Many people are interested in working in Canada due to the country´s great reputation, thriving economy and excellent quality of life. Canada offers many job opportunities in various fields with competitive salaries. And, in most cases, many jobs comes with further training and/or advancement. All of this makes Canada an attractive destination for job seekers.
Canada is looking for dedicated and hardworking people with different levels of education and experience to work in diverse sectors in different parts of the country.
There are numerous and ever-changing options for foreign nationals to obtain a Canadian work permit. Depending on your unique profile/situation, you would apply for the work permit you are eligible for.
Essentially, Canada has two categories of work permits: open work permits and employer-specific work permits.
With an open work permit, you are allowed to work for nearly any employer in Canada. This work permit is issued under specific conditions–some examples are listed below:
- international students who have graduated from a designated learning institution
- spouses or common-law partners of skilled workers or international students
- permanent residence applicants in Canada
- dependent family members of permanent residence applicants
- refugees, refugee claimants, protected persons or their family members
- temporary resident permit holders
You must also meet additional criteria to be eligible depending on your particular situation.
By contrast, an employer-specific work permit allows the permit holder to to work according to the conditions on the work permit, which include:
- the name of the employer one can work for
- how long one can work
- the location where one can work (if applicable)
Before submitting your application for an employer-specific work permit, in most instances the employer who wants to hire you must complete certain steps and give you a copy of a Labour Market Impact Assessment or an offer of employment number to include in your application.
Labour Market Impact Assessment
A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document from Employment and Social Development Canada that gives the employer permission to hire a temporary foreign worker.
A positive LMIA will show that there is a need for a temporary foreign worker to fill the job. It will also show that no Canadian worker or permanent resident is available to do the job. A positive LMIA is sometimes called a confirmation letter.
If the employer needs an LMIA, they must apply for one. Once an employer gets the LMIA, the worker can apply for a work permit. To apply for a work permit, a worker needs:
- a job offer letter
- a valid job contract
- a copy of the LMIA with the LMIA number
In some instances, an employer in Canada may not need to get permission before hiring a foreign worker.
Even though there are a few specific exceptions to this rule, most people require a work permit for Canada. Some work permits require a job offer from a Canadian employer, others require that the employer provide a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment, while others require that the applicant have strong ties to Canada such as being a graduate, spouse, etc.
If you are interested in working in Canada, NeXt Generation Canada Immigration Services can assess your eligibility, provide counsel on the kind of work permit you can apply for and, ultimately, assist you with your application.
NeXt Generation Canada Immigration Services also works with employers to assist with the LMIA application.