Canada work permit and the eligibility requirements

Canada is one of the leading nations that have great career opportunities to offer, not only to its citizens but to foreign nationals also. That explains why an overwhelming number of people look to study and work in Canada.

In order to be able to work in Canada, you will need to obtain a work permit, unless you are looking to move there as a permanent resident, in which case, you will need to apply for permanent residence (PR) Visa.

It is imperative to obtain work permit for various work purposes in Canada. A lot of foreign nationals seek to work in Canada, for the obvious benefits it offers, such as great job opportunities, competitive work environment combined with high salary package among other things.

The American and Mexican nationals can apply for Canada work permit taking the advantage of North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Indian nationals can also benefit from a similar agreement between India and Canada.

There are 2 types of Canada work permits.

1.       Employer-specific work permit

The employer-specific work permit allows you to work in Canada as per the conditions on your work permit, that include:

• name of the employer you can work for
• the duration for which you can work
• location where you can work (if applicable)

Before the submission of your application for an employer-specific work permit, the employer willing to hire you, is required to complete a few steps. They must provide you either a copy of a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an offer of employment number to be included in your application.

2.       Open work permit

An open work permit allows you to work for any employer in Canada, except for one that:

• Is listed as ineligible in the list of employers who have failed to comply with the required conditions or
• regularly offers striptease, escort or similar services

You can get an open work permit only in specific situations.

Canada work permit eligibility requirements for all applicants:

There are certain requirements you must meet depending upon when and from where you apply for your work permit. However, irrespective of which type of work permit and where you apply from. You must: 

• prove to an immigration officer that you will leave Canada after your work permit expires
• show that you have enough of funds to support yourself and your family members financially while living in Canada, also to return to your home country
• comply with the law and prove that you don’t have any criminal record, you may be asked to produce a police clearance certificate
• not be a danger to the security of Canada
• have a good health, a medical exam report may be required
• not be planning to work with an employer listed on ineligible employers list who failed to comply with the required conditions
• not be planning to work with an employer who regularly offers striptease, escort and similar services, and
• provide any other documents the immigration officer asks for to prove that you can enter Canada

A Canadian company that is willing to hire foreign nationals instead of a local worker, is required to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) certificate.

Also, the majority of the Canadian work permits  require a labour market verification, known as an opinion on the labour market (LMO). You can apply for a work permit to Canada after you obtain a positive LMO. For an LMO, a Canadian employer is first required to announce the open position and then prove that no permanent residents or citizens in Canada have qualified for the position.

Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) in Canada

The PGWP enables international students who have graduated from a designated learning institution (DLI) in Canada to gain work experience in the country. Such a Canadian work experience gained on PGWP allows international graduates to apply for permanent residence (PR) in Canada.

Your post-graduation course and duration has direct impact on your ability to secure PGWP. A PGWP is issued for the duration of your postgraduate program. Work experience obtained through the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program can be helpful in your application for permanent residency in Canada.

You will be eligible for a post-graduation work permit (PGWP) if you have graduated from a designated learning institution (DLI) and wish to stay in Canada temporarily to work.

The validity of your PGWP depends upon the length of your study program. Note that any postgraduate program with a duration of less than 8 months is not eligible for PGWP. Programs with a duration of 8 or more months are eligible, though. PGWP is generally issued for the duration of the postgraduate course, it cannot exceed the length of the course.

Considering that work permit is a temporary permit that allows you stay and work in Canada for a limited duration, you might want to apply for Canada PR Visa which allows you become a permanent resident of Canada, apart from living and working anywhere in Canada you want. Canada PR also opens the door for your Canadian citizenship only within 3 years of continuous stay in Canada as a permanent resident.

Canada PR process takes usually 6 or less months through the popular Express Entry program.

If you have any questions about the Canada PR process, feel free to call Nationwide Visas at+91 92 92 92 92 81 to speak an immigration expert. If you like, you can write to us at info@natiowidevisas.com and get a guaranteed response within 24 working hours.