WHAT IS A CANADA WORK PERMIT?
A Canadian work permit is the permission to take a job within Canada if you are from a foreign country. You usually need a work permit to work in Canada. In some cases, you can also work without a permit or job offer in Canada.
There are 2 types of work permits:
1. EMPLOYER-SPECIFIC WORK PERMIT
An employer-specific work permit lets you work in Canada according to the conditions on your work permit, such as:
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the name of the specific employer you can work for
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how long you can work
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the location where you can work (if applicable)
Before you submit your application for an employer-specific work permit, the employer who wants to hire you must complete certain steps and give you either a copy of a Labour Market Impact Assessment or an offer of employment number to include in your application.
2. OPEN WORK PERMIT
An open work permit is a work permit that is not job-specific. Because it is not job-specific, you will not need the following when you apply for your work permit:
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a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada, or
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proof that an employer has submitted an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and paid the employer compliance fee
In most cases, you will have to pay the open work permit holder fee at the same time that you pay the work permit fee.
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR A WORK PERMIT IN CANADA?
There are specific requirements you need to meet depending on where you are when you apply for your work permit.
But regardless of where you apply or which type of work permit you apply for, you must,
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prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your work permit expires;
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show that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada and to return home;
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obey the law and have no record of criminal activity (we may ask you to give us a police clearance certificate);
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not be a danger to Canada’s security;
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be in good health and have a medical exam, if needed;
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not plan to work for an employer listed with the status “ineligible” on the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions;
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not plan to work for an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages; and
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give the officer any other documents they ask for to prove you can enter the country.
HOW TO CONVERT A WORK PERMIT INTO PERMANENT RESIDENCY?
If you are currently working in Canada and you have applied for permanent residence, you may be eligible for a bridging open work permit if your work permit will expire in four months or less. This means you can keep working while we make a decision on your permanent resident application.
To qualify, you must have applied under the:
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Caring for Children Class, or
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Caring for People with High Medical Needs Class.
You must also:
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currently be in Canada,
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have valid status on a work permit that is due to expire within four months,
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select “Open Work Permit” as the type of work permit when you complete your work permit application, and
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pay the work permit processing fee and the Open Work Permit Holder fee.
