A work permit is the document that authorizes you to work in Canada temporarily. Whether you need an open work permit or an employer-specific permit, we help you choose the right category and prepare a complete application.
If you want to work in Canada, the right work permit category matters. You may need an employer-specific permit, an open work permit, an LMIA-based process, an LMIA-exempt route, or a spouse or graduate-related option.
This service is for workers and employers who want help choosing the correct work permit pathway and preparing the application with clear supporting documents.
A work permit is the document that authorizes you to work in Canada temporarily. Whether you need an open work permit or an employer-specific permit, we help you choose the right category and prepare a complete application.
Open work permits let you work for almost any employer in Canada. They are available only in specific situations, such as certain spouses, some graduates, sponsored spouses in Canada, and some refugee or humanitarian cases.
Employer-specific permits are tied to a named employer, job, location, and duration. They are commonly based on a valid job offer and, in many cases, a positive LMIA or another exemption code.
Some temporary workers may be exempt from needing a work permit, depending on the exact activity and duration. Common examples include:
Work permit applications depend on choosing the correct category and matching the documents to that category. RA Migration helps workers and employers understand the difference between open permits, employer-specific permits, LMIA-based permits, and LMIA-exempt options.
We help review eligibility, organize job offers, employer documents, proof of qualifications, status history, and family documents where relevant. Our focus is to make the application complete, consistent, and easier to follow.
If working in Canada is your next step, RA Migration can help you prepare the right work permit strategy before you submit.
Only people in one of IRCC's listed situations may apply for a work permit from inside Canada. Examples include valid study or work permit holders, certain family members of permit holders, eligible recent graduates, some permanent residence applicants, refugee claimants or protected persons, and certain temporary resident permit holders. A visitor record alone does not create eligibility, and most visitors must apply from outside Canada. Check IRCC's complete inside-Canada eligibility list.
If you qualify, apply before your current status expires. Filing an application does not by itself give a visitor permission to work; maintained work authorization applies only in qualifying situations where the person was already authorized to work.
A work permit generally falls into one of two buckets. LMIA‑based permits require the Canadian employer to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment, a document from Service Canada that says hiring a foreign worker won’t negatively affect the Canadian labour market. That process takes time, costs the employer $1,000, and involves advertising the job locally first.
LMIA‑exempt permits skip that step because they fall under one of many exemptions: intra‑company transferees, CUSMA/CPTPP professionals, spouses of skilled workers or students, post‑graduation work permits, International Experience Canada (working holiday), and so on. These are faster and don’t require employer advertising.
The Global Talent Stream is a special fast‑track within the LMIA program, designed for innovative Canadian employers hiring highly skilled global talent, typically in tech and specialized fields. The service standard is approximately 10 business days for the LMIA, and IRCC prioritizes the matching work permit for similar fast processing. For comparison, a regular LMIA can take months.
GTS has two categories. Category A is for eligible employers referred by an ESDC-designated partner to hire unique and specialized talent. Category B applies only when the position is on ESDC’s current Global Talent Occupations List. Employers must meet the applicable wage and program requirements and commit to a Labour Market Benefits Plan. Verify the occupation, wage and category against ESDC’s current Global Talent Stream requirements before applying.
A Spouse Open Work Permit (SOWP) may let the spouse or common-law partner of an eligible student or worker work for almost any employer. Eligibility was narrowed significantly and depends on the principal applicant's exact situation.
For spouses of international students, the principal student generally must hold a valid study permit and be enrolled in a master's program of at least 16 months, a doctoral program, or another professional or eligible program listed by IRCC. See IRCC's student-spouse requirements.
For spouses of workers under the high-skilled-worker measure, the principal worker generally must be authorized to work for at least 16 months after IRCC receives the application and be employed, or have a job offer, in TEER 0 or 1 or a listed TEER 2 or 3 occupation. Other rules and exceptions apply to some permanent residence pathways and special measures. See IRCC's worker-family eligibility rules.
Don’t wait. Apply before your status expires. If you want to stay longer as a visitor, apply for a Visitor Record extension at least 30 days before your current status runs out. If you want to switch to a work or study permit from within Canada, certain programs allow that but not all, and the rules here change often.
Overstaying without taking action can lead to removal orders and future inadmissibility. This is one area where timing really matters. Call us the moment you know there’s an issue, not the week before your status ends.
RA Migration serves clients across Ontario and Quebec, online and in person from our Burlington office, with Arabic-speaking service.
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