Canada Work Permit Immigration
and Work Visas

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An overview of Work Permits and Work Visas in Canada

Work permits and work visas allow you to work and earn a living in Canada. The Canadian federal government and Canadian provinces and territories have different programs aimed at bringing in individuals who would contribute positively to Canada economically, socially, and culturally. These programs have different work permits and work visas.

Open Work Permit

Open Work Permits allow individuals to work for any Canadian employer. Categories of individuals who qualify for the Open Work Permit include:

  • Applicants of permanent residence visas
  • Dependants of permanent residence applicants
  • Students: This applies to students who are studying in immigrant approved schools and it comes into play after 6 full months of study. The holder of the permit can work part-time for up to 20 hours during the school year and full time in summer holidays. After completion of school, you can apply for 3-year post-graduation work permit which qualifies you for the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) program.
  • Spouses/common-law partners of some international students and workers
  • Refugees, protected persons, and their families
  • Young workers: Through the International Experience Class (IEC) program. This is meant for the youth aged between 18 and 30 years and it applies to individuals from countries that have an agreement with Canada. The work permits are valid for 1 to 3 years.

Closed Work Permits

Closed Work Permits are given to individuals who qualify through LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment). LMIA is a document employers who intend to bring in foreign workers have to get from the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), with a positive LMIA opening doors for hiring (showing there are no Canadian workers available for the job), and vice versa.

NAFTA Work Permit

Under the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), there is a provision to give professionals in about 60 categories expedited entry into Canada without a need for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs). Once you get an offer from a Canadian employer, you simply apply for a work permit from the Canadian Immigration. You can apply for the NAFTA Work Permit at the port of entry.

Why Hire a Work Immigration Lawyer Canada?

Getting any of these work permits in Canada and work visas is complex and tedious. As an example, to get in through the temporary foreign worker program Canada, you have to apply to the Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and you have to do this from outside Canada.

There are about 400,000 people in Canada either on student permits or work permits each year, meaning the IRCC is overwhelmed and it turns thousands of qualified individuals away each year. A work permit lawyer Canada will know what it takes to secure admittance into Canada through this and other programs.

At the Law Office of Matthew Jeffery, we will assist you to get a work permit Toronto with minimal effort from your side. We also offer such services as immigration appeals and inadmissibility cases. Call us today on 416-944-3267 for a FREE assessment or fill out contact us form.