Temporary workers

Work permit

A foreigner wishing to work in Canada will need a work permit unless they are exempt. In most cases, you will need to get a job offer from a Canadian employer to obtain the work permit. To be authorized to work in Canada under one of the following programs, the foreigner must have a work permit or authorization to work without a permit.

Validated job offer

Your future employer must obtain a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in order to hire you to address temporary labor and skills shortages. The LMIA checks if the need for a temporary worker exists and if there is no Canadian or permanent resident of Canada available to do the work in question. Simply put, your future employer will need to ensure that you will not take the place of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident with the skills and availability to fill the position offered to you.

A favorable response to the LMIA means that a Canadian government official has reviewed the application and concluded that your hiring will have a positive or neutral effect on the labor market in Canada. Your future employer will provide you with the LMIA (and the Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) if your workplace is planned in Quebec), you can go to the next step and apply for working license.

When you arrive in Canada as a worker, you will obtain your social insurance number (SIN). You will then need to provide this 9-digit number to your employer in order to access programs and benefits offered by the Canadian government.

LMIA exemption

Generally, the LMIA process is long and costly for the company. Some programs allow employers to hire temporary workers without an LMIA. LMIA waivers are granted for greater economic, cultural or other competitive advantages to Canada or mutual benefit to Canadians and permanent residents of Canada. In this context, you can obtain authorization to work in Canada more quickly and easily.

Contact us to discuss the various existing programs and conditions that can facilitate obtaining your work permit.

Work in Canada without a work permit

Note that it is possible, in certain specific situations, to work in Canada without having to apply for a work permit.

In principle, applications for work permits must be submitted outside of Canada. However, some people can present one application at a port of entry and others from Canada.

Open work permit

The open work permit allows a person to work for any employer for a specified period. The open work permit with restrictions can limit the profession or the place of work, but not the employer.

A foreign national may apply for an open work permit from outside Canada, at a port of entry or after arrival in Canada, in accordance with program requirements.

An open work permit can only be issued to a foreigner under one of the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) exemptions. These exemptions are provided for by law or by Public interest policies.

Admission to Canada

In addition to meeting the eligibility criteria for the temporary work permit the foreign national has applied for, the foreign national will need a visa or electronic travel authorization (if visa-exempt).

In order to maximize your chances of obtaining the authorizations necessary to work in Canada, do not hesitate to call us to discuss with us to evaluate which programs and which procedures best correspond to your situation..