When it comes to Canadian work permit visa, the definition of “work” is very much broad and is defined as an activity for which money is paid or commission is earned, or that competes directly with activities of Canadian citizens or the ones that are permanent residents in the Canadian Labour market, regardless of the duration of the intended activity.
Canada issues hundreds of thousands of work permits per year to global talent around the world. This comprehensive article will provide you with a step-by-step guide of Canada’s work permit visa.
A Canadian work permit is actually permission taken to obtain a job that is within Canada if you are in any foreign country. You will most likely need a work permit visa to work in cases, however, in most cases, you can work without a permit or job offer in Canada. In this article, we will be telling you everything you need to know about a Canadian work permit visa.
Generally Eligibility Requirements
Regardless of where you apply, you need to meet the following requirement:
- You will need to prove to the officer that when your permit expires, you’ll leave Canada.
- Show that you have enough money to sustain yourself and your family during your stay in Canada.
- Obey the laws and have no criminal record activity.
- Be in good health and must have taken medical examination, if needed.
- Give the officer the entire required document that they’ll ask for to prove that you can enter the country.
Working in Canada is quite an attractive option for tons of skilled foreign workers from every part of the world. Every year, about 200,000 foreign skilled workers come go to Canada to work. In other to get the Canadian work permit visa, foreign workers must have an offer of employment from a Canadian employer and must be granted a foreign worker permit by the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada.
If you or maybe your family is applying for a PR card, you can also apply through an Open Work permit and if you are an American or from Mexico, you can fast track the process by applying through the working visa process through the NAFTA agreement.
If you are searching for a job, certain positions in Canada may require that you know your National Occupation Classification Code. This code is actually used to classify all the types of employment by the Canadian standard.
Steps Involved In Getting Canadian Work Permit Visa
They are basically four steps that are involved in getting a temporary Canadian work permit visa.
- The first being that the employees apply for labour market option (of course, if necessary)
- The second is that the employer extends a temporary job offer to foreign workers.
- Also that the foreign skilled worker applies for a work permit.
- Lastly, being that work permit is issued.
Let’s go through each and every one of them.
Step 1: Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
Before you apply for the Canadian work permit visa, in most cases you will need to first qualify for a labour market impact assessment, which was previously referred to as LMO from Service Canada.
Step 2. Employer Extends Temporary Job Offer
The employer must actually send a copy of a positive LMIA along with a well-detailed job offer letter to the foreign skilled worker.
The companies in Canada are all required by CIC to prepare a formal employment contract or what is referred to as Job Offer Letter which must involve the following:
- The job title for the position
- The job description
- The requirement for the job position
- A well-written detail about start and end date.
- The salary specifics
- The name and address of the employer
The Canadian service agency will make sure that the job offer is actually true, legit and real. Once the Canadian Immigration department has confirmed the job offer with an LIMA, then the CIC will proceed to grant employment authorization for the company’s future employees to work in Canada.
Once LIMA has been granted, the Canadian employer can then extend a temporary job offer to the foreign skilled worker.
Step 3: Foreign Skilled Worker Applies For a Work Permit
Once you have gotten your LIMA and job offer letter squared away, you can then apply for a Canadian work permit visa. If the employer that is hiring you is in the Quebec province, then you will need to obtain a certificate d’acceptation du Quebec. In most cases, when applying for work permit, you will need to attend an interview with the visa officer. If you perform well, or the visa officer is very much satisfied that the foreign worker employment will not adversely affect employment in Canada for Canadians and that the foreign worker is actually qualified for the position, then a Canadian work permit visa will then be issued.
Keep in mind that most times, applicants from some countries will be required to undergo a medical examination.
Step 4: Get Issued a Canadian Temporary Work Permit
After completing the first three steps, the Canada Boarder Services Agency (CBSA) will then provide you with the Canadian work permit visa at the point of entry when the skilled foreign arrives in Canada.
Depending on the foreign workers’ country of citizenship, a temporary resident visa is usually offered or obtained, this allows them to enter Canada.
Most of the Canadian work permit visas are usually employer-specific, which is otherwise referred to as “closed” work permits, and are usually granted for a specific job in Canada. Consequently, a foreign worker may only work for the employer that is specified on the work permit.
This implies that if the foreign worker finds different employment and doesn’t yet have permanent resident status, the foreign worker must then apply for and also receive a new work permit prior to changing their position in Canada.
Keep in mind also that, if a certain position of your job is at the NOC (Managerial, executive) or NOC A (professional) level, you may actually be eligible for at least two weeks of application processing.