Work Permit

Temporary Workers-

About the process

Most foreign nationals need a work permit to work in Canada.

There are 2 types of work permits.

Employer-specific work permit

An employer-specific work permit lets you work in Canada according to the conditions on your work permit, such as

• the name of the specific employer you can work for
• how long you can work
• the location where you can work (if applicable)

Before you apply for an employer-specific work permit, your employer must give you

• a copy of your employment contract
• 1 of the following:
  • a copy of a labour market impact assessment(LMIA)
  • an offer of employment number (for LMIA-exempt workers)

Open work permit

• An open work permitlets you work for any employer in Canada
• You can only get an open work permit in specific situations.
• Some jobs require a medical exam. If you don’t want medical conditions on your open work permit, you can get a medical exam from a panel physician.

If you want to bring your family with you

Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children may be able to work, study or live with you while you work in Canada.

Business people-

You may be eligible to work under a free trade agreement

Canada is part of 1 free trade agreement with this country or territory:

General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)

The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) makes it easier for certain types of skilled business people to enter other World Trade Organization (WTO) member countries temporarily.

If you’re coming to Canada under GATS, your employer won’t need to get a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) before you’re allowed to work in Canada.

Who’s eligible

• Citizens of WTO members
• permanent residents of
  • Australia
  • New Zealand
  • Switzerland
  • Armenia

Types of business persons covered

• Business visitors
• Professionals
• Intra-company transferees

Francophone Mobility work permit-

The Francophone mobility work permit makes it easier for Canadian employers to hire you without a labour market impact assessment, if you meet certain requirements and you are want to live and work outside the province of Quebec.

To be eligible, you must

• meet the general eligibility requirementsfor a work permit
• live and work in 1 of the 9 Canadian provinces or 3 territories outside Quebec
• be able to prove you can speak and listen in French at an intermediate level
  • This would be equivalent to a niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) level 5 or higher.
• have an offer of employment for a job that’s classified under anyTraining, Education, Experience and Responsibilities category of the National Occupational Classification (NOC) system except primary agriculture occupations.

If your spouse, common-law partner or dependent children want to work in Canada, they may be able to apply for an open work permit. Find out if they’re eligible for a work permit.

Your dependent children can also go to school or university while you’re working in Canada.