Work Permits

The TFWP lets Canadian employers hire foreign nationals for positions facing labour shortages. When the program was created it was open only to live-in caregivers and agricultural workers, but it has expanded significantly and now covers a wide variety of skilled and lower-skilled positions.

The program is jointly operated by IRCC and ESDC, and it also exists to make sure foreign workers get the rights and protections they deserve while employed in Canada. Work permits issued under this program are time-limited (in many cases up to one year) and are usually tied to a specific employer — a closed work permit. That means you can legally work only for the employer named on your permit.

The LMIA is a form of labour-market verification designed to protect Canada's domestic job market as well as foreign workers employed in Canada temporarily. It is a document an employer in Canada needs to get before hiring a foreign worker in most cases.

A positive LMIA is a letter showing there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job and that no Canadian worker or permanent resident is available to do it. Once an employer has the LMIA, the worker can apply for a work permit. LMIA-exempt work permits exist only under specific circumstances — for example, under international agreements.

The agreement formerly known as NAFTA is now the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA). It provides unique opportunities for citizens of the United States and Mexico to work in Canada.

Foreign nationals covered by CUSMA provisions may be eligible to work in Canada without the requirement for an LMIA or, in some cases, without a work permit at all. CUSMA work permits do not require an LMIA, and if you qualify the process can often be completed quickly, with minimal involvement and little cost to the employer.

An open work permit is not job-specific. Because it is not tied to a single employer, you do not need an LMIA, proof that an employer has submitted the Offer of Employment form, or payment of the employer compliance fee.

In most cases you will pay the open work permit holder fee at the same time as the work permit fee. Open work permits are usually available through specific programs or situations (for example, spouses of certain workers or students, or specific public policies) rather than to any applicant — we can confirm whether your situation qualifies.