A work permit is a written authorization to work in Canada issued by an officer to a person who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. It is required if the employment location is in Canada, whether or not the employer is in Canada. Most of foreign nationals are required to apply and get approved WP before they can start working in Canada.

Work permits are of 2 types: Open WP and Employer-specific WP.

Open WP allows you to work for almost any employer all across Canada without any restriction unless specified. It is issued to foreign workers who are eligible under various categories such as Post Graduate WP (PGWP), Live-in care giver, spousal/common law open WP, Bridging Open WP (BOWP). There are specific requirements and eligibility for each category.

You may be eligible for an open work permit if you:

·         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 their family member

·         are under an unenforceable removal order

·         are a temporary resident permit holder

·         are a young worker participating in special programs 

Requirements for all applicants

There are specific requirements you need to meet depending on where you are when you apply for your work permit.

But regardless of where you apply or which type of work permit you apply for, you must:

·         prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your work permit expires

·         show that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada and to return home

·         obey the law and have no record of criminal activity (police clearance certificate may be required),

·         not be a danger to Canada’s security

·         be in good health and have a medical exam, if needed

·         not plan to work for an employer listed with the status “ineligible” on the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions

·         not plan to work for an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages, and

·         give the officer any other documents they ask for to prove you can enter the country

Requirements if you apply from inside Canada

You can only apply for a work permit from inside Canada if:

·         you have a valid study or work permit

·         your spouse, common-law partner or parents have a valid study or work permit

·         you’ve graduated from a program at a:

·         Canadian university

·         community college

·         CÉGEP

·         publicly funded trade/technical school, or

·         other eligible school

·         you have a temporary resident permit that is valid for six months or more

·         you’re waiting on a decision on an application for permanent residence from inside Canada

·         you made or will make a claim for refugee protection

·         you’ve been recognized as a convention refugee or protected person by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada

·         you’re a trader, investor, intra-company transferee or professional under NAFTA