How To Convert Business Visa To Work Permit In Canada

Many foreigners who wish to visit or work in Canada should first obtain a temporary residence permit before applying for a work permit. This way, you can stay for up to six months. Here are some steps on how convert your business visa to work permit at IRCC.ca

Over 10,000 work permits have been issued in Canada since the launch of a pilot program that allows foreign workers to change their temporary work visa into a permit giving them the right to live and work in Canada for as long as three years.

In Canada, the choice of whether one can apply for a work permit is made by the Officials of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) who determine whether a visa will be issued with a work authorization or not.

Our immigration services (work permits, study permits, temporary resident permits) will help you get a favourable decision on your immigration case. Canada is known to be the country of opportunities where you can take your career to next level.

As with any business, the number of customers play a very important role in its growth. But when a business operates internationally, reaching out to potential customers become a bit more challenging. In fact, before embarking on their international expedition most companies are always searching for creative and innovative ways to grow their customer base.

How To Convert Business Visa To Work Permit In Canada

Canada is a highly developed country with many opportunities for work and a good salary. Because of this, it attracts many foreign workers who want to go there and find good jobs. The Government of Canada has anticipated this and that is why they have designed the work visas.

If you want to work in Canada, you must have a Canadian work permit which allows you to find an employer or to sign a contract for work. A work permit is a document for which you must apply when you apply for the visa to go to Canada. The application is done at the same time and the Consular Office will treat your visa application as a work permit application.

There are two ways through which you can get a Canada work permit:

• Through Temporary Work Visas
• Through Permanent or Immigrant Work Visas

The first group of visas allows you to work in Canada for six months or less as a temporary worker. The second group of visas is given to those who are immigrating in Canada because they have found a suitable job. This article will focus on the Temporary Work Visa overview.

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.