Canada is a very beautiful country with remarkable natural landscapes, diverse culture, iconic symbols and welcoming communities. Many people from different parts of the world dream to travel to Canada to work and establish themselves.

For a foreign national to legally work in Canada, then he or she must first get a Canadian work permit. In this article, we will be giving an in-depth insight on the Canadian work permit.

If you are planning on moving to Canada to work and you do not know where to start from, kindly get in touch with us and one of our expert consultant will be happy to assist you.

What is a Canadian Work Permit?

A Canadian work permit is a legal document that the Canadian government issues to foreign nationals that gives them the legal right to work for a Canadian employer for specified period of time.

What is a Canadian Work Visa?

A lot of persons usually confuse a Canadian work visa with a Canadian work permit. While a Canadian work permit gives foreign nationals the legal right to work in Canada, a Canadian work visa is a travel document that allows foreigners travel to the Canadian port of entry to seek admission into Canada.

You can also read our post on: Canada Visitors Visa

Types of Canadian Work Permit

Their are two major types of a Canadian work permit. Having a good knowledge of them can help you determine the type that suites your travel goal.

• Closed Work Permit: A closed work permit is a type of Canadian work permit that is tied to a particular employer and requires a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

• Open Work Permit: An open work permit is a type of Canadian work permit that isn’t tied to any Canadian employer and does not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

What are the benefits of an Open Work Permit?

The Canadian open work permit has some advantages over the Canadian closed work permit, because as a Canadian open work permit holder, you can work for any employer and it doesn’t require a LMIA.

The Canadian open work permit requires some sort of connection to Canada like recent graduate from a Canadian designated learning institution or the spouse of a Canadian work or study permit holder.

Unmarried children of a Canadian work or study permit holder not up to 18 years of age can apply for a Canadian open work permit if they meet all the eligibility requirements.

What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)?

A Labour market impact assessment (LMIA) is a document that Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) issues to Canadian employers which grants them the right to hire foreign employees.

The essence of this document is to protect the Canadian labour market. In other words, the Canadian employer must prove that their are no qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents available or willing to take up the job.

A positive labour market impact assessment means that bringing in a foreign employee into Canada to take up the job position will not have any negative impact on the Canadian labour market.

Required Documents

To apply for a Canadian work permit, below are the required documents that you must make available to IRCC;

• International Passport: You must have an international passport with a validity period of at least 6 months beyond your intended period of stay in Canada.

• Labour Market Impact Assessment: You must submit an approved Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Your Canadian employer will send you this document before you can start your Canadian work permit application process.

• Job Offer Letter: You must have a job offer letter from your Canadian employer stating your job position and description.

• Update CV: You must provide an up-to-date curriculum vitae

• Police Character Certificate: You must submit a police character certificate from the Police Department of your home country and any other country that you have lived in for more than 6 months since you turned 18 years.

• Medical Examination: You must perform a medical check by an authorized panel physician in your home country. You can visit the canada.ca website to find an authorized panel physician near you.

• Marriage Certificate.

• Proof of Fund: You must submit your account statement for the last six months. This proves that you have the financial capability to take care of yourself and any other family member that will be accompanying you to Canada during your stay in Canada.

• Educational Credentials: You have to provide your educational credentials as it helps prove that you meet the educational requirement for the job that you will be taking up in Canada.

• Proof of your status in Canada.

• Family member’s proof of status in Canada

• Passport Photograph: You must submit a passport photograph that meet with the Canadian visa photo requirement.

• Application Fees: You must provide proof of payment for the required fees.

Canadian Work Permit Application Process (LMIA Required)

Below we have given a break down of a Canadian work permit application process. Kindy note that the process explained below is tailored to the work permit that requires a job offer and an LMIA.

• Get a Job Offer: The first step towards getting a Canadian work permit is to apply for a job at a Canadian company and gain a full-time employment.

• Labour Market Impact Assessment Application: After you get a job offer, your Canadian employer would have to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment and wait for approval.

• Start your Work Permit Application: After Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) approves the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), your employer sends you this legal document and informs you to start your work permit application.

• Prepare your required documents: After your Canadian employer sends you the approved LMIA, kindly gather all your documents.

• Create an IRCC Account: After gathering all your documents in an electronic format, kindly visit the canada.ca website and create an IRCC account.

• Complete the Online Application Form: After creating an IRCC account, initiate the work permit application process and complete the online application form.

• Upload your Documents: After completing the online application form, kindly uploads your documents in the required electronic formats.

• Pay the Visa and Biometrics Fee: After uploading the required documents, kindly proceed with the visa and biometric fee payment.

• Submit your Application: After paying the required fees, submit your application.

Canadian Work Permit Application Fee

• Closed Work Permit Per Person: The application fee is 155 CAD.

• Closed Work Permit Per Group (3 or more performing artists): The fee is 465 CAD.

• Open Work Permit Per Person: The application fee is 100 CAD.

Can I Include my Dependents in my Work Permit Application?

Yes you can include your eligible dependents in your Canadian work permit application. Your children must be unmarried and below 22. But if they are 22 or older, they can still be considered dependents if they have depended on you for financial support before they turned 22 and cannot support themselves financially due to physical or mental conditions.

What is the Processing Times for a Canadian Work Permit?

The processing times for a Canadian work permit application varies from region to region and also the Canadian embassy that is processing your application.

If the embassy processing your application has high volume of applications, then your application will take longer to finalize because applications are processed in the order at which they were received.

The number of staffing in the Canadian embassy where you submitted your application can also affect the processing times of your work permit application.

Kindly make use of the Check Processing Times tool at the IRCC website to get an estimate of the time that it will likely take for IRCC to finalize your work permit application.

When is a Canadian Work Permit Issued after Approval?

After IRCC approves your Canadian work permit application, they will issue you a TRV which you will use to travel to the Canadian port of entry.

Upon your arrival at the Canadian port of entry, the Canadian Border Services officer will print out the work permit and issue to you.

You can also read our post on: Canada Student Visa

What is the Validity Period of a Canadian Work Permit?

The Canadian work permit is typically valid for 1-2 years but the validity period can also vary based on various factors such as;

• Passport Expiry Date: IRCC cannot issue a Canadian work permit beyond the expiry date on an applicant’s international passport.

• Duration of Job Offer: IRCC cannot issue a work permit beyond the duration of the job offer in Canada

• Maximum Validity: The maximum validity of a Canadian work permit is 4 years.

Can I Renew my Canadian Work Permit?

Yes you can renew your Canadian work permit but it must go through the same process of getting an approved LMIA, continuously meeting the job requirement, continuously having financial capacity to take care of yourself and any dependents, etc.

It’s important to note that you must start the renewal process before your current work permit expires because IRCC expects you to leave Canada immediately your work permit expires.

Is Medical Examination Compulsory for a Canadian Work Permit?

Yes a medical examination is compulsory for a Canadian work permit if;

• You will be working in Canada for more than 6 months.

• Your job is in a field that requires close contact with people such as healthcare, childcare, etc.

• You have lived in a designated country for 6 months or more then you are also required to carry out a medical examination.

Is Biometrics Compulsory for a Canadian Work permit?

Yes in order for IRCC to process and approve your work permit application, you must visit a Canadian VAC close to you to submit your biometrics (fingerprints and face capture).

IRCC will contact you with biometrics submission instruction after you submit your application so it is important that you always check your IRCC account for updates.

Possible Reasons for a Canadian Work Permit Application Denial

A Canadian work permit application can be denied because of the followings reasons below;

• If you do not meet the job requirement.

• If you don’t have strong ties to your home country.

• If you don’t have the financial capability to take care of yourself and eligible dependents during your stay in Canada, your work permit application will be denied.

• If you do not meet the educational requirement for the job position.

• If your labour market impact application was denied.

• If you have a deadly and communicable disease.

• If you do not demonstrate strong knowledge and skillset on the job position you applied for.

• If you have a criminal record in your home country.