Canada Work Visa

Imagine being able to work in a beautiful country like Canada. With the delicious food and lots of outdoor activities. That's the dream! Now it is possible with the Canadian work Permit. I was only in Canada to visit family, but hopefully, I'll be able to work and live there soon. While I wait for that to happen, let me tell you how you can get your own Canadian Work permit.

Let's start:

What Is A Canadian Work Visa?

Do I Need A Canada Work Visa?

Can I Apply For A Canada Work Visa?

What Are The Different Types Of Canadian Work Visa?

Do I Need A Positive Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)?

What Are The Required Documents For A Canadian Work Visa?

How Do I Apply For My Canadian Work Visa?

How Long Does It Take To Process A Canadian Work Visa?

How Much Does A Canada Work Visa Cost?

What Is A Canadian Work Visa?

A Canadian Work Visa also known as a work permit is a permission to take a job within Canada if you are from a foreign country. Work permit holders can work in Canada. However, you can work without a permit or job offer in Canada in some cases. You need to apply for a Work Visa (Work Permit) after getting a job offer or an employment contract from a Canadian employer.

Do I Need A Canada Work Visa?

Although you need a Work Visa to work in Canada, there are some exceptions. For example, you don't need a Work Visa if you have a job in one of the following categories:

Athlete Or Coach:Foreign athlete, coach, or member of a foreign team competing in Canada.

Aviation Accident Or Incident Investigator:Accredited agent or adviser working on an aviation accident or incident investigation done under the Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act.

Business Visitor:A business visitor coming to Canada to do business activities will not be part of the Canadian labor market.

Civil Aviation Inspector:Civil aviation inspector checking the flight operations or cabin safety of commercial airlines during international flights.

Convention Organizer:Convention organizer organizing or running international meetings or conventions.

Crew Member:Truck driver, bus driver, or shipping or airline worker.

Emergency Service Provider:Emergency service providers help out in an emergency to preserve life or property during natural disasters, like floods or earthquakes or industrial accidents that threaten the environment.

Examiner And Evaluator:Examiner and evaluator, a professor or academic expert who evaluates or supervises educational projects, research proposals, or university theses for Canadian research groups or schools.

Expert Witness Or Investigator:Expert witness or investigator giving evidence before a regulatory body, tribunal, or court of law.

Family Member Of Foreign Representative:Spouse or child of a foreign representative accredited with a counterfoil in their passport by Global Affairs Canada and a letter of no objection.

Foreign Government Officer Or Representative:Foreign government officer or representative working under an exchange agreement, such as a diplomat or official representative of another country or the United Nations.

Health Care Student:Healthcare student doing clinical clerkship.

Judge, Referee, Or Similar Official:Judge, referee, or similar official at an international amateur competition for an artistic or cultural event.

Military Personnel:Military personnel with movement orders under the terms of the Visiting Forces Act.

News Reporter Or Film And Media Crew:News reporter or member of a reporter's crew who will not enter the Canadian labor market, a journalist who works for a non-Canadian print, broadcast, or Internet news service, a resident correspondent, or the manager or member of the clerical staff of such a project as long as the event's duration is six months or less.

Producer Or Staff Member Working On Advertisements:Film producer, actor, director, technician, or other essential personnel working on a foreign-financed commercial/advertising shoot for television, magazines, or other media.

Performing Artist:Performing artist or the artist's key support staff while performing in Canada for a limited time.

Public Speaker:Public speaker or seminar leader at events lasting no longer than five days.

Religious Leader:Religious leaders such as missionaries, monks, pastoral animators, archbishops, and bishops assist congregations in reaching spiritual goals by preaching doctrine, leading worship, or providing spiritual counseling.

Short-Term Highly-Skilled Worker:Highly-skilled workers whose jobs fall under the National Occupation Classification code 0, for managerial, or A, for professional, in Canada for a short term work of up to 15 consecutive days once every six months or up to 30 consecutive days once every year.

Short-Term Researcher:Researcher at a public, degree-granting institution or affiliated research institution who will work for 120 or fewer consecutive days and who has not worked in Canada under this exemption in the last 12 months.

Student Working Off-Campus:A full-time international student without a work permit working up to 20 hours per week during regular academic sessions and full-time during scheduled breaks, such as the winter and summer holidays or spring break.

Student Working On-Campus:Full-time international student working on campus.

Note: Even if you do not need a Work Visa to work in Canada, you will still need to obtain legal entry to Canada. For example, you can enter Canada under a temporary resident visa.

Can I Apply For A Canada Work Visa?

Eligibility to apply for a Canadian temporary work visa depends on various factors, including where you apply for a work permit. Make sure to read through the entry requirements before you apply.

You must:

Prove that you will leave Canada when your work visa expires.

Show that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada.

Show that you have enough money for yourself and your family members to return home.

Obey the law and have no criminal record.

Not be a danger to Canada's security.

Be in good health and pass a medical exam, if required.

Not plan to work for an employer on the list of ineligible employers.

Not plan to work for an employer who offers striptease, erotic dance, escort, or erotic massage services.

Give officers any other documents they ask for to prove eligibility to enter the country.

Other requirements depend on location in which you apply for a work permit.

Eligibility Requirements When You Apply Inside Canada

If you apply for a Work Visa while you are in Canada, you must:

Have a valid study or work visa.

Ensure your spouse, common-law partner, or parents have a valid study or work visa.

Ensure you are eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), and your study permit is still valid.

Have a Temporary Resident Permit (TRP) that is valid for six months or more.

Have a decision awaiting an application for permanent residence from inside Canada.

Have claimed refugee protection.

Have been recognized as a convention refugee or protected person by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

Ensure you are allowed to work in Canada without a work permit. You need a work permit to work in a different job.

Be a trader, investor, intra-company transferee, or professional under the Canada – United States – Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

Eligibility Requirements When You Apply For A Work Visa At A Port Of Entry

If you're eligible to apply for a work permit when you enter Canada at a Port of Entry (POE), you must:

Be eligible for an electronic travel authorization or travel without a visitor visa.

Be entering Canada directly from the United States while COVID-19 travel restrictions are in place.

There may be other requirements depending on the type of Work Visa.

Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program workers are not eligible to apply for a Work Visa at a port of entry.

And most applicants are not eligible to give their biometrics at a port of entry. To give biometrics at a port of entry, you must meet two requirements.

You must:

Start and finish your application at the same port of entry.

Be eligible to apply for a Work Visa at a port of entry.

Eligible applicants can give their biometrics at specific ports of entry.

What Are The Different Types Of Canadian Work Visa?

Canada offers two types of Work Visas. The first Work Visa is an Open Work Permit. The Open Work Permit allows you to work for an employer in Canada except for an employer on a list of employers who have failed to comply with the conditions or who regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages.

The second type of Work Visa is an Employer Specific Work Permit. The Employer Specific Work Permit allows you to work according to the conditions on your work permit, including the name of the employer you can work for, how long you can work, and the location where you can work (if applicable).

Do I Need A Positive Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)?

In most cases, an employer must obtain a positive Labor Market Impact Assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) before hiring a foreign worker. Once the employer receives a positive Labor Market Assessment (LMIA), the employer must send it to you (the foreign worker applicant), so you can include it in the Work Visa application.

However, not all jobs require a positive Labor Market Impact Assessment.

Jobs that do not require a Labor Market Impact Assessment are generally those that:

Are included in an international trade accord.

Are part of an accord between the federal government and a provincial/territorial government.

Are jobs deemed in the best interest of Canada.

A few other rare circumstances in which an individual can be exempt from the LMIA requirement. These circumstances are:

Foreign workers with no other means of support

Refugee claimants and persons subject to an unenforceable removal order are exempt from the LMIA requirement.

To prove that they need a work permit to support themselves financially, applicants under this category must show that they cannot financially survive in Canada without public assistance. You can prove this with bank statements or letters/cheque stubs from a social services office.Getting an open work permit does not apply to your family members. Family members with no other means of support must apply for a regular work permit and obtain an LMIA. Canadian citizens and permanent residents can sponsor their spouse or common-law partner to obtain Canadian permanent residency.

Migrant workers in Canada on employer-specific work permits who are experiencing abuse or at risk of abuse in the context of their employment in Canada may be eligible to receive an open work permit that is exempt from the LMIA process.When needed, a positive LMIA will show a need for a foreign worker to fill the job. It will also show that no Canadian worker or permanent resident is available to do the job. A positive LMIA is sometimes called a confirmation letter.

If the employer needs an LMIA, they must apply for one.

What Is A Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)?

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document a Canadian employer needs to hire most types of foreign workers.

A positive LMIA confirms there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job at hand and that no Canadian worker is available to do the job.Generally, a temporary foreign worker will need a work permit and a positive LMIA to work in Canada.

What Are The Required Documents For A Canadian Work Visa?

You must gather all the required documents for a Canadian Temporary Work Visa, including documents your employer said you need, as well as the following documents:

A photocopy of the information page of your valid passport or travel document.

Two photos that must meet the Visa application photograph specifications requirements. Write your name and date of birth on the back of two photos.

Proof of current immigration status.

If your country or territory of residence differs from the citizenship listed on your passport, you must provide proof of legal status in your country of residence.

Photocopy of your Marriage License/Certificate and proof of relationships with all spouses, children, or common-law partners

Proof indicating you meet the requirements of the offered job.

A copy of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) provided by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to your employer and a copy of your job offer from your prospective employer. If your employer is exempt from the Employer Compliance Regime, you must provide a copy of the employment contract.

If you are a Provincial Nominee and have an Offer of Employment to a Foreign National Exempt from an LMIA, provide a copy of the nomination letter issued by the province or territory that nominated you and an R204c) letter issued by the province or territory.

Completed Application For Work Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1295) form, if applying from outside of Canada.

Completed Document Checklist (IMM 5488).

Completed Family Information (IMM 5707) form

A completed Schedule 1 – Application for Temporary Resident Visa form. This form must be completed by: the principal applicant, their spouse or common-law partner, and all dependent children older than 18. Foreign nationals who require a temporary resident visa to enter Canada must complete this form.

Completed Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409) form.

How Do I Apply For My Canadian Work Visa?

The visa or permit application process for any type of visa is always stressful for me. So that is why I'm going to help you through the application process.

First, you need to choose how you want to apply. You can submit your application online or through a Visa Application Centre.

Ensure that you have all the required travel documents, including a completed application form. Lastly, you need to send all these documents with your passport to the Visa Application Center. If you struggle with anything you can contact their help centre.

You can only submit your passport to a VAC after receiving a request letter or email from IRCC.Some closed VACs accept passports sent by mail or courier only.

They will notify you via email if they accept your application.

How Long Does It Take To Process A Canadian Work Visa

I bet you're wondering how long it will take to process your Work Visa. The processing time is typically between 1-9 months. The processing starts when the IRCC receives your complete application and ends when they decide.

How Much Does A Canada Work Visa Cost?

The costs for the Work Visa can change. Therefore, I recommend checking the permit fees before you apply. The fees are a $ 100 open permit holder fee and a $155 work permit fee.

All done!

Now you can experience the amazing country and all the wonders it offers, Quebec is amazing, just so you know. I mean, wouldn't you want to work while simultaneously experiencing new cultures and adventures?