How to Get a Work Permit in Canada in 3 Easy Steps

Employer Specific Work Permit

• Open Work Permit
• Employer Specific Work Permit

An employment specific work permit allows you to work in Canada for one employer.  It specifies where you can work, how long you can work for and where you can work.  The employer who you will be working for has to go through some specific steps to get approval to hire a foreign worker, such as an LMIA.

Employer specific work permits are the most common type of work permit. The best way to get one of these is to contact Preferred Immigration Services and connect you with a business-seeking foreign worker.

Open Work Permit

An open work permit will allow you to work in Canada for any employer, minus a few exceptions. It is much harder to get an open work permit, as they are only granted in specific circumstances.

• If you are an international student who has just graduated
• A student unable to meet the cost of your studies
• Have an employer-specific work permit but are being abused
• Applied for Permanent residence (PR)
• A dependant on someone who has applied for PR
• The spouse of an international student or skilled worker
• A refugee, or refugee claimant
• Are under an unenforceable removal order
• Are a temporary resident permit holder
• Are a young worker participating in special programs

If you want to find out if you are eligible for an open work permit, it is best to consult an expert.  There is a lot of nuance and complexity to these applications.