Canada Work Permit

Canada is one of the most popular multinational countries and warmheartedly welcomes people from around the world coming to accomplish their academic quest or explore job opportunities. With a host of benefits on offer for immigrants offered in terms of affordability, healthcare assistance, and high standards of living, the visa process facilitated by immigration authorities in Canada is also simplified and hassle-free. Work permits are required in most cases for foreign nationals who intend to work in Canada and are issued by the Canadian government. If you are aiming to immigrate to Canada to discover global job opportunities, this blog elucidates the complete process, requirements, processing time, and related essentials regarding the Canada work permit or Canada work visa for Indians. 

Latest News on Canada Work Permit 2022

Before we begin with the details of how to apply for Canada work visa from India, let us quickly get familiar with all the latest news-

• The new open work visa is valid until December 31, 2022, for critical employees and foreign student graduates. Applicants for the TR to PR routes can also add their family members to the bridging open work permit. The new open work permit application period began on July 26 for TR to PR candidates in Canada. If they do not get a decision before their present status expires, it permits them to continue working while they await the outcome of their application for permanent residence. Children above the age of 18 may be listed on the work permit. Younger children may be allowed to get or study without a study permit if both parents are in Canada and not on a visitor’s visa.
• International graduates in Canada who have filed for the freshly opened road to permanent residency will be eligible for open work permits while they await the results of their applications, the Canadian government said on July 15. Beginning July 26, the rules for obtaining this one-time permit will apply to international students who have graduated from a Canadian institution, health care workers, and those in other designated essential occupations who have applied to one of six streams – three of which are exclusively for French speakers – under a temporary pathway to permanent residency.
• Fully vaccinated foreign nationals may be allowed to enter Canada for discretionary travel on the following dates if they meet specific criteria:
  • American citizens and permanent residents of the United States who presently reside in the United States and satisfy particular conditions to qualify as completely vaccinated, as of August 9.
  • All other foreign nationals who qualify as completely vaccinated as of September 7 (intended start date).

• Work permit applications are now being accepted in Canada. The following foreign employees are now permitted to enter Canada by land or air:
  • Temporary workers who have a valid work permit or who have been accepted for a work permit but have not yet received one.
  • IEC participants who have not yet activated their work permits must have a legitimate employment offer.
  • IEC participants who have previously activated their work permits and were temporarily outside the country do not need a legitimate employment offer to re-enter.
• Those travelling by air must fulfil all airline regulations and undergo a health check before being allowed to board the flight.

Important Note: Anyone who exhibits COVID-19 symptoms will be denied entry into Canada by air. When you arrive in Canada, your health will be evaluated before you leave the port of entry. When you arrive in Canada, you must have a plan in place for a 14-day quarantine. Even if you don’t have any symptoms, you must do this.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Upcoming Intakes in Canada for 2021-2022!

About Canada Work Permit

Issued by the government of the country, a Canada Work Permit is an imperative license that allows eligible people from other countries to work in Canada for a specified period of time. People generally apply for this permit after receiving an employment offer or contract from a company or organisation in Canada. Further, applicants must also check that their employer has obtained the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the ESDC (Employment and Social Development Canada) which accredits them to recruit people from other countries for posts that cannot be filled by Canadian residents.

General Eligibility Criteria

Issuance of work permits in Canada is subject to fulfilment of certain eligibility criteria by the applicants. Thus, it is important to keep in mind the following pointers before we move ahead with how to get Canada work visa from India:

• The applicant should be able to prove to an officer that they will leave Canada after their permit expires.
• The applicant should submit proof of possessing the required funds to support themselves and their families during the period of stay.
• They should have no criminal records and should not pose any threat to Canada’s security.
• They should be healthy and might be needed to take a medical examination as proof.
• They should not plan to work for any employer who is termed ineligible or involved in activities like erotic dance, striptease, escort services etc.
• They should be able to provide any other document needed for their entry in Canada.
• Lastly, all foreign nations must fulfil the necessary visa requirements as per their country of origin.

Note: The employer who has a positive LMIA must support the work visa application. The federal government issues a Canada work permit paperwork to foreign skilled employees who wish to work for a Canadian business for at least two years. The work visa can be renewed if both the Canadian employer and the foreign skilled worker meet specific criteria and conditions.

Check out How to Apply for a Visa for Different Countries?

Documents Required

While gearing up for your work permit application, it is essential to keep a document checklist handy. Here is a list of documents required for applying for a Canada work permit:

• A valid passport
• Recent passport size photographs of self and accompanying family members
• All necessary educational qualifications
• Proof of professional qualifications and experience
• Proof of sufficient financial resources to cover their stay
• Medical certificate
• Proof of payment of application fee

Here’s a List of Important Documents Required to Study Abroad

Types of Canada Work Permits

There are two types of work permits granted to immigrants by the Government of Canada, i.e. Employer-specific Work Permits and Open Work Permits. Let’s know about each one of these work permits in detail:

Employer-Specific Work Permit

Employer-specific work permits are issued to those foreign nationals who have already got a job offer in Canada. It allows you to work for a specific employer and mentions the name of the employer, duration of employment as well as the location of work if applicable among other related factors. An employer-specific work visa allows you to work in Canada under certain restrictions, such as:

• the name of the specific employer you can work for
• how long you can work
• the location where you can work (if applicable)

Before you may apply for an employer-specific work permit, the employer who wishes to recruit you must go through certain processes and provide you with either a copy of a Labour Market Impact Assessment or an offer of employment number to include in your application.

Open-Work Permit

To apply for an open work permit, you don’t necessarily require any prior job offer letter. It allows you to work for any company or organisation in Canada provided that they have not been listed ineligible by the government or engage in services like erotic massages or dance, escort services, etc. An open work permit allows you to work for any company in Canada, with the exception of those who:

• is classified as ineligible on the list of employers that have failed to comply with the criteria or 
• offers striptease, exotic dancing, escort services, or erotic massages on a regular basis

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How to Apply for Canada Work Visa or Work Permit?

You can apply for a Canada Work Permit either online or on paper. The perks of applying online are that your application is submitted and processed quickly without any delays and you can also quickly submit any additional documents as asked for online. Below mentioned steps answer the question of how to get work visa for Canada or how to apply for Canada Work Permit:

• Stage 1: Employer applies for Labour Market Impact Assessment
• Stage 2: Employer extends Temporary Job Offer
• Stage 3: Foreign Worker applies for Work Permit
• Stage 4: Work Permit is issued

Here is a general overview of the application process for Canada Work Permit:

• Visit the official immigration and citizenship website of the Government of Canada by clicking here.
• Create a new account and choose the type of work permit which suits your preferences.
• Fill out the required details provided on the application form.
• After successful submission of application and payment of biometric fees, you need to share your biometric details as well.
• Upload all the requisite documents (mentioned above) and submit the application form.

You may be interviewed by officials or need to submit more information as asked for while your application is being processed. On getting approved, you will receive a letter stating that you are allowed to work in Canada. You will get your work permit after arriving in Canada by showing this letter to the officials.

Processing Time of Canada Work Permit 

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is difficult to speculate Canada work visa processing time at the moment. Having said that, one may check their application status here to get updates on:

• Their application
• where they’re at with processing during the pandemic

Canada Work Permit Application Fees & Duration

A Canada Work Permit is generally issued for a period of 4 years (48 months and either consecutively or with gaps in between), after which a person needs to stay outside Canada for at least a period of 4 years before being eligible to apply for a Canada work permit again. Here is the cost of Canada work visa fees in Indian Rupees-

Category	Fees (in CAD$)	Fees (in INR)
Closed work permit (including extensions) – per person	85	5036
Open-work permit holder	255	15110

What is the Rate of Success for Canada Work Permit/LMIA Applications?

It may be impossible to give the exact rate of success for a work permit or LMIA application. This is because all applications are processed on a case-by-case basis. The application is usually approved if the applicant meets the requirements of LMIA. However, as applications are assessed by individual officers, every one of them can exercise their own discretion in deciding whether or not to approve a work permit application.

How can I Check the Status of my Canada Work Permit Application?

In case you have submitted an online work permit application, you can check its status through your online account. In case you have submitted a paper-based application, you can check its status by linking it to an online IRCC account.

Reasons a Canada Work Permit Application is Refused

Although receiving a work permit refusal can be very devasting, it is not the end. There can be many reasons for a work permit to be refused. Applying for GCMS notes may help you gain a better idea, and can also help address the officer’s concerns in case you decide to apply again. Here are some reasons why your work permit may be refused:

• The officer did not find you adequate enough to perform your intended work;
• The officer felt that you would not return to your home country at the end of your stay which is authorized in Canada;
• You do not meet all the eligibility criteria required for the work permit you applied for

Turning Work Visa into Permanent Residency

Now that we are aware of the Canada work visa fees, let us understand the process of turning work visa into PR. If you are presently working in Canada and have filed for permanent residence, you may be eligible for a bridging open work visa if your work permit expires within four months. This means you may continue to work while we decide on your permanent residency application. To be eligible, you must have applied under the following categories:

• Post-Graduation Work Permit
• Temporary Resident Permit
• Temporary Work Permits for Spouses or Partners
• Regular Open Work Permit
• Working Holiday Visa
• Young Professionals Visa
• Federal Skilled Worker Program
• Provincial Nominee Program
• Caring for children class
• Caring for People with High Medical Needs Class
• Birding Open Work Permit
• World Youth Program Permit
• Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program (AIPP) Spousal Permit
• International Experience Canada
• Federal Skilled Trades Program
• Canadian Experience Class
• International Co-Op Program

To be qualified, you must fall into one of the groups listed above, as well as satisfy the following criteria:

• Must be located in Canada;
• Have a valid temporary Work Permit that will expire in four months;
• Have received a favourable judgement on your permanent resident application under an economic category, Federal Skilled Worker, Canadian Experience Class, or the Federal Skilled Trades Program;
• Must have made an application for an Open Work Permit

Note: This ‘open work permit’ scheme is important in Canadian immigration since it permits candidates to work while their PR petitions are being processed.

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Canadian Family Visas

There are other options for ensuring that family members who want to relocate together can do so. Some family members, such as spouses and/or dependent children, might be included in a new immigrant’s initial work visa application to Canada. Other members of the family, such as grandparents, must be sponsored by Canadian citizens or permanent residents. Dependent family members of work visa applicants are also given permanent residency in Canada under the Express Entry Program. They have the same rights to live, work, and study in the nation like everyone else. The Express Entry Program connects family members of Canadian work visa applicants with the rest of the country.

Working in Canada with a Student Visa

Since June 2014, Canadian Study Permit holders who satisfy the qualifying criteria have been permitted to work on or off-campus without the need for a separate work permit. The following are Canada work visa requirements for working up to 20 hours per week:

• A valid Canadian Study Permit is required;
• You must be enrolled full-time;
• Must be studying at an authorized designed organization in Canada. These organisations include Canadian universities, community colleges, a college d’enseignement general et professionnel (CEGEP), a government-financed trade or technical school, or a private institution allowed to grant degrees by provincial legislation;
• Must be enrolled in a post-secondary programme in Canada or, 
• Must be pursuing a secondary level vocational qualification or a post-secondary level qualification in Quebec;
• Must be enrolled in a programme leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate;
• Must be enrolled in a programme that lasts at least 6 months

Also read about Reasons for Rejection of Canada Student Visa

FAQs

Thus, we hope that this blog familiarized you with the application process and related information about Canada Work Permit. Planning to study in Canada? Our Leverage Edu experts are here to help you find the best course and university combination as per your interests and aspirations! Sign up for a free study abroad consultation today!