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Work Permit
Closed Work Permits
To work in Canada you need a Work Permit, and although there are a specific category of people who are authorized to work in Canada without a work permit; (for example an aircraft inspections employee), it is quite rare for a foreign national to meet this exemption.
You may already be familiar with the 2 types of Work Permits; the open work permit and the closed work permit. The vast majority of work permits issued every year by Immigration Canada are Closed Work Permits.
Closed work permits are employer specific work permits; this means that you can only work for the employer specified in the official Work Permit document.
Additional Restrictions can be imposed at the discretion of the Immigration processing officer.
- You may be restricted to only be able to do 1 specific job/Occupation
- You may be restricted to working in one specific Location ie province.
With closed work permits, it is the employer that petitions for the recruitment of the foreign worker. The genuineness of the job offer is reviewed, the employer’s legitimate need to a hire a foreign worker is assessed and most importantly whether hiring the foreign worker will have an impact on the Canadian labour market is analyzed.
Even though foreign workers in Canada working on a closed work permit would much rather less restrictive work permit that doesn’t tie them to single employer, these restrictions may be necessary in protecting the Canadian labour market.
For more information on closed work permits click here.
Open Work Permits
The open work permit is an unrestricted work permit that allows you to work for any employer, in any occupation.
Open work permit holders enjoy greater flexibility and freedom.
Unlike the closed work permit, The open work permit is not employer specific, so there is no requirement for an employer to submit an offer of employment for the application to be approved.
A Labour market Impact assessment is also not required.
The open work permit is a much simpler process, however it is an option for applicants in special cases only.
Vulnerable Foreign workers
- Migrant Workers working in Canada who are facing abuse from their Canadian employer, are provided with the option to apply for an open work permit.
- The Family members of vulnerable workers can also apply for an open work permit
Humanitarian Reasons
- International student that have become destitute and cannot meet the cost of completing their studies for reasons beyond their control are eligible to apply for an open work permit. (Evaluated on a case by case basis )
- The temporary resident permit holder -who has no other means of support to meet their basic needs while in Canada is eligible for the open work permit. (Their temporary resident permit document must be valid for at least 6 months).
No other means of support
- Persons in need of protection and refugee claimants whose case has been referred to the refugee protection division can apply for the open work permit, so they can work while awaiting the decision of their refugee claim
- unenforcable removal order
Reciprocal Agreement
- Young professionals participating in the work and travel program known as the International Experience Canada. This program allows for youth from participating countries with reciprocal agreements to com to Canada and work for a Canadian employer. An international youth worker with a Working Holiday Visa would be eligible for an open work permit.
Canadian Interests
- The international student who graduated from one of the designated learning institutions list and meets the eligibility for the Post Graduate Work Permit.
- The spouse or common law partern of an In trnaton al student with a valid study permit is eligible for an open work permit.
Permanent Residence Applicants
- Those that have applied for permanent residence in Canada may be eligible for an open work permit.
- Dependent family members of someone who applied for permanent residence may also be eligible for an open work permit.
