Work permits are meant for foreign individuals planning to work in Canada on a temporary basis.
There are two types of work permits: Open Work Permit & Employer Specific Work Permit.
All applicants must satisfy the following criteria for getting a work permit:
- The candidates must have sufficient funds to support themselves and their families for the duration of the validity of the permit.
- Applicants must obey the law and not engage in criminal activity for their duration of stay in Canada.
- The applicants must leave after the work permit expires.
The candidates can also apply for an extension of their work permits after they expire. Candidates may also need to satisfy other criteria depending on their work experience, funds, nationality, family ties, and other factors.
This kind of work permit is less restricted in terms of the freedom of movement allowed for the applicants. There are different types of Open Work Permits, for Eg:
Spouse Open Work Permits are applicable for:
- Spouse’s of International Students, valid till the expiry of student’s Study permit
- Spouses of Workers, valid till the worker’s Work Permit. Worker should be working in an Occupation NOC 0, A or B.
- In-Canada Spousal Sponsorship Application.
Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP)
- PGWP validity: 1 year for a course of 1 year duration AND 3 years for a 2 year course duration.
- Cannot be extended (only exception is due to passport expiry)
- Can apply within 90 days of course completion and can start working from the day of submission of application
- May apply after 90 days, but within 180 days, of course completion in case the student is out of status. Should apply for Restoration as well. In this case, the PGWP applicant is not allowed to work until the approval decision is received.
- Must submit the official course completion letter along with the final transcripts for the application.
This kind of work permit is more restricted in terms of the freedom of movement allowed for the applicants. The individuals under this work permit can be restricted in terms of:
- Employer they can work for
- Tenure they can work for
- The location they can work in
Employer Specific Permit (LMIA* or LMIA exempt):
This kind of work permit is more restricted in terms of the freedom of movement allowed for the applicants. The individuals under this work permit can be restricted in terms of:
- Employer they can work for
- Tenure they can work for
- The location they can work in
*LMIA – Labor Market Impact Assessment