Canada is a developed nation and is a home for many foreign nationals who have come to either work or study, out of all of them many never felt like going back and became the permanent residents of Canada. For the people who want to migrate to this country for employment there are certain rules and regulations made by the Canadian government and one must abide by them to be able to stay and work.
Canadian Work Permit: It is a legal document which authorizes you to work in Canada on temporary basis. A lot of people seek this in order to become the permanent resident later in their life. Although it is extremely important for a foreigner to apply for a work permit to become eligible to work in Canada. However, in certain cases there are some exemptions where one does not need a work permit such as having the permanent residency of Canada. In normal scenario, you need to have an offer letter which is supported by the LMIA (Labor Market Impact Association), though it too has some exceptions like an international student who has just graduated from a DLI (Designated Learning Institute) or the spouse of study or work permit holder, these people do not need offer letter or LMIA approval. Other than that, the following are also required:
- Proof of funds required to support self and family while staying in Canada and for returning to the home country.
- One oughtnot to have any criminal charges against them and should not be inadmissible on medical grounds.
- The intentions of returning to the home country should be made very clear.
- The individual needs to work with a valid employer.
Types of Canadian Work Permit:In Canada you can have three types of work permits; one that needs LMIA and the other which is exempted from LMIA and the third which is called open work permit.
LMIA Assessment needed:
- Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
- Facilitated LMIA (Quebec)
- Global Talent Stream
Not Needing LMIA (offer letter required):
- International Mobility Program (IMP)
- NAFTA Work Permits
- CETA Work Permits
- Intra-Company Transfers
Open Work Permits (exempted from offer letter & LMIA):
- Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWP)
- Spousal Sponsorship from Inside of Canada
- International Experience Canada (IEC) (working holiday visa)
- Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)
- Spouse Accompanying International Student or Worker
Open Work Permit:
It is the work permit that is most sought after as it is free from the LMIA and need for an offer letter. With this work permit you have the liberty to work for any valid employer in Canada without restrictions, you can change locations and employers. Also, this is most useful if you wish to apply for permanent residency in Canada.
- PGWP: If you are on a student visa you must apply for the open work permit by the end of your course with a valid student status. If your study permit is about to expire then first extend that and then apply for the work permit.
- Spousal: You can take your spouse with yourself while you are migrating to study or work. In that case the spouse visa comes with open work permit for your spouse. Also, if you are in Canada and want to call your spouse by sponsoring him or her then too the spouse is eligible for the OWP.
- BOWP: If you have applied for the permanent residency and are awaiting the approval then you will need this permit to continue working in Canada.
- IEC: People who belong to the participating countries of International Experience Canada programs can come to Canada to live or work temporarily. Such individuals can work for upto one year under this program and do not need the LMIA.
Though it is a good opportunity for people who wish to have better life but it is necessary that you understand the eligibility, policies and procedures so that you can carry out the process without any flaw because it is undoubtedly a complicated task which requires great understanding and clarity. If you miss out on even a smallest of the detail, you might end up failing in the process which is quite disappointing. However, you can take assistance of the professionals who are expert in this field as they know the smallest of the details.