Work & Stay
Work Permits are generally required for a foreign national who wants to enter Canada to work on a temporary basis. Canada welcomes Work Permits are generally required for a foreign national who want to enter Canada to work on a temporary basis. Canada welcomes around 300,000 foreign works every year who bring a significant contribution to Canadian labour market and economic. Many of them choose to stay in Canada permanently using a wide range of immigration programs. Foreign workers every year who bring a significant contribution to Canadian labour market and economic.
Worker Permits
There are different types of worker permits, such as the following but are not limited to:
+ LMIA Based Work Permit
Most of work permits are supported by positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LIMA), which is a document issued by Employment and Social Development (ESDC) or Service Canada, provides an employer the permission to hire a Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW). With the positive LMIA, a foreign national can apply for a work permit to enter Canada and work legally. This type of work permit has the employer’s name on it, thus we usually call it close work permit.
+ PNP based Work Permit
All most all of the employment-based PNP programs issue work permit support letters to the foreign nationals to allow them to apply for work permit to enter in Canada and work for their employer sponsors prior to their Permanent Residence applications being finalized. The foreign nationals’ PR applications are usually approved while they are working in Canada. This type of work permit has the employer’s name on it; thus, we usually call it close work permit.
+ ICE based Work Permit
International Experience Canada (IEC) work permit is for youth between 18 to 35 years from a country of citizenship that has an agreement with Canada that allows them to apply for an work permit. The most popular categories we call it working holiday visa. This type of work permit doesn’t have an employer’s name on it; thus, we usually call it open work permit.
+ Open Work Permit
Open work permits can be issued to the spouses of eligible study permit/work permit holders. With open work permit, the spouse can work for any Canadian employer. Sometimes, using the spouse’s Canadian working experience, their PR application can be filed quicker. For example, while the student is still studying, the spouse is eligible to apply for PR through Canadian Experience Class (CEC) via Experience Entry once the 12 months (1560 hours) Canadian work experience is gained.
More and detailed information can be found here: IRCC Work Permit link
Immigration Pathways
- Have at least 12 months and 1560 hours of Canadian skilled work experience in NOC 0, A or B from the past 3 years
- Have language proficiency reaches CLB 5 for NOC B, and CLB 7 for NOC 0 and A occupations
- Have an active IRCC Express Entry Profile
- Have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from Express Entry
More and detailed information can be found here:
Eligibility to apply for the Canadian Experience Class (Express Entry) - Canada.ca
The Atlantic Immigration Program is a pathway to permanent residence for skilled foreign workers and international graduates from a Canadian institution who want to work and live in 1 of Canada’s 4 Atlantic provinces—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island or Newfoundland and Labrador. The program helps employers hire qualified candidates for jobs they haven’t been able to fill locally.
More and detailed information can be found here:
Immigrate through the Atlantic Immigration Program: Who can apply - Canada.ca
- Foreign Worker Stream:
- Have at least 2 years of work experience in the past 5 years in the intended occupation
- Have an eligible offer of employment (permanent and full-time position in NOC 0, A, B) from a qualified Ontario employer)
- Have a valid OINP Express of Interest (EOI) profile
- Have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from OINP
- In-Demand Skills Stream:
- Have at least 9 months of full-time work experience in the in-demand occupation in the past 3 years
- Have an eligible offer of employment (permanent and full-time position from an eligible occupation from the in-demand occupation list)
- Have language proficiency of CLB 4
- Have minimum equivalent Canada high school diploma
- Have a valid OINP Express of Interest (EOI) profile
- Have received an Invitation to Apply (ITA) from OINP
More and detailed information can be found here:
OINP Employer Job Offer: Foreign Worker stream | ontario.ca
OINP Employer Job Offer: In-Demand Skills stream | ontario.ca
- Employment Offer Stream:
- Have at least 60 points from SINP points system
- Have at lest 12 months work experience in the past 10 years in the intended occupation on employer’s job offer
- Have language proficiency at least CLB 4
- Have a permanent, full-time job offer in NOC 0, A or B from an approved Saskatchewan employer with a valid SINP Job Approval Letter (JAL)
- Saskatchewan Experience stream:
- Have worked with a valid work permit for more than 6 months in a skilled position (NOC 0, A or B) for a Saskatchewan employer offering you the job
- Have a permanent, full-time job offer in the same occupation worked for the past 6 months with a valid SINP Job Approval Letter (JAL)
- SINP Occupation In-Demand (OID) and Express Entry (SINP EE)
- Have at least 60 points out of 110 on the SINP Points system
- Have language proficiency at least CLB 4
- Have at least post-secondary education with Educational Credential Assessment(ECA) report
- Have minimum 12 months of full-time paid work experience related to occupation and education and not in the SINP Excluded Occupation List
- Have an active SINP EOI profile for OID stream, and both SINP EOI Profile and IRCC EE Profile for SINP EE stream.
- Have received an ITA from SINP office.
- Have an additional 600 points added to IRCC EE profile if SINP EE application is approved
More and detailed information can be found here:
Saskatchewan Immigrant Nominee Program (SINP) | By Immigrating | Government of Saskatchewan
- Alberta Opportunity Stream
- Have at least 12 months full-time work experience gained through valid work permit (such as LMIA supported work permit, ICE work permit, etc.,) in Alberta or 24 months within the last 30 months from abroad or both abroad and in Alberta combined
- Have an eligible job offer form an Alberta employer in the same occupation currently work in Alberta
- Have Language proficiency at least CLB 5 for NOC 0, A or B occupation, and CLB 4 for NOC C or D occupations
- Have at least high school education equivalent to Alberta standards
- Must be working in an eligible occupation in Alberta at the time of application being submitted with a valid work permit
- Foreign Graduates Start-up Visa Stream
- Have at least 6 months full-time experience in business management
- Have a post-secondary degree from outside Canada with Educational Credential Assessment (ECA) report
- Have a business plan with financial objections
- Have language proficiency at lest CLB 5
- Have minimum investment of $100,000 for an urban centre and 34% ownership or minimum $50,000 for a regional area and 51% ownership
- Have a letter of recommendation from an AINP approved designated agency
- Have demonstrated enough funds to set up business and support living during the start-up period
More and detailed information can be found here:
