How to get a work permit of Canada? Complete process 

Many of you often think about making a career in Canada. Canada’s work permit for people is no more a dream. No doubt Canada is one of the greatest countries in terms of settling so many immigrants over the past few years. For getting a work permit in Canada, one surely thinks of having good qualifications and working skills. Most foreign workers require a work permit to work in Canada.

Types of work permits of Canada

There are 2 kinds of work permits of Canada for professionals:

1. Employer-specific work permit
2. Openwork permit

1- Employer-specific work permit

This work permit allows the candidates to work in Canada according to their situation for example:

• The destination where he/she can work (if required),
• The name of the specific employer/owner he/she can work for,
• For how much time he/she can work.

When you arrange documents prior to submitting your application, you will obtain a copy of a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or an offer of employment number from your employer to add to your application. Furthermore for employer-specific work permit your employer who sends you a job offer will complete the certain required steps. Employer-specific work permits allow foreign nationals to work within the terms or conditions of the work permit. It also restricts a foreign national to one employer and is authorized to work for only one employer in Canada.

Openwork permit

The work permit allows the candidate to work for any employer in candida except for one that:

• is listed as ineligible on the list of employers who have failed to comply with the conditions,
• continuously offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services,
• or erotic massages.

Interested candidates can only obtain an open work permit in specific situations such as you:

• are under an unenforceable removal order,
• hold a short-time resident permit (temporary residence permit),
• are a young worker participating in special programs,
• are an international student who graduated from a designated learning institution and are eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program,
• are a student who’s no longer able to meet the costs of your studies (destitute student),
• have an employer-specific work permit and are being abused or at risk of being abused in relation to your job in Canada,
• applied for permanent residence in Canada,
• are a dependent family member of someone who applied for permanent residence,
• are the spouse or common-law partner of a skilled worker or international student,
• are the spouse or common-law partner of an applicant of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program,
• are a refugee, refugee claimant, protected person or family member.

Under the International Moving Program, an open work permit enables a person to work for any employer for a specified period of time. An open restriction permit may limit possession or location but not the employer.

Application fee and processing time

The application fee for a work permit is $155. You can check your application updates online.

Eligibility criteria for each applicant

You have to fulfill the specific requirements according to your situation such as from where and when you are looking to apply for the work permit. But regardless of this situation, you must:

• prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your work permit expires,
• demonstrate that you have sufficient financial funds to take care of yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada and return home,
• obey the law and have no record of criminal activity (you may be asked to issue a police clearance certificate),
• prove that you are not a threat to Canada’s security,
• stay in good health and get a medical checkup, if needed.

Eligibility criteria when you apply from outside Canada 

You can also apply prior to arriving in Canada. But you may also have to meet some of the visa office requirements depending on which country and region you are applying from. You should also verify the instructions that how you should apply.

Eligibility criteria when you apply from inside Canada

The candidate:

• Has a valid study or work permit,
• His family members/dependents(spouse, common-law partner, or parents) have a valid study or work permit,
• qualifies for a post-graduate work permit with a valid study permit,
• has a 6 months valid short-time residence permit,
• is waiting for the results on an application for permanent residence from inside Canada,
• has made a claim for refugee protection,
• is considered as a convention refugee or protected person by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada,
• is permitted to work in Canada without a work permit but he is required a work permit to work in a different job (business visitors do not need this)
• is an investor, trader, intra-company transferee, or professional under the Canada-United States- Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

How to apply for a Canadian work permit

After you apply

In case you are outside Canada

In routine, you are required to give your biometrics. If your local visa application center is closed contact authorities for further steps. They will guide you according to your country. 

How authorities process your application 

Authorities will check your application to confirm that you have all the obligatory documents and biometrics. Your application will be returned to you in case of incomplete documents. They will also verify that:

• You are eligible for a work permit,
• The list of employers failed to comply with the conditions to confirm that the employer can hire you.

You may need to provide more documents and go for an interview with officials in your country you may require a medical test to appear in Canada. If you do, an officer will describe you and send you instructions on what to do. A medical exam can add over 12 weeks to the time it takes authorities to process your application.

If your application for a work permit is accepted

When your application succeeds you will obtain an approval letter that allows you to work in Canada. This letter is a port of entry letter of introduction. Understand a thing that this letter is not your work permit this is just a permission letter. You will carry this letter with you when you travel to Canada and show it at the port of entry. You will only obtain a work permit at the port of entry the day you appear in Canada. The work permit consists of:

• The type of you job you can do,
• The employer/owner you can work for,
• The location of your work, where you can work,
• For how much time you can work.

If you are in Canada

Relevant authorities will check your application to confirm that you have all the obligatory documents. Your biometrics will taken. Your application will be returned to you in case of incomplete documents. They will also verify that:

• You are eligible for a work permit,
• The list of employers failed to comply with the conditions to confirm that the employer can hire you,
• You may require a medical test to appear in Canada. If you do, an officer will describe you and send you instructions on what to do. A medical exam can add over 12 weeks to the time it takes authorities to process your application.

If the candidate is a visitor applying for a work permit in Canada and held a work permit in the last 1 year then during the time authorities are processing your application they may allow you to work.

Eligibility criteria

You are present in Canada at the time you apply. You have a valid visitor status at the time you apply. If your visitor status lasts before you apply you will need to restore your visitor status prior to applying.

How to get permission to work when you are waiting

After you apply complete the IRCC Webform. At the time of filling your inquiry field, you should copy the following text and paste it there message to request interim authorization to work“Priority Code VISIT2WORK2020:

I am requesting consideration under the “Temporary Public Policy to Exempt Certain Visitors in Canada from Immigration Requirements during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic” and ask that the applicable exemptions be granted until a decision is made on my work permit application or it is withdrawn. My previous work permit number [U#########] expired on [Date]. I have submitted my application for a work permit online. OR I have submitted my application on paper and the postal/courier tracking number is NUMBER.I intend to work for [employer NAME] / [occupation] as specified in the aforementioned work permit application. I understand that providing false, misleading, or incorrect information is a violation of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and may result in enforcement measures against me”.You should confirm that you have completed the fields in square brackets, including the:

• Dates,
• Title of your job,
• Your employer name,
• Work permit number (stats with a “U”). if you applied on paper include your courier tracking number.

It is the duty of your employer to make sure that you are covered by medical and health insurance and workers’ compensation when you appear in Canada. This is mandatory once you reach Canada.

Obtaining a social insurance number 

You must apply for a Social Insurance Number(SIN). This number contains 9 digits. You will need the SIN to work in Canada and to access government plans and incentives. To apply for your SIN contact the Service Canada office.

Your partner (spouse or common-law partner) working in Canada 

He or she will apply for his/her own work permit. In routine, they need to fulfill the requirements as you do. This includes obtaining an LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada(if required)Your spouse/ common-law partner may be able to apply for an open work permit that will let them accept any work with any employer. Your dependent children can also apply to come to Canada with you, and if they wish, apply for a study or work permit.

Employment and wage standards

Every province and region has employer and employee safety standards. Labor standards include the following principles:

• Minimum wage,
• over time,
• Holidays,
• vocations,
• Working hours,
• The rest of the periods, and
• Rest days.

If you have questions about labor standards or if you think your employer has not met them, contact the Ministry of Labor or Employment Standards in charge of the province or region where you work. Contact. For more information on job quality and your rights, understand your rights – temporary workers.