How to Apply Canada Work Permit: The process for obtaining a Canadian work permit varies depending on the type of work permit you are applying for and from where you apply. You can apply online or submit a paper application to the visa office or Embassy in most countries.
If you are applying online, the first step is to answer some questions. The questions are usually around your documents. The alternative to this offline is preparing the document checklist.
The next step is creating an online My Service Canada account. With the Service Canada account, you can submit your application, pay the processing fees, and check your status.
Before submitting your application, you must upload your documents and completed copies of the following forms:
- Application For Work Permit
- Document Checklist
- Family Information
If the following forms apply, you must upload them as well:
- Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union
- Use of a Representative
- Authority to release personal information to a designated individual
Then you must pay the work permit application fees. You can also pay your biometrics fees while you pay the application fees to avoid delays. Ensure you print the receipts and upload them before you submit the application. Also, an incomplete application or missing information may cause the IRCC to return your application or delay processing.
Canada Work Permit fees
There are two or three fees to pay when applying for your work permit, depending on what applies to you:
- Application processing fee ($155)
- Open work permit holder fee (optional) ($100)
- Biometric fee ($85)
The above fees apply per person. If the application is for a group (3 or more performing artists), you can pay a maximum of $465 as the application processing fee. If the application is for a family (2 or more people), you can pay a maximum of $170 or a maximum of $255 for a group (3 or more performing artists).
The processing and biometric fees will not be refunded if the application for a permit is refused, but the open work permit holder fee is refunded in case of a refusal.
Processing times
The processing time depends on the country from which you applied and if you need to give biometrics and be available for an interview.
After you submit your application, an officer will review it and your documents to decide if an interview is needed. If they decide it is needed, you will get a letter specifying the interview’s date, time, and place.
If you applied from inside Canada, the processing time is 87 days. This does not include the time you need to give biometrics. If you applied from outside Canada, it takes a few weeks to a few months, depending on the workload of the visa processing center.
Missing information in your application can extend your processing time or have it returned to you.
Types of work permits
There are two types of work permit: open work permit and employer-specific or restricted work permit.
Open work permits allow temporary workers to work for an eligible employer.
General Requirements
Depending on where you apply, the eligibility requirements for the work permit may differ. There are also requirements based on the job you are to do. However, some requirements apply to all applicants. To have access to work permits, you must:
- Prove that you will not exceed your stay in Canada when your work permit expires
- Meet the financial requirements
- Have a clean criminal record
- Prove that you are not a danger to Canada’s security
- Be in good health with a medical exam to prove that
- Plan not to work for an employer in the ineligible employer list
- Plan to work for an employer who does not regularly offer striptease, erotic dances, erotic massages, or escort services.
Required documents for foreign workers
Before starting a work permit application, temporary foreign workers must gather all the required documents and have sufficient supporting documents to prove their case.
The exact documents a temporary foreign worker needs will depend on the work permit they are applying for and where the foreign worker is applying from (country).
The supporting documents may include:
- Passport photographs
- Original and a copy of your passport with at least two blank visa pages
- Previous passports showing travel history
- Resume or C.V in English or French
- Employment references, education certificate, and other documents to prove your eligibility for the Canadian job
- Certificates for each of the countries you stayed in for more than six months since you turned 18
- Employment letter from your current employment and payslips for the last three months
- Job offer letter or contract on the Canadian employer’s letterhead
- Letter from employer stating that you can take up your job at a later date (if you submit your application less than one month from your supposed start date
If your adult family members are accompanying you, their documents should be included in the application as well, including their resume and passport. Also, you must provide proof of relationship, such as a marriage certificate or a completed Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union form and other documents to prove a common-law relationship.
For the employer-specific or closed work permit, your new Canadian employer may be required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada. For LMIA-exempt work permits, you may need to submit an offer of employment number instead.
A full-time international student looking for co-op work permits for an internship or to work off-campus may have to provide details on their academic program and if working on a temporary basis is an essential part of the program. Note that if you are approved for a co-op work permit, you can only do the job approved.
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