Questions and Answers for Work Permits

Understand Work Permits

If you are a foreign national who wants to legally work in Canada, it is essential for you obtain a work permit. A work permit is intended for foreign nationals who wish to come to Canada to pursue a career or a job opportunity. It was created to give foreign nationals an opportunity to further their careers or be given the opportunity of a job that they would not have in their home country. However, there are different types of work permit, and they are often confusing to applicants. In order for you to further understand what a work permit entails, it is highly recommended that you consult with an immigration expert. In this blog, you will learn about common questions that applicants have for work permits.

Q: Is a regular work permit different from an open work permit in terms of the applications? Or are they the same?

A: The application form is indeed the same and you may apply for either a regular work permit or an open work permit with the same application. The only difference is that for an open work permit, when filing out the application, you can leave the “details of intended work in Canada” blank as it is not mandatory to have employment already in Canada before applying.

Q: What do I need to do if I want to change my employer to another employer?

A: In order to switch employers, you are required to apply to change the conditions of your work permit. This is a separate application and your new employer must abide by certain conditions before hiring you. For instance, they need to determine whether or not you need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). If you find out that you do need a LMIA, your employer must provide you with a new employment offer letter; a new LMIA number designated to you; and a new contract signed by yourself and the new employer. However, if you are LMIA exempt, your employer must provide you with an offer employment letter and the employment number they received when they submitted an offer of employment through the Employer Portal.

Q: As a foreign national, am I required to obtain an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) or a visa to work in Canada?

A: No, you are not required to obtain an eTA or a visa. However, this all depends on your country of citizenship. If you do need an eTA or a visa prior to entering Canada, you will require both an eTA or a visa and a valid work permit. Keep in mind, your eTA or visa will be issued at the same time that you receive your work permit. Therefore, you will not need to apply for both separately or pay any additional fees. Additionally, you may also be requested to complete and provide biometrics (photograph and fingerprints) when you apply.

Q: I’m worried that I don’t know when my temporary resident status expires? How about my work permit?

If you entered Canada with a valid passport, the expiration date of your temporary resident status will be listed on one of your passport pages where Immigration has stamped your visa. If you cannot find a stamp in your passport, or you were not given any other documentation with regards to your visa, it is most likely the case that your temporary resident visa will expire six months from the date of entry. Another scenario can be that the Immigration officer most likely gave you a separate document with this information. Similarly, for work permits, Immigration issues a legal document that provides all of the information of your work permit, including issuance date and expiration date.

Q: Am I allowed to appeal a decision received on a work permit application?

A: Unfortunately, there is no formal right of appeal for temporary resident decisions. This is evidently stated under Canada’s Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. On the other hand, if you truly would like a work permit, you may reapply. Hopefully, when you reapply, another officer will examine the reapplication. If you truly feel as though the decision was not fair and would like to challenge the decision, you may request a judicial review through the Federal Court of Canada. However, a lawyer in Canada would act on your behalf and you would have to pay for their services separately. Therefore, the best and most financially beneficial option would be to reapply.

Contact Akrami & Associates

Should you have any further questions or feel confused or unclear about how to apply for a work permit, it is important to talk about any questions you may have and discuss your concerns. By talking to immigration professionals about your concerns, this will ease your worries and assist with the application process. Many immigration applications are difficult to pursue on your own, if you are unfamiliar, and it is highly recommended that you seek out professional and experienced help before attempting to apply. Here, at Akrami & Associates, we work and have experience with many different immigration issues. We have helped many of our clients travel to Canada with a work permit and they are now happily working in Canada and contributing to the Canadian economy. Please feel free to contact Akrami & Associates at 416-477-2545 for more information ,or if you would like to book a consultation with an immigration professional for more advise.

With Akrami & Associates there is always a way!!