Find a Lawyer » Canada Legal Guides » Immigration & Visas Canada » Work Permits & Visas Canada » Page 13
🚨If you are experiencing abuse or financial exploitation from your employer, you generally do not have to stay. The Vulnerable Worker Open Work Permit allows you to quickly and safely…
💡Under Maintained Status (Implied Status) in Canada, you are legally allowed to continue working while IRCC processes your extension, as long as you applied before your current work permit expired.…
❗Under Canadian law, the employer is strictly responsible for paying the $1,000 LMIA processing fee. It is entirely illegal for an employer or recruiter to ask a foreign worker to…
💡As of March 2026, Service Canada’s typical LMIA processing times range from 12 business days for the Global Talent Stream to 60 business days for High-Wage applications. The mandatory government…
💡To change employer on a closed work permit, you cannot simply quit and start a new job. Your new employer generally needs to obtain an approved Labour Market Impact Assessment…
🎯 Specialization: Canadian Immigration, US Immigration, Work Permits, Spousal Sponsorship
🗣️ Languages: English
📍 Address: 105 8 St S, Lethbridge, Alberta
✨ Free Consultation
🎯 Specialization: Residential Real Estate, Immigration Appeals, Notary Public Services, Wills and Estates
🗣️ Languages: English, Punjabi, Hindi, Urdu
📍 Address: 1762 34 Ave NW, Edmonton, Alberta
🎯 Specialization: Immigration Law, Permanent Residency, Work Permits, Citizenship
🗣️ Languages: English
📍 Address: 1st Ave, Kamloops, British Columbia
✨ Free Consultation
🎯 Specialization: Immigration Appeals, Uncontested Divorce, Student Visas, Virtual Legal Services
🗣️ Languages: English, Punjabi, Hindi
📍 Address: 4551 Zimmerman Ave, Niagara Falls, Ontario
✨ Free Consultation
🎯 Specialization: Express Entry, Family Sponsorship, LMIA Applications, Inadmissibility
🗣️ Languages: English, Spanish
📍 Address: 1535 Dufferin St, Toronto, Ontario
🏢 Est: 2000
🎯 Specialization: Caregiver Programs, Super Visas, Express Entry, Family Sponsorship, Work Permit Extensions
🗣️ Languages: English
📍 Address: 789 Megson Terrace, Milton, Ontario
🎯 Specialization: US Immigration Waivers, E-2 Investor Visas, Spousal Sponsorship
🗣️ Languages: English, Farsi
📍 Address: 938 Howe St #504, Vancouver, British Columbia
🏢 Est: 2015
🎯 Specialization: Express Entry, Spousal Sponsorship, Business Immigration, Citizenship Appeals, US Immigration
🗣️ Languages: English
📍 Address: 555 W Hastings St Suite 1790, Vancouver, British Columbia
🏢 Est: 2018
✨ Free Consultation
🎯 Specialization: Study Permits, Atlantic Immigration Program, Residential Real Estate, Family Sponsorship
🗣️ Languages: English
📍 Address: 63 Church St, Moncton, New Brunswick
🏢 Est: 2020
🎯 Specialization: Business Immigration, Investor Programs, Family Sponsorship, LMIA Applications
🗣️ Languages: English, Punjabi, Hindi, Spanish, French
📍 Address: 1285 W Broadway, Vancouver, British Columbia
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Numbers, Passports, Record of Employment, Pension Statements, Apprenticeship Grants
📍 3480 Gilmore Wy Suite 100, Burnaby, British Columbia
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Number, Passports, Records of Employment
📍 One Executive Place, 1816 Crowchild Trail NW Suite 103, Calgary, Alberta
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Canadian Passports, Travel Documents, Certificates of Identity
📍 5611 Cooney Rd. Suite 310, Richmond, British Columbia
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Canadian Passports, Travel Documents, Certificates of Identity
📍 101 22 St E #405, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Numbers, Canadian Passports (Standard), Access Codes
📍 48 Owen St Floor 1 Suite 301, Barrie, Ontario
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Number, Passports, Biometrics
📍 400 City Hall Square E, Windsor, Ontario
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Number, Passport Applications, Record of Employment, CPP Records, OAS Records
📍 4901 46 St #101, Red Deer, Alberta
⚙️ Services: Explosives Training, Forensic Identification, Executive Development, Polygraph Unit, Technological Crime
📍 1 Sandridge Rd, Ottawa, Ontario
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Canadian Passport, Travel Document, Social Insurance Number
📍 377 Burnhamthorpe Rd E, Mississauga, Ontario
📅 Appt. Recommended
⚙️ Services: Social Insurance Number, Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security, Employment Insurance Records,…
📍 101 22nd St E, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Welcome to the Canada Federal Work Permits & Visas guide centre. Here you will find comprehensive resources covering everything from open work permits to Labour Market Impact Assessments, based on current federal regulations.
Immigration and working as a foreign national is governed federally by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Whether you are looking to work in the tech sector in Toronto, the energy industry in Alberta, or the film industry in British Columbia, the laws surrounding temporary work permits are standardized across the entire country.
Securing the legal right to work in Canada can be a complex journey filled with strict eligibility criteria and changing government policies. This guide centre provides clear, objective information to help you understand your legal options, the difference between open and employer-specific permits, and the pathways available for temporary foreign workers.
The Canadian immigration system offers numerous pathways for foreign workers. Our resources address many common topics, including:
While work permits fall under federal jurisdiction, the application process often involves multiple government bodies. IRCC processes and issues the actual visas, but Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is responsible for assessing LMIAs to ensure hiring a foreign worker will not negatively impact the Canadian labour market. Any legal challenges to refused work permits are handled by the Federal Court of Canada, rather than provincial courts like the Superior Court of Justice or the Court of King’s Bench.
Once your permit is approved and you arrive in Canada, you will need to interact with local federal offices. For example, you must visit a Service Canada centre to be issued your Social Insurance Number (SIN) before you can legally begin working and receiving a Canadian pay cheque.
Applying for a work permit or an LMIA involves heavy documentation and strict adherence to federal rules. We strongly advise against attempting to navigate complex visa refusals or intricate corporate immigration programmes on your own. A skilled immigration lawyer deeply understands the nuances of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and can help prevent costly delays, application returns, or allegations of misrepresentation.
You can find a list of relevant local lawyers and government agencies at the top of this page. Hiring a legal professional ensures your application is accurately prepared and protects your ability to legally work, live, and thrive in Canada.
An open work permit allows you to work for almost any employer anywhere in Canada. An employer-specific (or closed) work permit legally binds you to a single employer, at a specific location, for a predetermined period of time.
An LMIA is a document that a Canadian employer may need to obtain from Employment and Social Development Canada before hiring a foreign worker. A positive LMIA shows there is a genuine need for a foreign worker and that no Canadians or permanent residents are available to do the job.
The duration of a work permit varies widely depending on the specific immigration programme, the length of your job offer, or the validity of your passport. They typically range from a few months up to three years.
In many cases, yes. Spouses or common-law partners of skilled foreign workers, or spouses of international students, may be eligible to apply for a spousal open work permit, allowing them to work for any employer in Canada.
If you lose your job, you can legally remain in Canada until your current work permit expires. However, you cannot legally work for a new employer until you apply for and receive a brand new work permit tied to that specific new employer.
Yes, Canadian work experience is highly valued in the immigration system. Programmes like the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) under the Express Entry system are specifically designed to help temporary workers transition to permanent residency.
