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How To Apply For a Work Permit In Canada 2023

Currently, the Canadian economy includes one of the fast-growing economies in the world. Probably the reason many immigrants want to go to Canada nowadays. Even more, to this, you’d discover there exist lots of job opportunities and offers in Canada. While the Canadian government makes it easy for immigrants as they invite skilled, brilliant, and learned immigrants to the country. News has it that the Canadian government declared an ambitious plan to welcome over 1.3 million immigrants over the next three years to support its post-pandemic growth. Therefore, you need to obtain a work permit in Canada If you must find a befitting job while there. In this regard, we’ve carefully given guides on how to apply for a work permit in Canada herein. 

Meanwhile, many have had several difficulties and misguides while trying to secure a work permit in Canada. While others probably just see it as a tedious process. So, this stimulated our group of professionals to table out this topic in a perfect sequence in the simplest form. We’ve answered numerous questions relating to how to apply for a Canada work permit and how to best get them easily.  To learn the most out of this article we ask you to carefully read to the end. 

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Additionally, out of the several immigration pathways and work permits Canada has different types of work permit options related to the type of Visa you apply for. Don’t become confused so soon. Ensure to read through for clarification. 

What Is A Canadian Work Permit?

Do you belong to the category of persons asking what a work permit involves? Maybe you have never left your country of citizenship before. Or do you wonder what you can make out of a Canadian work permit? Then let’s get you cleared up.  Thus, A Canadian work permit includes authorization to take a job within Canada when you come from a foreign country. 

Hence, every immigrant in Canada will often need a work permit to work in the country. However, in some rare cases, you can work without a permit in Canada.

What Is An Open Work Permit?

An open work permit refers to a type of work permit that is not specific to any particular job. Therefore, by its nature of  not being job-specific, you will not need the following documents when applying for an Open work permit:

  • LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) from Employment and Social Development Canada, or
  • Proof that your employer has accepted offering you employment through the Employer Portal and paid the employer compliance fee.

Meanwhile, in most cases, they will request you pay the open work permit holder fee at the same time that you pay the work permit fee.

What Is The General Eligibility Requirement For A Work Permit In Canada?

Varied conditions and eligibility requirements may apply when applying for a work permit in Canada. This may apply to the type and nature of the job, country of origin, and many other factors. But in a nutshell, no matter where you apply from, you must:

  • Prove to an immigration officer that you will depart Canada and return to your home country at the expiration of your work permit.
  • Also, you have to show proof that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family members while you live in Canada.
  • You will have to obey the laws in Canada, while you still have zero records of criminal activity. Therefore, you may need to submit a police clearance certificate.
  • You must not promise to behave well and not pose a danger to Canada’s security.
  • Also, you need to be in good health and provide a medical exam report, if needed.
  • You must not have the plan to work for an employer listed with the status “ineligible” on the list of employers who failed to comply with the necessary conditions.
  • You must not have plans to work for an employer who regularly offers erotic dance, striptease, escort services or erotic massages, etc.
  • You must ensure to provide the Canadian immigration officer with any other documents they ask for to prove you can enter the country.
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Additionally, Global Skills Strategy applicants also benefit from two-week application processing (fast permit processing) if they apply from outside of Canada. Meanwhile, international students who graduated from a designated learning institution may qualify to apply for an open work permit and also qualify for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program. Furthermore, students who can no longer meet the costs of their studies (destitute students) can also apply for an open work permit.

What Is The Fastest Way To Get A Work Permit In Canada?

Disciplined people often sound “like no shortcuts”! Nonetheless there exist few fast options on how to obtain a work permit in Canada. One of the sure fastest ways of processing a work permit in Canada includes applying through the Global Skills Strategy. This will often take two weeks to complete and get you a Canadian work permit. 

However, there actually exist 2 ways one can qualify for a 2-week processing of their work permit application. The second way depends on whether you need a labor market impact assessment (LMIA). Alternatively, if your job includes work at the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type (managerial, executive) or skill level A (professional). You also qualify for 2-week application processing.

How Long Does A Canadian Work Permit Take?

Statistics show that on average, Canadian work permits typically full processing between 1-9 months. Thus, the processing time starts the day that the IRCC approves your complete application and terminates when they make a decision. However, the processing period varies based on several factors including the type of application submitted. 

How Much Does A Canadian Work Visa Cost?

The official processing fee for a closed work permit falls around CAD 155 per person as of the time of this publication. Changes might be made in the future, plus some countries may add other processing fees depending on where you apply from. Meanwhile, for an open work permit, it is $255 per person.

Is An Interview Required For A Canadian Work Visa?

Attending an interview during the processing of a Canadian work visa depends on the type of application. If you apply for a provisional foreign worker permit, you will expect to attend an interview with a visa officer.

Nevertheless, in most cases, you’ll have to go through two screening interviews when you arrive in Canada. While, if all your documents are available and in order, the interview can be swift.

How To Apply For a Work Permit In Canada

Now you’ve reached here, we’ve provided you with a good guide on how to apply for a work permit in Canada. So ensure to carefully follow the guidelines below to apply. 

  • Check If You Meet The Basic Requirement: Firstly before you start your application, you have to ensure you meet the basic requirements. Some of these requirements include your health conditions, visa requirements, etc. 
  • Check Which Visa Or Immigration Program You Qualify For: Now that you’ve verified you meet all the basic requirements, you have to verify which visa or immigration program suits you. Thus, because applying for the wrong one may bounce you out and you may end up not obtaining the work permit.
  • Apply For A Work Permit: Finally, you can start your application for your work permit. We majorly have two types of Canadian work permits which include the Open work permit and the employer-specific work permit. As earlier described, the open Work Permit lets you migrate to Canada without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an offer letter from an employer who has paid the compliance fee. With the LMIA, you can work for any company you choose. While the employer-specific work permit allows you to work for a specific company or organization within Canada. The company has the responsibility of giving you access to the work permit. 
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Application Procedure For The Canadian Work Visa

We’ve highlighted and elaborated on a good procedure for obtaining a temporary Canadian Work Visa. They include the following; 

  • The employer applies for a labor market option 
  • Employer extends a temporary job offer to foreign workers
  • A foreign skilled worker applies for a work permit
  • A work permit is issued

Step 1: Apply for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) Formerly LMOs

Even before considering applying for your temporary Canadian Work Visa, in most cases, you need to ensure you qualify for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIAs) formerly called an LMO from Service Canada. This is because a temporary tourist visa will not offer eligibility to work in Canada. So you need to ensure your employer can help you with the LMIA.

Step 2: Employer Extends Temporary Job Offer

From this step, you’d communicate with your employer to send a copy of the positive LMIA along with a comprehensive ‘job offer letter’ to you as a foreign skilled worker.

Hence, all Canadian companies need to have CIC to prepare a formal employment contract or what you can refer to as the ‘Job Offer Letter,’. The job offer letter must include:

  • The job title for the position
  • Job description
  • Requirements for the temporary position
  • Details about start and end dates
  • Specifics about the salary
  • The name and address of the employer

Nonetheless, the Canada Service Agency will often verify that the job proposal is real and legit. So, once the Canadian immigration department has validated the job offer with the LMIA, then the CIC will grant employment permission for the company’s prospective employees to work in Canada. Therefore, with the LMIA approval, the Canadian employer can prolong a temporary job offer to the foreign skilled worker.

Step 3: Foreign Skilled Worker Applies For a Work Permit

Once you have obtained your LMIA and Job Offer Letter, you can then apply for a Canadian Temporary Work Permit. On the other hand, if the employer hiring you belongs to the region of Quebec, then you may also need to obtain a Certificate d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ footwork temporarily in Quebec). 

While in some cases, when applying for a temporary foreign worker permit, you will need to attend an interview with a visa officer. If the visa officer feels pleased that the foreign worker’s employment will not adversely influence employment in Canada for Canadians and that of the foreign worker qualified for the position. Then you will be issued the Canada Work Permit.

However, in some cases, applicants from certain countries will have to undergo medical examinations.

Step 4. Get Issued a Canadian Temporary Work Permit

A Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer will issue you the Canadian Temporary Work Permit at the point of entry when you (the skilled foreign worker) enter Canada. While depending on the immigrant country of citizenship, they may need to obtain a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada. Note that there still include a few more minor steps excluded here which are involved in the process of obtaining a work visa in Canada. 

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Are There Any Conditions On My Work Permit?

Yes, there include some conditions you must meet in order not to invalidate your work permit when you finally obtain it. You will see some of the conditions written

directly on your work permit. They may include but are not limited to; 

  • The type of work you can do,
  • The employer you can work for,
  • Where you can work, or
  • How long you can work?

You can find more of the terms and conditions in Regulation 185 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations lists. 

You’d also discover some standard conditions that apply to all work permit

holders. So even if you have no specific conditions on your work permit, you must still respect those standards. Some of them include; 

  • You must not work for an employer in a business where there exist reasonable grounds to suspect a risk of sexual exploitation of some workers, specifically: strip clubs, massage parlors, and escort agencies,
  • You must ensure to leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay.

Frequently Asked Questions About How To Apply For a Work Permit In Canada

Several cost applies to getting a Canadian work permit. Whether you are applying from inside or outside Canada, or whether you need are applying for an open or closed work permit. You can see more information in this article above. However, if you apply from within Canada, you’d pay a $100 open permit holder fee and, and a $155 work permit fee. Making a total of $255

It may not seem easy at first, but it is not impossible. When applying for a work permit, in most cases you will require a Canadian job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). However, we have some exceptions to this requirement, where foreign workers can apply for a work permit without an LMIA or a job offer.

Obtaining a Canadian work permit may take up to 30 business days (6 weeks) to even 9 months depending on the type of work permit and requirements. 

You do not necessarily need a job offer to apply for a Canadian work permit. However, in some cases, you need to have a job offer. Especially if you qualify for either the Federal Skilled Worker Program or the Federal Skilled Trades Program, and do not have enough money to support yourself and your family in Canada.

As per IRCC, you need to show proof of fund which includes 10,000 CAD for a single application, an additional 4,000 CAD for your spouse, and an additional 3,000 CAD for each kid that you will bring to Canada.

Conclusion 

Canada is a very wonderful country to migrate to considering the standard of living in the country with many open opportunities to tap from. So a decision to migrate to Canada will be worth it, while obtaining a Work Permit in Canada makes it even better.

Hence, we urge you to carefully learn the steps here well enough on how to apply for a work permit in Canada make sure you get positive results at the end. During this process if you encounter any issue of have further questions, feel free to always ask us through the comment box below.

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Reference

  • Canada.ca – Work permit: How to apply
  • Canadim – Work in Canada: Canadian Work Permit & Visa Process

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