Work in Canada
Why work in Canada?
Job opportunities
Attractive remuneration
Good working conditions
Employee protection laws
Low unemployment rate
Stable and strong economy
Did you know that Canada welcomes nearly 500,000 temporary workers each year?
Canada is currently experiencing a great need for qualified workers in various sectors in each of its provinces.
In other words, the demand is enormous and this requires that each newcomer respects and abides by Canadian immigration requirements. There are certain administrative aspects for which one must be vigilant, but in return, what an enrichment for Canadian multiculturalism!
YOU WOULD LIKE TO WORK IN CANADA ?
HERE ARE THE CONDITIONS TO obtain a temporary permit
According to the Government of Canada website, to be eligible for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, you must meet the following requirements.
HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO APPLY FOR A WORK PERMIT:
- Prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your work permit expires;
- Have sufficient funds to return to your country and support yourself and your family members while in Canada;
- Respect the law and have no criminal record;
- Not be a danger to the security of Canada;
- Be in good health and have undergone amedical examination, if required;
- Not consider working for an “ineligible” employer on the list of employers who do not meet the applicable conditions;
- Not intend to work for an employer who, on a regular basis, provides nude or erotic dancing, escort services or erotic massage;
- Provide the officer with any other documents he or she requests to prove that you can enter the country.
REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR A PERMIT IF YOU ARE IN CANADA
According to the government website, to apply for a work permit from within Canada you must meet the following conditions:
- You have a valid study or work permit;
- Your spouse, common-law partner or parentshave a valid study or work permit;
- You are eligible for a post-graduation work permit and your study permit is still valid;
- You have a temporary resident permit that is valid for six months or more;
- You are awaiting a decision on an application for permanent residence from within Canada;
- You have made a refugee claim;
- The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada has recognized you as a Convention refugee or protected person;
- You are allowed to work in Canada without a work permit, but you need a work permit to do other work (this does not apply to business visitors);
- You are a trader, investor, intra-company transferee or professional covered by the Canada-Mexico Free Trade Agreement (CMEA).
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Hire a temporary foreign worker
The first step in hiring outside resources is to determine if you need a Labour Market Impact Assessment to hire a temporary worker. Most companies wishing to hire a temporary foreign worker need to obtain an LMIA prior to hiring.
The LMIA confirms the following:
- The temporary foreign worker fills a need;
- No Canadian or permanent resident is available to do the work.
How do you hire if you don’t need an LMIA?
There is an international mobility program that allows you to hire temporary foreign workers without obtaining an LMIA.
Here are some things to consider if you hire a temporary foreign worker through this program:
- Pay the employer a compliance fee;
- Submit a job offer form through the Employer Portal.
This must be done before the temporary foreign worker you wish to hire can apply for a work permit.
Permanent Residency
If you have been living in Canada for a few years and are ready to take the next step, let us guide you through the process of applying for permanent residency.
According to the Canadian Governement website, you may be eligible to apply for permanent residence in Canada after you have had the following work experience under the Live-in Caregiver Program:
- 24 months of authorized full-time live-in employment, or
- 3,900 hours of authorized full-time employment. You can complete these hours within a minimum of 22 months. When calculating your hours, you can also include up to 390 hours of overtime; and
- The work experience must be acquired within four years of your date of arrival.
When calculating your work experience, you cannot include:
- Any period of unemployment
- Any extended time outside Canada. For example, if you leave Canada for longer than the period of vacation time allotted in your employment contract, that period does not count.
- Any period you work for your employer outside Canada. For example, time spent on a family vacation outside of Canada will not count.
- Any period you work in Canada as a caregiver while living outside the home of your employer. If you have work experience as a live-out caregiver that you would like to include in your application, you must apply for permanent residence through the Caring for Children or Caring for People with High Medical Needs pathway.
What can affect your application
Your application is affected if:
- you, your spouse or common-law partner, or any of your family members have a criminal record or a serious medical problem or pose a security risk.
- you didn’t provide truthful information to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada
Canadian Citizenship
You see your future in Canada and you want to become a citizen? Let us guide you in your application for Canadian citizenship.
According to the Canadian Governement website, to become a Canadian citizen, you must
There are additional or different requirements if you are:
- applying for a minor (under age 18)
- a Canadian applying for your adopted child born outside Canada
- a current or former Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) member applying under the fast-track process
- a past Canadian citizen who want your Canadian citizenship back (including current and former CAF members)
Spouses of Canadian citizens
You don’t automatically become a citizen when you marry a Canadian.
If you’re the spouse of a Canadian citizen, you must meet the same requirements listed above (no exception).
Work and travel in Canada with the IEC Program (WORK PERMIT FOR YOUNG PROFESSIONALS)
The International Experience Canada program allows individuals between the ages of 18 and 35 (18 to 30 in some countries), to gain Canadian experience to:
● WHP (Working Holiday Permit)
● Young Professionals Permit
● International COOP internship
Are you ready to live the Canadian dream ?
Let us guide you!
Frequently Asked Questions
I have received a job offer in Canada. What documents do I need from my future employer?
According to the government website, in most cases, the employer must send you:
- the job offer and a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) number; or
- the offer of employment number.
Once you have one of these numbers, you can apply to get, extend or modify a work permit.
If the employer is LMIA-exempt, find out how to get a work permit for these jobs.
If you apply for an open work permit, you don’t need to provide any documents from an employer.
What is an open work permit?
According to the government website, an open work permit is a work permit that is not job-specific. Because it is not job-specific, you will not need the following when you apply for your work permit:
- a labour market impact assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada
- proof that an employer has submitted an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and paid the employer compliance fee
In most cases, you will have to pay the open work permit holder fee at the same time that you pay the work permit fee. Check the fee list for the most up-to-date application fees.
See also: How do I remove medical conditions from my open work permit.
Does my work permit allow me to work for any employer in Canada?
According to the government website, it depends on the work permit you have. Most work permits are tied to a specific employer. They will only allow you to work for the employer on the permit.
In some situations, you can get an open work permit, which does not include a specific employer. An open work permit allows you to work for any employer in Canada unless the employer:
- is listed as ineligible on the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions, or
- offers, on a regular basis, striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages.
Are there any conditions on my work permit?
Some conditions will be written directly on your work permit.
These may include
- the type of work you can do
- the employer you can work for
- where you can work
- how long you can work
Regulation 185 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations lists all the conditions that may be put on your work permit.
There are also standard conditions that apply to all work permit holders. Even if you have no specific conditions on your work permit, you still must
- not work for an employer in a business where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a risk of sexual exploitation of some workers, specifically
- strip clubs
- massage parlours
- escort agencies
- leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay
See also: How do I remove medical conditions from my open work permit.
Do I need a medical exam to get a work permit?
According to the government website, you may need a medical exam to get a work permit if any of these situations apply to you:
- You wish to work in any job where it is important to protect public health, such as
- health services
- child care or
- primary or secondary education
- You’ll work in an agricultural job, and you have lived in a designated country or territory.
- You want to work in Canada for more than 6 months, and you lived in a designated country or territory for 6 consecutive months during the year right before the date you intend to enter Canada.
If you need a medical exam, an officer will tell you so and send you instructions on how to proceed. The officer’s decision is based on the type of job you will have and where you lived in the past year.
Open work permit holders
An officer may not know if you need a medical exam. You should get a medical exam from a panel physician if any of the 3 situations above apply to you.
See also: How do I remove medical conditions from my open work permit.
How long can I work in Canada as a temporary worker?
According to the government website, there is no set maximum amount of time you can work in Canada as a temporary worker. The length of time you can work depends on:
- the job offer from your employer
- the length of time listed on your Labour Market Impact Assessment, if your employer needed to get one to hire you
- how long your passport is valid for
If you will be working in Quebec as a temporary worker, you may need to get a Québec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ). The CAQ will show the length of time you are allowed to work in Quebec. If you are exempt from the LMIA process, you don’t need to get a CAQ.