In order to be allowed to work in Canada, you will need to have a work permit. Canada has a number of work and immigration options. Some jobs, however, do not require work permits. The work permits vary depending upon the nature of the occupation. A work permit will contain the following information:

1. The applicant’s employer
2. Nature of employment
3. Location of employment
4. Duration of employment allowed.

In general, there are two types of work permits in Canada:

1. Open Work Permit
2. Employer Specific Work Permit

Open Work Permit:

Open work permits are classified into two types, restricted and unrestricted permits. The unrestricted permit allows an individual to work at any location in any occupation. The restricted permit, however, prevents an individual to work in any location or occupation. It does not provide much freedom of movement within the country. Open work permits allow individuals to work for any employer in the country except for employers who are:

• Listed on the list of ineligible employers. These employers have failed to comply with specified conditions.
• Offering promiscuous services such as striptease, erotic dance, and massages or escort services, or related professions.

Eligibility for Open Work Permit:

You may be eligible for an open work permit if you fall in any of the following categories:

• You have applied for permanent residency in Canada.
• You are a dependent family member of someone who has applied for permanent residence in Canada.
• You are a spouse/common-law partner of a skilled worker working in Canada.
• You are a spouse/common-law partner of an international student who has a valid study permit.
• You are a spouse/common-law partner of an individual who has applied to the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program.
• You are a student who is facing difficulty with funding his/her education i.e. you are a destitute student.
• You are a graduate student eligible for a Post-Graduate Work Permit.
• You are a refugee.
• You are a young applicant part of a special program.
• You are under an unenforceable removal order.
• You have a temporary resident permit.

Types of Open Work Permits:

The following types of work permits are considered open work permits:

• Regular Work Permit
• Post-Graduation Work Permits
• Temporary Work Permits for Spouses/Common-Law Partners
• Youth Program Permit
• Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program Spousal Permit
• Bridging Open Work Permit

Visa Programs that require Open Work Permits:

The following visa programs use the open work permit:

• The working Holiday Visa
• Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
• Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
• Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
• Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
• International Experience Class
• Young Professional Visa
• International Co-op Program

Employer-Specific Work Permit:

Employer specific work permits allow individuals to work based upon certain work conditions such as the following:

• The name of the employer the applicant is allowed to work for
• The duration of the employment allowed
• The specific location of employment as allowed.

Eligibility for Employer Specific Work Permits:

The eligibility for an Employer-specific work permit is determined by the nature of the occupation and the overall record of the applicant. Some conditions that need to meet are as follow:

• You must satisfy the immigration officer you will leave as soon as your work permit expires.
• You have sufficient finances to stay and take care of yourself and the people that may be accompanying you during your visit to Canada.
• You have a clean criminal record.
• You pose no threat to Canada’s security.
• You have no serious medical issues that may affect the Canadian population in any way.
• You are not working for an employer who is listed ineligible on the list of employers who did not comply with employment conditions.

• You are not working for an employer who deals with promiscuous services such as striptease, erotic dance, and massages or escort services, or related professions.

Occupations that require Employer-Specific work permits:

The following occupations may use employer-specific work permits. Each occupation has a separate criterion to be eligible along with the criteria for employer-specific work permits:

• The applicant is an Academic
• The applicant works for a Religious organization
• The applicant is an Entrepreneur
• The applicant is an Athlete/Coach
• The applicant is an Agricultural Worker
• The applicant works for the film industry

And many other occupations.

Other Types of Work Permits:

There are several other types of work permits such as:

• Student Dependent Work Permit:

International Students have the liberty to apply for work permits for their dependent spouse and visit visas or study permits for their children during their study in Canada. To be eligible for an open work permit for a spouse the student must have his/her full-time study, or they can apply together whilst the student is applying for a study permit. The study permit allows the students to work up to 20 hours a week Off-Campus. Work On-campus does not require a work permit. After the student has completed his/her study he/she may apply for a Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) which allows the student to work full time. This permit lasts up to 3 years and allows the student to apply for permanent residence in Canada under the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

• Spousal Work Permit:

Spouses or common-law partners of Canadian Citizens or Permanent Residents have the liberty to apply for an open work permit, provided if they apply within Canada Spousal Sponsorship or Common-law Sponsorship application and are currently present in Canada. The open work permit will be allowing them to work in Canada. The permit allows the spouse/common-law partner to work for the duration of one year and can be extended up to the date until the final decision is been rendered on their spousal sponsorship application. So, if the sponsored spouse or partner is currently in Canada on any valid status, he/she can apply for an open work permit in Canada with the original spousal sponsorship or common-law partner sponsorship application. If the sponsored spouse or common-law partner is out of status then still they can apply for an open work permit in Canada but it is recommended that they should not initiate the open work permit application until the sponsor receives approval in principle. Approval in principle or AIP does not mean the application is finalized but rather a stage which means that it has been established that the sponsor meets the eligibility requirements as a sponsor and can sponsor his/her spouse or partner for permanent resident status, however, a final decision will not be made until the applicant is been verified and pass all remaining requirements for becoming a permanent resident mainly medical and security & background checks.

Work Permit Exemptions:

Some jobs do not require work permits given that the type of work is legal and is of short duration. Some jobs that do not require work permits are as follow:

• Aviation investigators
• Athletes and coaches of foreign teams
• Clergy members
• Expert witnesses
• News reporters
• Film crew
• Performing artists
• Health care students

How to apply for Work Permits

An application for a work permit must be filed to Immigration, Refugee, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). To apply for a work permit the applicant will require:

1. An offer letter.
2. An employment contract.
3. A copy of the LMIA (if not under LMIA exemption code)
4. An LMIA number.

Take Expert Opinion:

There are certain categories where even no work permit is required. Kindly contact us for more details. Before you get started on your application for a work permit it is best to seek an expert opinion. Team, The Visa Canada has years of experience in dealing with such applications.