Work permit

What is a work permit?

To be able to work in Canada, foreign workers must have a Canadian work permit. You usually need a work permit to work in Canada. Depending on your situation, you may be able to work in Canada even without a job offer or a permit.

Find out which work permit you need – 

There are two types of work permits.

Employer-specific work permit 

Employer-specific work permits allow you to work in Canada based on the conditions of your permit, such as

Name of the specific employer you can work for

And the duration of your employment

The location where you can work (if applicable)

To apply for an employer-specific work permit, the employer must complete certain steps and provide you either with a Labour Market Impact Assessment or an offer of employment number.

Open Work Permit

Work permits are legal documents that allow foreign nationals to work within Canada. An open work permit is not tied to a particular employer or location. As a result, an individual with a valid open work permit can work for multiple employers in different parts of Canada. Foreign nationals should be aware that some open work permits may have additional requirements or restrictions. The most common immigration programs that issue open work permits are as follows:

Benefits of an Open Work Permit

An open work permit gives its holder a great deal of freedom. By gaining Canadian work experience, foreign nationals can improve their chances of becoming Canadian permanent residents.

Who is eligible

The following foreign nationals may be eligible for an open work permit:

Spouses and common-law partners of temporary foreign workers

International students' spouses and common-law partners

International students who have graduated from a recognized program of study

Applicants for permanent residency who have applied through the inland spousal sponsorship process

Young workers participating in International Experience Canada (IEC) programs including refugees, asylum seekers, protected persons, and their families