Temporary Visa Work Permit

How do you qualify for a Work Permit?

There are several different ways for you to qualify for a Work Permit in Canada. One of the ways is to meet the qualifications of a Canadian business whom can’t find a Canadian citizen or a Canadian Permanent Resident to complete the job at hand.

In order for you to work in Canada as a foreign worker you will need to have received a Temporary Offer of Employment from a Canadian employer. With this it will be expected that the employer will also complete a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment. (LMIA)

In some, very few instances the Canadian Government will let you apply for an “open” Work Permit, which means it is not employer specific.

Will you only need a Work Permit?

It depends on what your country of citizenship is, some countries will also require you to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa as well in order for you to enter into Canada.

What happens once you have a job offer?

In most of the cases after you receive a valid job offer, you will be required to apply for your Temporary Work Permit so you will be able to work in Canada.

How long is a Temporary Work Permit valid for?

It all depends, a Work Permit can be issued for anywhere from a few days to a few years.

What is the process to get a Work Permit?

This process is a two-step process, which will start off by your potential employer getting permission from the Canadian Government to hire you from outside of Canada. Once they have got the permission they need, then you will be required to apply for your Work Permit.

When you are applying for a Work Permit you need to keep in mind that it will only be granted for specific jobs and in turn that means that you will only be allowed to work for that employer. If you happen to find another employment opportunity once you are in Canada you must then apply for a new Work Permit before you will be able to start working at another job.

How do I know if I need a Work Permit?

You will need a Work Permit if you fall under the following categories:

• Foreign Workers
• Business People
• Live-in Caregivers
• Students- applying to work while studying in Canada, in some cases is required
• Permanent Workers, and;
• International Experience Canada applicant

There is also a detailed list available online which shows exactly what professions/jobs will require you to apply for a Work Permit.

What will you need to include in your application for a Work Permit?

In order to complete the application process you will need to provide the following:

• Your application for a Work Permit
• Family information- anyone who is coming with you, or if you are married/ common-law
• Your application for Temporary Resident Visa- only if this is applicable to you
• Your offer of employment
• A copy of the LMIA
• Proof that shows you meet the requirements of the job being offered
• A copy of the job offer that you have received from a Canadian employer
• Proof that you have a valid passport or travel document
• A photocopy of any current immigration documents that you have
• Proof of your financial situation
• Proof of a completed Medical Exam – if it is required of you to have one
• 2 Photos that are passport size and both should have your name and date of birth on the back of them
• A proof of payment of all the appropriate fees

This process can be overwhelming and our firm completely understands that, which means we will always be there to assist you in any way that we can. If you are unsure of what documents are needed or you just want us to take a look over your application, we would be glad to help.