Find out if you need a work permit to work temporarily in Canada.
What you should know if you want to work in Canada
Your employer may need to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to hire you.
This is a document from Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada that gives your employer permission to hire a foreign worker. Find out if your employer needs an LMIA.
Your employer may need to pay an employer compliance fee and submit an Offer of Employment form (PDF, 1.12 MB) to Citizenship and Immigration Canada.
If you are exempt from the LMIA process, your employer must take this step before you can apply for a work permit. A Form Aid is available to help employers complete the Offer of Employment form.
You do not have to submit any documents from an employer if you are applying for an open work permit.
If you are exempt from the LMIA process and are approved for an open work permit, you will be able to work for any Canadian employer that is not on the list of ineligible employers.
You must meet the requirements to:
enter the country,
stay in Canada and
get a work permit.
This means you may also need a visitor visa.
A work permit does not let you live in Canada permanently.
To do so, you must qualify under an immigration category as a permanent resident.
Your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children may apply to come to Canada with you, and, if they wish, apply for a study or work permit.
Apply for a work permit
Find out if you are eligible for a work permit. You normally have to apply for a work permit from outside Canada. Sometimes, you can apply as you enter Canada or from inside Canada, but many of the requirements are the same.
How you apply and how long it will take to process your application will depend on the kind of work you will do when you come to Canada.
If your spouse wants to work in Canada
If your spouse or common-law partner wants to work while in Canada, they must apply for their own work permit. Normally, they must meet the same rules as you do. This includes their employer getting an LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada/Service Canada, if needed.
Your spouse or common-law partner can apply for an open work permit if you are:
approved to work in Canada for six months or longer, and
doing a job at Skill Level 0, A or B in the National Occupational Classification.
Note: If you have an open work permit (e.g. post-graduation work permit, International Experience Canada, et cetera) your spouse must attach a copy of your work permit to their application for an open work permit, along with a:
letter from your current employer that confirms you work there in a NOC 0, A or B occupation, or a copy of your employment offer or contract, and
copy of your recent pay slips.
Your spouse’s permit will not be valid longer than yours.
If your children want to study or work in Canada
Your dependent children may also apply to come with you to Canada, and if they wish, apply for a study or work permit.