Working temporarily in Canada
Every year, over 90,000 foreign workers enter Canada to work temporarily in jobs that help Canadian employers address skill shortages, or as live-in caregivers.A work permit is needed for most temporary jobs in Canada, though for some positions and business people it is not necessary.
Learn about:
Working temporarily in Canada: Who can apply
Some temporary workers require a work permit and some do not. For some categories of workers, permits are approved more quickly. The requirements and processing times depend on the sort of work you will do when you come to Canada.What you should know if you want to work in Canada, you must understand the following important information:
- Your employer helps determine if you are eligible. Your employer may need to get a labour market opinion from (HRSDC). A labour market opinion confirms that the employer can fill the job with a foreign worker. You can also find out more about HRSDC labour market opinions in the Frequently asked questions in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.
- To work in Canada, you must meet the general requirements for entering the country and for staying here, in addition to those for getting a work permit. This means you may need a temporary resident visa.
- A work permit is not an immigration document. It does not allow you to live in Canada permanently. To live here permanently, you must qualify under an immigration category, such as skilled worker. Live-in caregivers can stay in Canada permanently if they meet certain requirements.
- If you want your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children to come with you to Canada, they must apply to do so.
Working temporarily in Canada: How to apply
To apply for a work permit from outside Canada, you must submit the following documents:- a job offer from a Canadian employer
- a completed application, that shows that you meet the requirements of the IRPA and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, and
- written confirmation from HRSDC that the employer can hire a foreign worker to fill the job. This confirmation is called a positive labour market opinion. In most cases, it is up to your employer to get that written confirmation.
- including all the necessary information with your application
- notifying the visa office of any changes to the information on your application
- avoiding unnecessary inquiries to the visa office
- providing photocopies and documents that are clear and legible
- providing certified English or French translations of documents, where required, and applying from a country where you are a citizen or permanent resident.
- Satisfy a visa officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your work permit.
- you have enough money to support yourself while you are in Canada.
- Respect the law and have no criminal record.
- Show that you are not a risk to the security of Canada.
- Be in good health. (You may have to have a medical examination.)
Working temporarily in Canada: After applying
Once your application for a work permit is submitted. You may be asked to go to an interview with CIC officials in your country or to send more information. You might need a medical examination to be allowed to enter Canada. If you do, an officer will tell you so and will send you instructions on what to do. A medical examination can add over three months to the time it takes to process your application.
Remember, even if HRSDC has given a positive labour market opinion, there is no guarantee that you will get a work permit.
Working temporarily in Canada: Arriving
When you enter Canada, explain to the immigration officer that you have come here to work. Be prepared to show supporting documents, such as your letter of offer of employment. If you have the confirmation number for your offer, give it to the immigration officer. If you have a letter from Citizenship and Immigration Canada saying that you are authorized to come to Canada to work, bring it with you when you come to Canada. This letter is not a travel document and it is not your work permit, but it can help support your entry to work in Canada. Once the immigration officer has checked your documents, the officer will print the actual permit for you.