All individuals other than Permanent Residents and Citizens of Canada who intend on working in Canada must apply for and obtain temporary residence visa to enter Canada. If you belong from a Visa-exempt country then you don’t require a visa to go to Canada for visitor or tourist purposes.
Canada is evidently a hub for many foreign nationals seeking job opportunities owing to its spectacular work-culture, competitive wages and most important workplace safety. People seeking great employment options can apply to work in Canada or extend a work permit if they have already been working in Canada. Also, entering the country via Work Permit Visa it is a great step if you plan at eventually immigrating to Canada.
Types of Canadian Work Permits
There are many different options to avail Work Permit for Canada. Some of the work permits required a job offer from the Canadian Company/Employer or there is one more case wherein the employer/business needs to give a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) while others require that an individual has a type of association with Canada (previous education, spousal sponsorship, and so on. Refer to all the Visa categories mentioned below and decide on which one suits you the best as per your qualifications for obtaining Work Permit for Canada.
1. Requiring LMIA
This process is a bit hectic and prone to refusal.
Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
- LMIA Work Permits
- Facilitated LMIA (Quebec)
- Global Talent Stream
2. LMIA -Exempt but requiring a job offer or employment contract
Two-thirds of the population intending to get Canadian Work Permit, get it through one of the IMP Programs
International Mobility Program (IMP)
- LMIA-Exempt Work Permits
- NAFTA Work Permits
- CETA Work Permits
- Intra-Company Transfers
3. No job offer or LMIA required
Open Work Permits
- Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP)
- Spousal Sponsorship from Inside of Canada
- International Experience Canada (IEC)
- Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)
- Spouse Accompanying International Student
Processing Time for Canadian Work Permit: The processing time for Canadian Work Permit Application varies depending on the Work Permit Category and also the applicant’s country of Residence. The processing times for Work Permit Applications might take a few weeks to several months.