• + 1 778-564-3555

How to get a work permit to work in Canada

Canada invites international talent to help it achieve its economic and social goals by awarding several sorts of work permits. Thousands of work permits are provided to foreign workers each year to meet the country’s economic and labor market needs.

There are several work permit pathways or programs to choose. Nonetheless, these pathways are divided into two categories.

  • Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
  • International Mobility Program (IMP)
Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program addresses Canada’s labor shortages. Employers must first acquire a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) demonstrating that they were unable to fill the post with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) run the TFWP jointly. Employers can only hire foreign workers after acquiring an LMIA from ESDC, which authorizes the foreign national/worker to apply for a Canadian work permit or permanent residency in Canada.

The role of Labour Market Impact Assessments on issuance of work permits-

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document produced by ESDC that evaluates the effects of hiring a foreign worker on the Canadian labour market. While the majority of firms who hire foreign labour will need an LMIA, there are several exceptions. These exclusions to the LMIA are based on the following criteria:

  • Greater economic, cultural, or other competitive advantages for Canada and
  • Benefits enjoyed by Canadians and permanent residents.

A positive LMIA means that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to fill a post, allowing a company to hire a foreign national.  If the LMIA is negative, it means that a Canadian citizen or permanent resident should fill the position.

Getting a Canadian work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

The foreign worker can apply for a work permit by submitting their employment offer letter, LMIA and all other supporting documentation to IRCC.

Employer-specific work permits, often known as “closed” work permits, are issued under the TFWP. This means that the foreign worker can only work for the employer that recruited them and for the length of time that the Canadian government has permitted.

International Mobility Program – What is it all about?

The International Mobility Program (IMP) is a program to promote Canada’s many economic and social objectives. The International Mobility Program (IMP) allows Canadian firms to hire foreign workers on a temporary basis without having to go through Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process.

Foreign workers who are eligible under the IMP can apply for a work permit through the IRCC. Some foreign workers may be able to skip this phase entirely and work in Canada for a limited time. 

Either the employer or the foreign worker can lead the process of obtaining a work permit under the IMP. In case an organization or an employer has a vacancy and a foreign worker qualifies for an IMP stream, the foreign worker can be hired.

A Canadian employer must follow these three procedures or criterion in order to hire a foreign worker through the IMP such as:

• Verify that the position or employee in question is eligible for an LMIA exemption.

• Pay $230 CAD employer compliance fee

• Use the IMP’s Employer Portal to submit the official employment offer

Only after completing the above-mentioned three steps will the foreign national be eligible to apply for their own work permit. LMIA-exempt workers may qualify for expedited work permit processing through the Global Skills Strategy if their position in National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Level A or 0 and they are applying from outside of Canada.

Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) at CAN X can help you with your work permit application.

Contact us for a free consultation.

Recent News