Work In Canada
Canada is a land of opportunity and economic freedom. You may be eligible to qualify for one of many work permit pathways. Having work experience in Canada is a great path to PR. Contact us today to discover your work options and to learn more about the work permits you are eligible for. We’ll be with you every step of the way in your Canadian immigration journey.
LMIA-Based Work Permits
Foreign nationals who wish to work in Canada are generally required to have a job offer from a Canadian employer to obtain a work permit. Before being eligible to apply for a work permit, the potential employer may have to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The purpose of an LMIA is to prove that a foreign worker is necessary for a specific job position; it must be true that no Canadian worker or permanent resident is available to do the job.
- In most of the cases, a foreign national cannot apply for a Work Permit without the positive LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment).
- The LMIA application process and its streams are outlined in the specialized Temporary Foreign Worker Program section.
- The Canadian employer should undergo a vigorous process of obtaining this LMIA document, which grants a right to a foreign national to submit a well-prepared Work Permit application.
- Also, it is important to note that a positive LMIA provides additional points for a Canadian job offer.
LMIA-Exempted Work Permits
In some cases, the employee, with the support of their employer, may be eligible for an LMIA- exempt work permit. There are several programs that are LMIA -exempt. Some examples are the French Mobility Program, Intra-company transfer, reciprocal work permits, and more.
- R204: International agreements
- R205: Canadian interests
- R206: No other means of support
- R207: Permanent residence applicants in Canada
- R207.1: Vulnerable workers
- R208: Humanitarian reasons
Intra Company Transfer Work Permit
An intra-company transfer can occur when an employee of an international company is deemed necessary for the organization’s Canadian branch/location. The employee can then be transferred to the employer’s Canadian location and permitted to work for the Canadian location. This transfer does not require an LMIA.
Free Trade Agreement Work Permit
Canada has free trade agreements with certain countries including the United States, Mexico, Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Korea among others. If you are a citizen of one of these countries, and you have a valid job offer in Canada, you may be eligible to apply for an LMIA-exempt work permit. The criteria for these work permits are dependent on the country of citizenship of the person applying for the work permit. Contact us to learn more and find out if you are eligible.
Open Work Permit
An open work permit would allow you to work in almost any occupation across Canada. There are several ways in which you can obtain an open work permit. You can be a 25-year-old Indian national who wishes to work and travel to Canada for a year or be the spouse of an international student studying in Canada.
Exempt From A Work Permit
Some temporary workers are exempt from the requirements for obtaining a work permit as set out in Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. To be exempt from a work permit you must meet specific requirements, primarily working in a specific occupation, and being supported by a Canadian employer.
- 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
- Short-term highly skilled worker
- Short-term researcher
- Student working off-campus.
- Student working on-campus