Temporary Foreign Worker Program
A Canadian work permit allows you to work under a specific employer (employer-specific work permit) or with any employer (open work permit) in Canada. As a foreign national, you’ll require a work permit and a positive LMIA from ESDC before working in Canada, with a few exceptions.
Employer Specific Work Permit-LMIA Required
This program is designed for foreign nationals who wish to establish or purchase a business in Canada and want to work in that business in a high-skilled position, often with the aim of immigrating permanently. To qualify as an owner/operator, a foreign national must:
- Demonstrate a level of controlling interest in the business sole ownership or majority shareholder
- Demonstrate that his or her temporary entry to Canada will result in the creation or retention of employment opportunities for Canadians and permanent residents and/or skills transfer to Canadians and/or permanent residents
- Foreign National must own more than 50% of the company established in Canada
- A detailed business plan that shows how the owner/operator will fund the business and create or maintain employment and contains financial plan and timeline of events
- Active management of the business in a position that is alligned with the foreign national’s qualifications and experience with a wage equal to or greater than the median wage requirements for the position
- Employing at least one Canadian or permanent resident (ideally in the first year as described in the business plan).
Owner Operator Work Permit
This program is designed for foreign nationals who wish to establish or purchase a business in Canada and want to work in that business in a high-skilled position, often with the aim of immigrating permanently. To qualify as an owner/operator, a foreign national must:
- Demonstrate a level of controlling interest in the business sole ownership or majority shareholder
- Demonstrate that his or her temporary entry to Canada will result in the creation or retention of employment opportunities for Canadians and permanent residents and/or skills transfer to Canadians and/or permanent residents
- Foreign National must own more than 50% of the company established in Canada
- A detailed business plan that shows how the owner/operator will fund the business and create or maintain employment and contains financial plan and timeline of events
- Active management of the business in a position that is alligned with the foreign national’s qualifications and experience with a wage equal to or greater than the median wage requirements for the position
- Employing at least one Canadian or permanent resident (ideally in the first year as described in the business plan).
Post Graduate Work Permit Program
Canada offers the Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) as part of its efforts to attract international students and retain them as immigrants. The PGWP can be issued for up to three years (the actual length of each person’s PGWP depends on the length of their Canadian educational program). The PGWP is an open work permit, which allows international graduates to work for any Canadian employer without needing a job offer. A major benefit of the PGWP is it enables international graduates to gain professional work experience in Canada. Such work experience is helpful when PGWP holders go on to apply for Canadian immigration. Once a PGWP holder gains one year of professional work experience in a National Occupational Classification (NOC) code of 0, A, or B they become eligible to apply for a Canadian permanent residence program.
Open Work Permits
Foreign nationals who want to come to Canada to work must have legal authorization via a work permit. Open work permits are one of many types of work permits that allow foreign workers to legally work in Canada. This type of work permits allows foreign nationals to work in Canada for any number of employers and in various locations.
The biggest advantage of open work permits is that they allow for freedom of movement, whether it is between workplaces, employers, occupations or locations in Canada. Open work permits are exempt from some of the requirements associated with obtaining a permit to work in Canada. You do not need require having a job offer or a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment to be eligible for an open work permit.
Recruitment Services/Job Offer
Foreign Nationals who are interested in working in Canada are required to receive an employment offer/job offer to have the ability to apply for a work permit. In this process our company uses elite recruitment services and partners to professionally tailor the candidate’s resumes, and LinkedIn profile based on their education and experience. Furthermore, the recruiter that we partner with will use their vast network to find an appropriate position for the candidate and assist them in landing an interview and a potential job offer from an employer in Canada.
