The question of how many types of work permit exist in Canada is often asked. If you are looking to immigrate to Canada, you will come across a number of different immigration programs that give out work permits. The most common type of immigration program used by those who want to live and work in Canada permanently is the economic immigration program.
When it comes to applying for work permits in Canada, every different province has their own rules and regulations. This means that the kind of work permit you are going to want to obtain will vary depending on where you live. As a Canadian citizen, you know that the country is struggling with its recent recession which has meant that jobs and the economy have been one of the talk surrounding the city of Vancouver. This has led thousands of people from China and Asia to apply for a temporary living and working permit, only to be deemed illegal once they entered Canada. If you are planning on getting a work permit but want to know about some popular work permits granted by any Canadian region, then this article can help give some insight as to what type of work permit to request.Canada is known for its beautiful landscapes, strong infrastructures and appealing working, living and studying opportunities. Canada offers different types of work permit to the skilled non-Canadians. The applicants must apply under the appropriate type of permit based on their qualification and job position they are looking for.
How Many Types Work Permit In Canada
What Are the Canada Temporary Work Visas?
A Temporary Work Visa for Canada is a combination of a Temporary Resident Visa and a Work Permit. With a TRV, you are allowed to stay in Canada for 6 months or less, while the Work Permit for Canada allows you to also work in the job that you have already found or to look for a job.
This work visa for Canada is not permanent and will expire after a few months or years depending on the type you have. This means that after the Canadian work visa expires, then you can either apply to have it renewed or return to your home country. The maximum amount of time you can work temporarily in Canada with all extensions is 4 years. However, that is not applicable for each case and may depend on the country you are from and which type of visa you have.
You cannot stay and work in Canada after your visa expires because you will put yourself at risk for deportation. This means you will not be able to get a Canada visa again.
Who Needs a Temporary Work Visa for Canada?
Anyone who intends to enter Canada with the reasons to work and earn a salary must get a Temporary Work Visa, or Work Permit. You must be involved in these activities to need the work permit:
- Your intention is to become employed in Canada with a salary.
- You will get your salary from a company that is registered in Canada as a business.
- Your primary location of work will be Canada.
- Your salary will be paid to you and deposited in a Canadian bank account.
However, if your place of work is outside Canada and you are in the country for a short period of time for work purposes, then you do not need a work permit.
Those who may not need a Canadian work permit are the following groups of visitors:
- Foreign Government Workers.
- Foreign Government Representatives and their family members.
- Military personnel.
- Business visitors.
- Performing artists.
- Athletes and their team members.
- Judges, referees, or similar workers.
- Media crews and news reporters.
- Public speakers and convention organizers.
- Evaluators and examiners.
- Clergy.
- Health care students.
- Students who are working on campus.
- Civil aviation inspectors.
- Aviation accident inspectors.
- Emergency service providers.
- Expert witnesses and investigators.
- Researchers who have to work in Canada for 120 days only.
If you do not belong to any of these groups, then you will need a Temporary Work Visa and Permit.
Am I Eligible to Apply for a Canadian Work Visa and Permit?
In order to qualify, any applicant who wants to work in Canada temporarily must be eligible and fulfill the Canada work visa eligibility criteria as follows:
- Prove you are willing to leave Canada and return to your home country when your work permit expires.
- Respect the conditions of your work permit, depending on whether it is open and you can work for any employer or if it is specific and you are only allowed to work for one employer;
- Prove you will not work for an employer who is engaged in a work type that is prohibited such as striptease services, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages;
If you are applying for the work permit and visa from outside of Canada, so from your home country, you must also fulfill the Temporary Visa requirements.
On the other hand, if you are applying from inside Canada, then you must also fulfill these Canada work permit requirements:
- You are currently in Canada with a study permit or you have a work permit that will expire soon.
- Graduated from a Canadian educational institution.
- Gave a temporary resident permit that is valid for 6 or more months.
- Applied for refugee status in Canada and are waiting for a decision.
- You are already a refugee or protected person.
- Your application for refugee status has been denied but you cannot leave Canada for reasons beyond your control;
What are the types of Temporary Work Visas for Canada?
To address all the needs of foreign workers, the Government of Canada issues different types of Temporary Work Visas depending on the needs of the applicant. There are 4 types of work permits or work visas that you can get:
Temporary Foreign Workers Program
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is the standard temporary worker visa. It is issued to foreign workers who already have a job offer from a Canadian company and for which the company has already obtained a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the Government of Canada.
Open Work Permit
The Open Work Permit is given to foreign workers who are going to Canada with a job offer but the permit allows them to switch employers. This is different from the other work permits/visas because it is not employer specific. The other work permits/visas do not allow you to change employers while in Canada.
Working Holiday Visa
The Working Holiday Visa is given to young people from 30 countries, so they can work in Canada and travel. It is a random selection visa which means that applicants will submit their applications and wait to be randomly selected to apply for the work permit.
Post Graduate Work Permit
The Post Graduate Work Permit is given to students who have completed a degree from a Canadian educational institution and want to stay in Canada longer through working.
How to Apply for a Temporary Work Visa for Canada?
An overview of the steps on how to apply for a work visa for Canada are as follows:
Get a temporary job offer from a Canadian Company
Depending on the type of work permit that you are applying for, you will most likely need a job offer from an employer in Canada.
- If you are getting an Open Work Permit, you will have the chance to switch employers and find a different one once you are in Canada. But if you want an employer specific permit, then you will need to find the job before you apply for it.
- To get the Foreign Temporary Workers Visa, you must find a job in Canada from your home country.
- If you are only planning to go to Canada and look for the job, then you must skip this step.
- If you are applying for a working holiday visa, your chances of getting the visa will be higher if you already know where you will work.
There are many resources online which will help you with your job search in Canada. You can visit different websites, or you can contact head hunting services in Canada and pay them to find you a job. Whichever way you choose, you will need the employer to agree to send you a job offer for temporary work before you apply for the work visa.
The company you will work for must have a LMIA
After you find the job, the company that has agreed to hire you must apply for a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the Government of Canada. A LMIA is a document which the government issues and serves as an authorization for the company to hire foreign temporary workers.
The company you want to work for must apply for it and demonstrate that by giving you this job, they are not taking jobs away from Canadian citizens of permanent residents. They must prove that there are no willing, available, or qualified people within Canada for that job position, and therefore they must hire foreign workers. After they get the LMIA, you must have the document and then apply for work permit in Canada.
Submit the application for Canada Work Visa and Permit
After the Canadian Government issues the LMIA to the company that has hired you, then it is time to apply for the Temporary Work Visa. You can do this online through the Government of Canada website or in person at any Canadian Consulate Office.
You must submit the application forms and the supporting documents which will be evaluated from the Consular officers. The officers might also ask you to have a medical examination as well as an interview to determine your eligibility and whether you would return from Canada after your work permit expires.
To apply for a Canadian work visa, you must submit the following application forms and supporting documents:
- Application forms which include:
- IMM 1295 – Application for Work Permit Made Outside of Canada.
- Schedule 1 – Application for Temporary Resident Visa.
- Family Information Form IMM 5645.
- Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union IMM 5409 (if applicable).
- IMM 5476 – Use of Representative Form (if applicable).
- IMM 5475 – Authority to Release Personal Information to a Designated Individual (if applicable).
- Your passport which must be valid for more than 6 months after your planned date of entry into Canada.
- A photocopy of your passport and all its pages.
- Two photos as per the Photo Requirements.
- Proof of current immigration status (if your country of residence is different from your country of citizenship).
- Copy of your marriage certificate (if applicable).
- Copy of children’s birth certificates (if applicable).
- Police record certificates. You must prove you have no criminal record in the past and that you have been a law-abiding citizen
- Proof of having enough funds in your bank account to finance yours and your family’s stay in Canada as well as enough to return to your home country.
- Your resume or CV.
- Your education diplomas and certificates.
- Valid job offer from your employer.
- The LMIA document.
- If you will be working in Quebec, you need a Certificate d’acceptation du Quebec (CAQ).
- Complete the medical examination. The officials of the Canadian Consulate may ask you to go through a medical exam to prove that you are in good health and able to work. You must follow their instructions and require a licensed doctor to sign your documents.
Complete the Canada Work visa interview.
The officials might also ask for an interview to determine that you have submitted the right document and that you are being truthful. Most often, they will try to determine whether you will return back to your home country after your work permit expires. You must show up at the scheduled time for your interview and answer the questions honestly.