Work Permit Frequently Asked Questions

Canadian Work Permit FAQ

What do I need to work in Canada?

To work in Canada, typically depends on the nature of the position your intended to fill as well as under what program or category you will be applying. For the most part, however, there’s basic documentation you most likely always need regardless of what application or category type you are applying for:

• A valid job offer in Canada
• Prove that you are certified are qualified to work in that occupation
• Prove that you receive a positive Labour Market Opinion from human resources and skills development Canada or Service Canada
• A visa to travel to Canada should you be coming from a country which is not visa-exempt
• A work permit letter from a Canadian visa office abroad
• A work permit is issued at the border and generally standing your passport

How can I find a job in Canada?

Unfortunately, this is not something that Citizenship and Immigration Canada or the Canadian Government can assist you with. You’ll be required to obtain your own employment by your own means prior to obtaining the Work Permit. Canada does, however, offer a variety of resources available to Canadians as well as foreigners that can be utilized to assist them in locating an employer who is willing to hire a foreign worker. Various postings, such as the internationally known job bank, have regular postings for available positions in Canada.

What is a labour market opinion?

A Labour Market Opinion, otherwise known as an LMO, is a document that an employer in Canada may need to get before hiring a foreign worker, depending on the intended nature of the occupation. A Labour Market Opinion is basically a document which demonstrates that there is a job shortage in the particular skill requirements for the occupation intended to fill, and therefore, should the employer hire a foreign worker; they would not be ” taking this position” from a Canadian who was readily available. Not all intended work in Canada requires a labour market opinion.

I have a job offer in Canada; what documents do I need for my employer?

In order to apply for a work permit, again depending on the nature of the work, a Labour Market Opinion (LMO, now known as LMIA) may be required. Your employer will need to apply for a Labour Market Opinion and obtain a positive decision before you can apply for a work permit. You will submit this Labour Market Opinion along with your application for a work permit. You’ll also need a job offer letter or employment contract agreement signed by yourself and your employer to submit along with your application.

I have a work permit in Canada can I work for any employer?

Unless you have what is known as an open work permit, work permits are otherwise specific to the employer who applied for your work permit.  This is called a closed work permit.  Therefore you can only work with the employer specified on your work permit. Prior to obtaining a work permit, your employer needed to get authorization from human resources and skills development Canada or Service Canada before they can hire you. Therefore, you are only authorized to work for this intended employer. If you have obtained a work permit and no longer wish to work for this employer and have found another potential job offer, you’ll need to go through the same process and obtain a new work permit.