Work Permit

​

A work permit is a written authorization that is:

• issued by an officer that allows a person who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident to work in Canada;

• needed if you want to work in Canada, even if your employer is not in Canada;

• usually valid only for a specific employer, job and length of time;

• issued based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), or an Offer of employment from an LMIA-exempt employer.

​

Types of Work Permits

​

Employer-specific work permit

 

An employer-specific work permit lets you work in Canada according to the conditions on your work permit, such as:

​

• the name of the specific employer you can work for

• how long you can work

• the location where you can work (if applicable)

 

Before you submit your application for an employer-specific work permit, the employer who wants to hire you must complete certain steps and give you either a copy of a Labour Market Impact Assessment or an offer of employment number to include in your application.

​

Open work permit

​

An open work permit lets you work for any employer in Canada, except for one that:

​

• is listed as ineligible on the list of employers who have failed to comply with the conditions or

• regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages

​

You can only get an open work permit in specific situations.

​

Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP)

​

The Post-Graduation Work Permit Program (PGWPP) allows students who have graduated from eligible Canadian designated learning institutions (DLIs) to obtain an open work permit to gain valuable Canadian work experience. 

​

With a post-graduation work permit, as with all open work permits, graduates can

• work full time

• work part time

• be self-employed

​

Post-graduation work permits are exempt from Labour Market Impact Assessments.

A post-graduation work permit may be issued for a minimum of 8 months up to a maximum of 3 years.​

​​

Eligibility Requirements

​

You may apply for a work permit from outside Canada, from inside Canada, or when you enter Canada at a port of entry.  Regardless of where you apply or which type of work permit you apply for, you must

• prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your work permit expires;

• show that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada and to return home;

• obey the law and have no record of criminal activity (you may be asked to submit a police clearance certificate);

• not be a danger to Canada’s security;

• be in good health and have a medical exam, if needed;

• not plan to work for an employer listed with the status “ineligible” on the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions;

• not plan to work for an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages; and

• give the officer any other documents they ask for to prove you can enter the country.

​

Apply for a Work Permit

​

Apply from outside Canada

 

In most cases, you need to give biometrics. 

 

An officer will check

• the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions to make sure that the employer can hire you, and

• that you qualify for a work permit

​

You may also be asked to

• go to an interview with our officials in your country, or

• send more information

​

Apply from inside Canada

 

You may need to give biometrics, if required. Find out what to do for your biometrics.

 

An officer will check

• the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions to make sure that the employer can hire you, and

• that you qualify for a work permit

​