Work in Canada
There are many options to come to Canada to work temporarily. The key is to understand how your goals align with the programs offered and to match you accordingly. The nature of your work and demand for your skills will in part determine how you will navigate the options and plan your arrival. For some, their first entry into the Canadian workforce will be under temporary status to enable them to amass the needed work experience to later pursue permanent residence.
To find out the best option for you to work in Canada, please contact us for evaluation.
About Work Permit
Foreign nationals wishing to work in Canada on a temporary basis usually require a work permit.
Two of the main programs through which work permits are issued are the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the International Mobility Program (IMP).
Temporary Foreign Worker Program(TFWP)
The TFWP offers work permits for candidates whose employers obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). A positive LMIA confirms there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job at hand and that no Canadian worker is available to do the job.
International Mobility Program(IMP)
IMP work permits DO NOT require a positive LMIA. They do require the employer to submit an employment offer under their employer portal.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
The TFWP is intended to help Canadian employers recruit foreign workers in response to labour market shortages. TFWP is made up of four streams: high-skilled workers, low-skilled workers, the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, and the Live-In Caregiver Program.
Foreign workers must have an approved job offer and a work permit before arriving in Canada under the TFWP.
Through the LMIA, IRCC works with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to ensure foreign workers do not take jobs for which Canadian citizens or permanent residents are available.
Canada issues two types of work permits: employer-specific work permits and open work permits.
International Mobility Program
The International Mobility Program (IMP) allows employers in Canada to hire foreign workers on a temporary work permit without needing to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). This may present a number of advantages to employers and workers alike, who may enjoy the simpler, quicker hiring process. This could take one of the following forms:
- Reciprocal youth exchange agreements, such as the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.
- Other international agreements with specific countries, such as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the Canada–European Union Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement (CETA).
- Permitting companies with a branch, subsidiary, or affiliate in Canada to transfer workers under the Intra-Company Transfer program.
- Allowing someone transitioning to permanent residence in Canada to work on a Bridging Open Work Permit.
- Giving international graduates who studied in Canada the opportunity to work on a Post-Graduation Work Permit.
- Situations that bring ‘significant social or cultural benefit to Canada’ (one such example being the Mobilité Francophone initiative).
Type of Work Permit
Employer-specific Work Permits
An employer-specific work permit includes conditions such as:
- Name of a specific employer,
- How long a candidate can work,
- The location of a candidate’s work.
Candidates applying for an employer-specific work permit must have from their employer a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an offer of employment before applying.
Open Work Permits
An open work permit allows you to work for any employer in Canada, but they are issued only in specific circumstances.
Work Permit Exemptions
Certain occupations are exempt from the work permit requirement. Such as:
- Business Visitor
- Foreign Representatives and Their Family Members
- Military Personnel
- Foreign Government Officers
- On-Campus Work
- Performing Artists
- Athletes and Team Members
- News Reporters and Media Crews
- Public Speakers
- Convention Organizers
- Clergy
- Judges, Referees and Similar Officials
- Examiners and Evaluators
- Expert Witnesses or Investigators
- Health Care Students
- Civil Aviation Inspectors
- Aviation Accident or Incident Inspectors
- Crew
- Emergency Service Providers
- Implied Status
- Off-Campus Work
- Farm Work
To get to know more about a work permit, please contact us.