Canada is considered as one of the main destinations for many foreign nationals who are looking for employment opportunities. Canada has a strong and diverse economy and many opportunities for professional growth and development. Moreover, working in Canada also opens up various pathways for Permanent Residence.
You usually need a work permit to work in Canada. In most cases, the first step to obtaining a Canadian work permit is to obtain a job offer from a Canadian employer. Once you have a qualifying job offer in place you can begin the process of applying for your Canadian work permit. Some workers may be work permit exempt depending on the type of work they will be doing in Canada and the duration that they will be working in Canada. Other workers may require a work permit as well as a Labour Market Impact Assessment from the Canadian government confirming the need for a foreign worker to enter the Canadian work force. In some cases, workers are exempt from the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment due to government directives and international trade agreements.
A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document issued by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) assessing the impact of hiring a foreign national in Canada. A positive LMIA indicates that there is no Canadian citizen or permanent resident to fill a position, therefore enabling an employer to hire a foreign national. A negative LMIA indicates that a position should be filled by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. It is the employer’s responsibility to apply for the Labour Market Impact Assessment, not the employee’s.
Labour Market Impact Assessments can be used to obtain work permits and can be used to add 50 or 200 points to the Comprehensive Ranking System Score of those in Express Entry.
There are many different options for obtaining a Canadian work permit. Some work permits require a job offer from a Canadian employer, some require that the employer provide a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), while others require that a person has some sort of connection to Canada (previous education, spousal sponsorship, etc
You may be eligible for an open work permit if you:
In each of these situations, you must meet additional criteria to be eligible.
Open work permits are most commonly issued through the following immigration programs:
Open work permits do not require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Once you have received a job offer from a Canadian employer, in most cases the next step is for the employer to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment to allow them to hire a foreign national. You will also be required to submit a copy of the Labour Market Impact Assessment with your work permit Application if applicable.
Once you have the approved Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in place you can then proceed to submit your work permit application.
When applying for a Canadian work permit you may be able to obtain permits for your spouse and dependent children to accompany you to Canada. Also, depending on the level of the position being offered to you (NOC 0, A, B,) your spouse may be eligible for an Open Work Permit. For any children who wish to accompany you to Canada you need to remember that only children under the age of 22 can be included with your application.
Those entering Canada to perform certain activities may be
exempt from requiring a Work Permit.Certain individuals seeking to work in Canada may require a Canadian work permit but may be exempt from requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). If the Canadian employer is exempt from obtaining a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), in some cases they will need to register your job offer through an online portal and pay a Canadian Employer Compliance Fee of $230.00.
Following is a list of those who would be
exempt from requiring a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).Work Permit(including extensions)- per person : CAN$155.
Open Work permit holder : CAN$100.
Restore your status as a worker : CAN$355.