Canada offers several job opportunities for foreigners, based on their skills, education and other qualifications. A work permit is mandatory for those foreigners who plan to work in Canada. In addition to this, you may also require an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment), based on the job positions.

Open Work Permit

→  Spouse/common-law partner being sponsored for Permanent Residence through an Inland Spousal Sponsorship     Applicaton
→  Spouse/common-law partner of a Temporary Foreign Worker
→  I.e. if your spouse or common-law partner has a work permit, you can get an open work permit as well.
→  Spouse/common-law partners of International Students studying in Canada
→  International Students who recently graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution can apply for a Post-Graduation Open Work Permit
→  International Experience Canada (IEC) Candidates (Working Holiday)

Employer-Specific Work Permit

Allows to work for an employer with specific conditions

Employer specific work permit is a work permit that has conditions, which are pre-determined by the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

The LMIA is obtained first by the employer and used in the foreign worker’s work permit application. The LMIA will have all the employment conditions that will be reflected on the foreign worker’s work permit.

The conditions on the work permit include:

→  The name of the employer
→  Duration of employment
→  Employment location (if applicable)

LMIA

Those jobs which have high demand, high pay, or are of shorter duration do not require an LMIA. Most Canadian employers or owner oriented jobs require an LMIA, which is provided by the government after assessing their hiring policies. They should prove their attempt in hiring Canadian citizens or permanent residents before moving ahead to foreign workers. Most of the professional and highly paid jobs come under this category.

 

There are jobs that do not require an LMIA like –

→  International Agreements (NAFTA, CETA, GATS, Canada-Columbia FTA, Canada-Peru FTA)
→  Entrepreneurs/Self-Employed Candidates
→  Intra-Company Transferees
→  International Exchange Programs
→  Post Grad Work Permit
→  French-Speaking Skilled Workers
→  Academics
→  International Experience Class (A temporary work program for youth professionals between 18 to 35 years of age, from countries that have a bilateral youth mobility arrangement with Canada.
→  Global Talent Stream (where employers require immediate hiring due to high growth in business)
→  Intra-Company Transferees
→  Spouse and Dependents of Foreign Workers / Students
→  Home Child Care Providers and Home Support Workers
→  Religious Workers
→  Provincial LMIA Exemptions