Generally, anyone who would want to work in Canada temporarily or permanently, must obtain the propre authorization from the government before taking a job in Canada. Employers also have an obligation to ensure that the employee who is considering hiring, has the required permits to legally fulfill its position. Although this process can be simple, it is more often than not very complex and requires efforts on the part of the employee and the employer. Not to worry! We are here to make your life easier and manage all administrative steps related to this process.
DO YOU NEED A WORK PERMIT?
In some specific situations a work permit is not required from a foreign national to be able to work in Canada. In other cases, it is the LMIA study that is not required. Find out if you need a work permit to work temporarily in Canada.
What you should know if you want to work in Canada
Your employer may need to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to hire you.
This is a document from Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada that gives your employer permission to hire a foreign worker. Find out if your employer needs an LMIA.
Your employer may also need to pay an employer compliance fee and submit an Offer of Employment form to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
If you are exempt from the LMIA process, your employer must take this step before you can apply for a work permit.
- You do not have to submit any documents from an employer if you are applying for an open work permit.
- If you are exempt from the LMIA process and are approved for an open work permit, you will be able to work for any Canadian employer that is not on the list of ineligible employers.
You must meet the requirements to:
- enter the country,
- stay in Canada and
- get a work permit.
This means you may also need a visitor visa.
A work permit does not let you live in Canada permanently. To do so, you must qualify under an immigration category as a permanent resident.
Your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children may apply to come to Canada with you, and, if they wish, apply for a study or work permit.
As you can see, applying for a work permit or going through the LMIA process proves to be very demanding and requires time and energy from both employees and employers. Let us handle this process for you!