WORK PERMIT

LIVE & WORK IN CANADA

Would you like to pursue a new career in Canada? To work legally in Canada as a foreigner, you will need a Canadian work visa. Many foreign nationals seeking employment opportunities choose Canada as their home. In addition to a diverse and robust economy, the country is known for its high standards of workplace safety and competitive wages, and many opportunities for professional growth. As an added benefit, working in Canada is an excellent way to begin the process of permanent immigration.

Foreign workers apply for visas every year not only for the job opportunities and the exceptional benefits that come with them but also for the new prospects they will find in one of the world’s most multicultural and welcoming countries. In Canada, full-time workers earn an average salary of $54,630 per year, and due to Canada’s low unemployment rate of just 7.5 percent, there are a lot of chances to find good jobs compared to other countries.

To work in Canada, it is necessary to ensure that a person has the proper authorization, as engaging in work without the proper authorization can have serious consequences on future immigration applications. Read below to learn more about the various options for immigrating to Canada as a temporary or permanent worker!

Benefits of working in Canada

Canada offers many benefits to workers. Various laws and regulations ensure the well-being of Canadian workers, including a high degree of workplace safety. In addition, Canadian wages are competitive, and foreign nationals are required to be paid the same as Canadians.

Several Canadian work permits allow for spouses and children to accompany the workers to Canada. Those seeking permanent residence in Canada may also gain greater eligibility for many Canadian permanent residency programs by gaining Canadian work experience. These programs award value for Canadian work experience in varying degrees:

  • Express Entry
  • Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
  • Federal Skilled Worker (FSW)
  • Federal Skilled Trades (FST)
  • Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs)
  • Quebec Immigration Programs
  • Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program

Work While Studying

Work while you study, help your spouse or common-law partner get a work permit while you study, work temporarily or stay permanently in Canada after you graduate as an international student.

You can work as an international student in Canada if your study permit lists a condition that says you’re allowed to work on- or off-campus.

You can work on your school campus, without a work permit, if you:

  • are a full-time post-secondary student at a:
    • public post-secondary school, such as a college or university, or CEGEP in Quebec;
    • private college-level school in Quebec that operates under the same rules as public schools, and is at least 50% funded by government grants, or
    • Canadian private school that can legally award degrees under provincial law.
  • have a valid study permit, and
  • have a Social Insurance Number (SIN).

Working off campus

You and your employer must make sure you can work off campus without a work permit.  If you start working off campus but don’t meet the requirements, you may have to leave Canada.  You can only start working in Canada when your study program has started.  Your study permit will detail your specific working conditions.

You can work on your school campus, without a work permit, if you

  • you’re a full-time student at a designated learning institution (DLI);
  • you’re enrolled in;
    • a post-secondary academic, vocatioNal or professional training program or
    • a secondary-level vocational training program (Quebec only)
    • your study program
      • is at least 6 months long and
      • leads to a degree, diploma or certificate
    • you’ve started studying; and
    • you have a Social Insurance Number (SIN)

If you are a part-time student, you can work off campus only if:

  • you meet allof the requirements above and 
  • you’re only studying part-time, instead of full-time, because:
    • you’re in the last semester of your study program and you don’t need a full course load to complete your program and
    • you were a full-time student in your program in Canada, up until your last semester
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