Are you a foreigner and you are looking for how you could work in Canada this year?
Perhaps you heard that Canada is looking for foreigners that will come fill up labour shortages in the country and you are looking for how you could qualify to work in Canada, then you just saw this post right in time.
Canada is one of the easiest countries of the world to work in presently as you just have to meet some requirements. Working in Canada is one of the easiest ways to get permanent residency in Canada.
The Canadian government is looking to welcome about 1.3 million immigrants from 2022 to 2024 according to its Immigration Levels Plan 2022-2024. These immigrants are expected to come fill up labour shortages in the country or start up business that will contribute to the economy of Canada.
So with this, it is easy to secure a job in Canada but you will just have to meet the requirements for the job.
For you to work in Canada, you will need a work permit and you should know that a work permit doesn’t grant to entrance into Canada as you will still have to get a temporary resident or work visa to help you enter into Canada.
So in this post, we are going to be giving you in-depth details on how you can work in Canada this year.
Without much fuss, let’s get started…
How To Get a Canadian Work Visa?
1. Choose the best work permit for you
There are two types of Canadian work permits and you cannot apply for the two of them at once. You will have to pick the work permit that is most suitable for you. Let’s look at the two work permit and how you can apply for them.
- Open work permit
- Closed work permit
i. Open Work Permit
The open work permit allows you to work for any employer in Canada without being restricted to a particular work position and also work anywhere in Canada. With this type of work permit, you don’t need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Under the open work permit, you can apply for the Post Graduate Work Permit Program.
What is a Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP)?
This is a program that allows international students that have graduated from a designated learning institution in Canada to get work in Canada. Through this program, you can get an open work permit to work for any employer in Canada and the permit depends on the duration of your study program.
For you to apply for the PGWPP, you will need to meet some requirements and they are:
- You should not be younger than 18 years
- You must have graduated from a public or private post-secondary school in any Canadian province (college, university or technical school)
- You must have completed a study program at a Designated Institution
- You must have studied in Canada as a full-time student for at least 8 months
- You must send the application for your work permit within 90 days of your graduation
- You must have a valid study permit when you are applying for the work permit
ii. Closed Work Permit
It is also called Employer-Specific work permit. This work permit limits you to work for a particular employer and in a particular work position. For you to work with this work permit, you will need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
The LMIA is a document that is issued by the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to employers in Canada to enable them to hire foreign skilled workers to fill up job position in specific areas.
A positive LMIA shows that an employer needs foreigners to fill job positions and that there are no Canadian or permanent resident available to fill up job positions.
2. Find out if you qualify for a work visa
If you follow the right path and also meet the requirements to move to Canada, then your immigration to Canada will be stress-free. If you meet the immigration requirements, you will certainly qualify to get a work visa.
Here are some of the requirements you will need to get a work visa in Canada:
- You will need to get a job offer from an employer in Canada for you to qualify for a work permit
- You will have to ask your employer for an LMIA especially if you are applying for an employer-specific work permit and you will submit a copy with your work permit application
- All application must be submitted online through the website of the Canadian Government.
Who else can apply for a work permit?
We want to look at some other persons that can apply for a work permit and they are:
- An international student willing and ready to work for 20 hours a week
- A spouse or common-law partner of an applicant of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program and also an international student
- A dependent family member that has already applied for permanent residence in Canada.
How to Qualify to Work In Canada
For you to qualify to work in Canada, you will have to meet some requirements an they are:
- You must prove that you have sufficient funds to take care of you and any family member during your stay in Canada.
- You must show that you will leave Canada when your permit expires
- You must have a sound health and take a medical exam
- You must have no criminal record and must not be a danger to the security of Canada
- You must not work for an employer that is marked ineligible as these employers are people that fail to comply with the work conditions in Canada.
3. Submit your work visa application
After you must have decided on the work permit to go for and also checked if you meet the requirements for a work visa in Canada, you will need to proceed with your application and submit.
You can either apply online or through mail or courier service. It is advisable that you apply online as this is fast and easy, it save you stress as you can actually do it at your convenience.
You will not have to pay certain fees like courier fee. You just have to upload all your documents as part of the requirements for the application.
Who Are Those That Don’t Need A Work Permit?
There are some people that do not need a Canadian work permit to work in Canada and they are:
- Military personnel
- On-campus employment
- Athletes and team members
- Foreign government officers
- Business visitors
- Convention organizers
- News reporters and media crews
- Healthcare students
- Performing artists
- Clergy
- Foreign representatives and their family members
- Civil aviation inspectors
- Flight crew
- Expert witnesses and investigators
- Judges
Top In-Demand Jobs In Canada
There are a lot of job opportunities in Canada which has led to an increase in the need for skilled foreign workers in the country. There are some top jobs that are in demand in Canada and these jobs are in-demand because there is a high demand for these workers in the country and employers are willing to pay higher salaries and wages to these workers.
One secret you should know is that if you want to get a job easily in Canada, you will have to apply for jobs that in-demand in the country. Employers are ready to employ foreign skilled workers that meet the requirements for the job position in the companies.
Some of the jobs that are in demand in Canada are:
- Human Resources Manager
- Electrical Engineer
- Veterinarians
- Web Developer
- Financial Advisor
- Pharmacist
- Family Doctors
- Accountant
- Aerospace Engineer
- Human Resources and Recruitment Officers
- Software Engineer
- Lawyers
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What happens if my Canadian work permit expires?
For you to stay in Canada longer than the duration of your work permit, you will have to extend your work permit with a Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP).
If your Canada work permit expires before you have the chance to apply for an extension or a different work permit, you have about 90 days to restore it and you are not allowed to work during this period.
If your application doesn’t get approved, you must leave Canada and reapply for a work permit.
2. What are the qualifications to work in Canada?
For you to work in Canada as a foreign national, you will need to get a work permit and work visa or visitor visa for you to enter Canada and work.
3. Is it easy to get a work visa in Canada?
It is not really easy to get a work visa in Canada but you will need a job offer letter and a positive labor market impact assessment document or number.
4. How long does it take to get a Canadian work permit?
On the average, a Canadian work permit could take about 1-9 months to process. The processing starts the day IRCC receives your complete application and ends when they make a decision. The processing times will vary depending on the type of application submitted.
Final Note
For you to work in Canada as a foreigner depends on the kind of work permit you apply for and we have shown you the types of work permits that are available in Canada. What you have to do now is to figure out the best work permits that suits you but remember that an open work permit gives you the freedom to work for any employer anywhere in Canada without needing a LMIA and so with this type of work permit, you can move to Canada and get a job provided the job is among the in-demand jobs in Canada.
Canada is one of the best countries of the world where you can live and work and you wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity to move to Canada and start working, so check the eligibility requirements and see if you qualify for a work visa in Canada.
Reference(s)
canadianvisa.org – how to qualify to work in canada
canada.ca – work permit: who can apply
visaplace.com – how long does it take to get a canada work permit