Everything You Need to Know About Canadian Work Permits

When applying to work in Canada, Foreign workers are required to obtain a work permit in order to legally enter and work in Canada. Because of the vast array of employment opportunities in Canada, foreign workers from all over the world are applying in large numbers to a variety of job openings in industries such as hospitality, administration, engineering, construction , transportation, medicine and research.

in order to apply these job opportunities, a series of steps must be followed. First of all, interested applicants must search for and apply to job openings. They can check Canadian job postings online, and once a position has been found for which they are an eligible candidate, the applicant must apply to the Canadian department of Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) for a work permit.

Applicants can apply either online or they can download and print the forms to mail into the Canadian department of Citizenship and Immigration. Alternately, if they prefer, the applicant can apply in person at a Canadian embassy.

Once the application is received, a Canadian government agent will check the validity of the job applied for and the employer, as well as ensure the worker will be offered fair wages within the legal guidelines of the province in which the position is available. They will also ensure the employer does not have a record of unfair treatment or abuse of employees. Once a background check of the employer has been completed, the government agent will complete a background check of the applicant, ensuring that all information provided is accurate and processing a criminal record check on the applicant. Should the applicant have a serious criminal background, the application for a work permit may be denied. Additionally, the applicant may be required to complete an interview with a representative of the Candian department of Citizenship and Immigration before the permit is either approved or denied.

Once the application is processed and approved, it can take as long as a few weeks before the work permit is issued. Occasionally jobs will require further testing such as a medical examination before the work permit is issued – factors like this may increase waiting time. Another factor that can determine the amount of time it may take to receive your work permit depends on the workload of the office where the application is filed.

A work permit is issued to a foreign worker to specify the employer, position and dates they are authorized for, and because this permit is so specific, a worker may not work outside of these parameters. The only exception is that under certain circumstances, an extension may be applied for to extend the length of stay and work within Canada.