A Work Permit Canada is an official document which gives the holder authorization to work in Canada. Applicants must qualify for the Canadian Government’s point system in order to acquire a Work Permit. Once issued, the permit aims to prevent any undocumented workers who may bypass legal procedures regarding work visas and permits. A Work Permit Canada may be issued by the government or employer.

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Who is eligible to work in Canada?

Most foreign nationals require a permit to be eligible to work in Canada, with some exemptions.

To apply for a work permit, most candidates will require a Canadian job offer supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). There are some exceptions to this requirement, where foreign workers can apply for a work permit without an LMIA, or a job offer. Examples of this include a recent graduate from a Canadian Designated Learning Institute (DLI), or the spouse of someone already on a Canadian work or study permit.

Candidates who qualify to apply for a work permit must also meet the following eligibility requirements:

Demonstrate their intent to leave once their work authorization expires; and
Prove they have sufficient funds to support them and their family in Canada and to return home; and
Are not criminally or medically inadmissible to Canada; and
Plan to work with an eligible employer; and
Can provide any requested documents that may prove their eligibility to enter Canada

Types of Canadian work permits

There are many different options for obtaining a Canadian work permit. Some work permits require a job offer from a Canadian employer, some require that the employer provide a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), while others require that a person has some sort of connection to Canada (previous education, spousal sponsorship, etc.). Please refer to the following categories below to determine the work permit which best suits your qualifications:

Requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
Facilitated LMIA (Quebec)
Global Talent Stream

LMIA-Exempt but requiring a job offer or employment contract

International Mobility Program (IMP)
NAFTA Work Permits
CETA Work Permits
Intra-Company Transfers

CANADA WORK PERMIT VISA

Canada Work Permit, or a Work Visa, is issued to eligible overseas individuals to work in that country for a specific time period.

People need to apply for a Work Visa only after getting a job offer or an employment contract from a Canadian employer. The employer must obtain from ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada) an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment), which gives them permission to recruit foreign skilled workers for occupations that cannot be filled in by citizens or permanent residents of Canada.

As one of the world’s leading economies Canada is a great destination for individuals seeking to work abroad. The Canadian Work Permit Visa allows business people, permanent workers, temporary workers, students and others to work in Canada. Typically, applicants need to have a job offer in hand in order to apply for the work permit visa. With our end-to-end overseas career solutions, Y-Axis can help you find a job and apply for a Canadian Work Permit Visa.

CANADA WORK PERMIT VISA DETAILS:

In 2021, Canada granted permits to more than 400,000 overseas candidates. This is a huge opportunity for foreign workers seeking to make a better life. Under the Canada Work Permit Visa you can:

Work in Canada under the employer you have mentioned in your work permit application
Have the ability to apply for Dependent Visas to call your dependents
Earn in dollars
Travel across Canada
Apply for a PR visa at a later date

ELIGIBILITY FOR CANADA WORK PERMIT VISA:

Applicants need to show proof that they are eligible to take up the job offer. To apply for a Canada Work Permit from India, you need to meet certain requirements. Documents need to be submitted in either English.

The Canada Work Permit Visa is ideal for temporary workers, foreign graduates from Canadian universities, businessmen and others who need to work in Canada.

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Give proof to an officer that you will move out of Canada on the expiry of your Work Permit
Have documents showing that you have enough funds to support yourself and your family during your stay in Canada
Have no record of any criminal activity and submit a police clearance certificate as proof
Are not a danger to Canada’s security
Must have good health and take a medical exam if required
Have no plans to work for an employer listed as ineligible by the government because they failed to comply with certain conditions
Have no plans to work for an employer who offers erotic dance, escort services, striptease, or erotic massages
Must be ready to provide any documents demanded by officers to qualify your entry to Canada

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR CANADA WORK PERMIT VISA

A valid passport with a validity of more than 6 months from the planned date of arrival in Canada.
Two recent passport-sized photographs
Educational qualification certificates
Proof of professional qualifications, including work experience
Proof of having adequate financial resources to cover their expenses during their stay in Canada
Medical examination required to be done from registered hospitals.
Application fee

Applicants should also be able to convince immigration officials that they would return to their home country after the end of their employment.

Different types of work permits:

There are two types of work permits given by Canadian authorities- open work permit and an employer-specific work permit. An open work permit basically allows you to work for any employer. This visa is not job-specific, so applicants do not require the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an offer letter from an employer who has paid the compliance fee.

With an open work permit you can work for any employer in Canada except for those companies that do not comply with labor requirements or are involved in services like escort services, erotic massage or exotic dancing.

The employer-specific work permit as the name suggests is a permit that allows you to work for a specific employer.

While the employer-specific work permit pertains to a single employer, the open work permit can come with certain conditions which will be written on it. These include:

Type of work
Places where you can work
Duration of work

Holders of the following visas can apply for an Open Work Permit:

Temporary Work Permits for spouses
Post-Graduation Work Permit
Temporary Resident Permit
World Youth Program Permit
Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program Spousal Permit
Regular Open Work Permit
Bridging Open Work Permit

Conditions for the open work permit:

Proof of financial resources that can support yours and your family’s stay in Canada during the work permit validity
Proof that you have no history of a criminal record
Proof that you are in good health
Willingness to adhere to the conditions of your work permit even if you are given a restricted work permit
Meet eligibility conditions such as language skills, biometric data, and insurance

DIFFERENT TYPES OF WORK PERMIT

There are two types of work permits given by Canadian authorities- open work permit and an employer specific work permit. An open work permit basically allows you to work for any employer. This visa is not job-specific, so applicants do not require the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an offer letter from an employer who has paid the compliance fee.

The employer specific work permit as the name suggests is a permit that allows you to work for a specific employer.

CONDITIONS ON THE WORK PERMIT

While the employer specific work permit pertains to a single employer, the open work permit can come with certain conditions which will be written on it. These include:

Type of work
Places where you can work
Duration of work

JOBS THAT DO NOT REQUIRE A WORK PERMIT

There are certain jobs that do not require a work permit, here is their list:

Athlete or coach

Aviation accident or incident investigator

Business visitor

Civil aviation inspector

Clergy

Convention organizer

Crew member

Short-term highly skilled worker

Short-term researcher

Student working off-campus

Student working on-campus

Military personnel

News reporter or film and media crew

Producer or staff member working on advertisements

Performing artist

Emergency service provider

Examiner and evaluator

Expert witness or investigator

Family member of foreign representative

Foreign government officer or representative

Health care student

Judge, referee or similar official

Public speaker

Short-term highly skilled worker

Short-term researcher

Student working off-campus

Student working on-campus

WHEN YOU NEED A JOB TO GET A WORK PERMIT

Certain jobs in Canada require entry to the country only on a valid work permit. Two of these jobs are caregivers and agricultural workers. Caregivers who take care of the elderly, disabled of children need to have a work permit before taking up a job in Canada. The same goes for agricultural workers.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR A WORK PERMIT FROM OUTSIDE CANADA

Irrespective of the work permit you are applying for, there are certain eligibility requirements you must meet, these include:

Provide proof to the immigration officer that you will leave Canada on the expiry of your work permit
Proof of financial resources that can support yours and your family’s stay in Canada during the work permit validity
Proof that you have no history of a criminal record
Proof that you are in good health and are willing to undergo a medical examination
Must prove that you are not a danger to Canada’s society
Willingness to adhere to the conditions of your work permit
Meet eligibility conditions such as language skills, biometric data, and insurance to prove that you can enter Canada

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR A WORK PERMIT FROM INSIDE CANADA

In order to apply for a work permit from inside Canada, you must meet certain conditions. These include:

Having a valid study permit
Your spouse or common law partner or parents have a study or work permit
You are a graduate from a program at a Canadian University
You have a temporary residence permit that is valid for six months
You have made a PR application from inside Canada and waiting for a response
You have made or intend to make a claim for refugee protection
You have been recognized as a refugee by the IRCC
You are a trader, investor, under intra-company transfer or are a professional under NAFTA

DEPENDENT WORK VISA

The government of Canada allows immigration for family members under the dependent work permit category.

Bringing dependents on a work permit

You may be entitled to have your spouse and children join you in Canada if you obtain a job offer from a Canadian employer and have an open work permit.

Your children will be eligible to attend Canadian educational institutions without having to get separate study permits. Your spouse will also be able to apply for an open work permit so that they can work in Canada.

WHO CAN BE INCLUDED ON A DEPENDENT VISA?

Some members of a family such as a spouse or children can be included in the dependent visa application to Canada, whereas parents and grandparents must be sponsored by permanent residents or Canadian citizens.

The sponsors must promise to support and accompany the family member or relative for a period of 3 to 10 years to ensure that they are well-settled in Canada.

Family members eligible under Canada’s Dependent Work Permit are:

Spouse, spousal or common-law partners over the age of 16
Both parents and grandparents
Dependent children, including adopted children
Children under 18 whom you’d like to adopt
Siblings, nephews and nieces, children under 18, orphans and unmarried
Other relatives who reside in or outside Canada

Children are dependent on the following criteria:

Children younger than 22, unmarried or without a common-law partner
Children who have become a spouse / common-law partner before they reach the age of 22 and are highly dependent on parents for financial assistance
Children who are financially dependent on parents until they reach age 22 due to a certain physical impairment

DEPENDENT VISA APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

You will need to include the following to sponsor your family members for Dependent Visa for Canada

Recorded evidence of your financial condition and cash flow over the past 12 months to prove you are financially stable and capable to support your family.
If you are sponsoring a Canadian Dependent Visa for your child then he or she,

Must be younger than 22 years
Should be able to show that they rely on you financially
If your child is unable to earn his or her own money for some reason, either physically or mentally, then you can sponsor him after giving enough proof of the same
The child should be either your biological or adopted child

To prove your relationship, you will need to provide a birth certificate or adoption certificate
The child will need to undergo a medical and criminal test and may be prevented from entering the country if a criminal record or medical condition that is likely to be contagious or cause an epidemic has been found to be present.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED TO APPLY FOR DEPENDENTS

Passport & travel history
Background documentation
Spouse/partner documentation including marriage certificate
Other proof of relationship
Completed application & consulate fees

Conclusion

Whether you are a refugee or want to immigrate, Canada is the country for you. The process of getting a work permit for Canada may seem quite difficult and confusing, but this is not the case. There are many different kinds of these programs available, but I am going to outline the most basic one in detail.

Canada Work Permit After Master Degree