking employment opportunities.
The country boasts a strong and diverse economy with a high-standard of workplace safety, competitive wages, and many opportunities for professional growth and development.
Read below to learn more about the various options for immigrating to Canada as a temporary or permanent worker!
How to find a job in Canada
Thankfully, there are many resources for those seeking an official job offer from a Canadian employer.
When beginning the job hunt, we recommend making use of Hadson’s job hunt resources, listed below. Be sure to take the time to prepare your resume and tailor your social media presence before sending out any applications!
- Canadian Resume
- Social Media Presence
Certain positions in Canada may require a person to know their National Occupation Classification Code (NOC Code). This code is used to classify all types of employment by Canadian standards
WHY WORK Canada?
Working canada can dramatically transform your life and career. Working abroad is the perfect option for you if you plan to:
- Grow your career and have international mobility
- Earn dollar salaries leading to higher saving
- Live in well-developed canada
- Have access to world-class education & healthcare
- Gain access to citizen benefits
- Get a powerful passport that facilitates international travel
- Transform your family’s life
Benefits of working in Canada
Canadian labor laws ensure that workplaces have a high-degree of safety and that all employers follow certain laws and regulations to ensure the well being of their employees.
As well, Canadian wages are competitive and foreign nationals are required, by law, to be offered wages equivalent to their Canadian counterparts.
Finally, some Canadian work permits enable the spouse and children of workers to accompany them to Canada.
Another significant benefit for those interested in immigrating to Canada permanently is that by gaining Canadian work experience, a foreign national may increase their eligibility for a number of Canadian permanent residency programs.
The following programs award value, in varying degrees, for Canadian work experience:
- Express Entry
- Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
- Quebec Immigration Programs
- Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
Types of Canadian work permits
There are many different options for obtaining a Canadian work permit.
Some work permits require a job offer from a Canadian employer, some require that the employer provide a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), while others require that a person has some sort of connection to Canada (previous education, spousal sponsorship, etc.).
Please refer to the categories below to determine the work permit which best suits your qualifications:
Requiring a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
MIA-Exempt but requiring a job offer or employment contract
Open Work Permits (no job offer or LMIA required)
How to obtain a Canadian work permit
The process for obtaining a Canadian work permit varies greatly depending on which type of work permit a person is applying.
For example, an international student studying in Canada will oftentimes be automatically issued authorization to work part-time as part of their study permit authorization.
Most closed work permit applications require that a foreign national has an official job offer from a Canadian employer which is supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). There are two general pathways for obtaining a Canadian work permit: a closed work permit and an open work permit.
Closed work
permits are tied to specific employers, this means that a foreign national issued a closed work permit must remain working with the same employer at the same location unless they change their work permit.
open work
permit refers to a work permit which is not tied to a single employer or location. This means that a foreign national with a valid open work permit may work for multiple employers in multiple locations throughout Canada.
It should be noted that certain open work permits may have additional requirements or restrictions which must be respected by foreign nationals.
FAQ
If I have a Canadian job offer, am I eligible to apply for a work permit?
Not necessarily. A job offer must meet certain requirements in order to be considered valid for certain work permit applications. In most cases, in order to be eligible for a work permit, an applicant’s job offer must be either:
Supported by a positive Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA); or
Exempt from requiring an LMIA.
It should be noted that the province of Quebec has its own process for determining the validity of an offer of employment.
How do I apply for a work permit?
The application procedure is different depending on which type of work permit you need. The first step is determining which work permit is best for you.
If you need help figuring out the application, simply contact us and a member of our team will assist you with scheduling a consultation.
How long will it take to process my work permit application?
The processing time for a work permit application depends on the type of work permit and the applicant’s country of residence at the time of application.
Processing times range anywhere from a few weeks to several months.
How long will it take to process my LMIA application?
There are two types of Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications:
a regular LMIA and a simplified LMIA.
The simplified LMIA is only available in the province of Quebec. The regular LMIA is processed on a case-by-case basis with processing times varying greatly from applicant to applicant.
Generally, it takes a minimum of five months to receive a response on a regular LMIA application.
If an employer is eligible for Canada’s Global Talent Stream, they may qualify for expedited LMIA processing. The simplified LMIA completed for Quebec employment is usually processed in approximately two to three months.
What is the difference between visa and work permit?
- A visa is issued by the immigration authorities at the immigration office. An immigration official has the right to allow the person entry into the country. A work permit is issued by an international or national company that outsources in other countries for the sake of hiring professional staff.
- While a visa is a document needed for entering a particular country, a work permit is an employment letter that is issued to an employee by an employer for the sake of entering the country.
What is the rate of success for work permit/LMIA applications?
It is impossible to give a rate of success for work permit/LMIA applications, as all applications are processed on a case-by-case basis. If an applicant meets the requirements of the LMIA, their application should be approved.
However, applications are assessed by individual officers, each exercising their own discretion in choosing whether or not to approve a work permit application.
