Work Permit

Every year, thousands of foreign workers enter Canada to work temporarily in jobs that help Canadian employers address skill shortages. A work permit is needed for most temporary jobs in Canada and is issued to eligible foreign workers who wish to work temporarily in Canada.

Generally, a citizen of a foreign country who wishes to enter the Canada must first obtain a visa, either a non-immigrant visa for temporary stay, or an immigrant visa for permanent residence. Temporary worker visas are for persons who want to enter Canada for employment lasting a fixed period of time, and are not considered permanent or indefinite residents. Before you apply for Work visa the prospective employer must first file a Labour Market Impact Assessment(LMIA) application with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). When LMIA is approved and issued by ESDC, only then a candidate can apply for work visa / permit.

Very Important

The approval of a LMIA does not guarantee that you will be issued a work visa. Do not make final travel plans or buy tickets until your work visa is approved. Attempting to obtain a visa by the willful misrepresentation of a material fact, or fraud, may result in the permanent refusal of a visa or denial of entry into Canada.

In order for your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children to accompany you to Canada, they must also apply for permission. They don’t need to complete separate applications, however. The names and relevant information for immediate family members can be included on your application for a temporary work permit.

If your spouse is already in Canada on either a student permit or a work permit, then you could qualify to apply for open work permit. The spouse in Canada must have a valid immigration status which is valid for at least 6 months and must fulfil all the conditions as specified on their immigration status document

When you apply for a temporary work permit for Canada, you must satisfy the visa officer who reviews your application that you:

Will leave Canada at the end of your work permit
Have enough money to support yourself and family members while you are in Canada, and enough to return home
Do not intend to work in Canada unless authorized
Will be law abiding
Have no record of criminal activity (a Police Certificate may be required)
Are not a risk to the security of Canada
Are in good health (a medical exam may be required)

Processing times vary greatly depending on the visa office responsible for processing your temporary work permit application. The Department of Citizenship and Immigration Canada maintains statistical information on processing times to give you an idea of how long applications at different visa offices have taken in the past to use as a general guideline.

Career Abroad provide services to both, Canadian employers and Foreign workers and take care of every process involved in acquiring Work Permit.

Citizens of certain countries may need to complete additional formalities which could add several weeks or longer to the normal processing time. You will be advised if these requirements apply to you.

We assess each and every case deeply and ensure that it meets the requirements of hiring a foreign worker. Our services include, but are not limited to:

Other criteria may apply

In most cases, foreign workers must have obtained a LMIA from their potential employer before applying for a work permit.

In most cases, foreign workers who are coming from countries that are not visa exempt must also obtain a Temporary Resident Visa, which is usually issued along with the work permit.

Assessing the job available and offered to foreign worker
The requirements of the job available
The profile of the person who is qualified for the job
The country of origin of eligible candidate
The country of residence of candidate
Visa office where the application for work permit will be submitted
We verify the rules and regulations of labour law in the province of employment
Verify that Canadian employer has fulfilled all the critieras to hire a foreign worker
Submit LMIA application on behalf of employer and represent them at HRSDC
Provide a checklist on documents required for process
Verification of all documents submitted by employer and potential employee
Preparing applications and cover letters required for the process
Preparing submissions to government authorities responsible for the processing of the application
Monitor the application throughout the process
Provide updates to the employer and follow up on a regular basis
Ensure that positive LMIA is issued and then after a successful issuance of work permit