Work Permit Inside Canada
Work Permit Inside Canada
A work permit is a written and authorized document that allows you to work in Canada. It is issued by an officer to a person who is not a citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. It is required if the employment is located in Canada, whether or not the employer is in Canada. To better protect your rights, when you come to work in Canada, during the Work Permit application process, the employers will be evaluated on whether their offer of employment is genuine, their past history, compliance with Federal, Provincial and Territorial Laws of Canada, and if the employer has ever been banned from hiring a foreign national.
A Labour Market Impact Assessment, also known as LMIA, is an assessment provided by Employment and Social Development Canada, which enables an Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada or Canada Border Service Agency to determine whether the employment of the foreign worker is likely to have a positive or neutral impact on the labor market in Canada. The LMIA may be required during the application process and must be included with your work permit application. It is worth mentioning, that your application for the Work Permit inside Canada does not guarantee acceptance.
If you are a temporary resident, who is already in Canada and wish to extend your stay as a worker, or change the conditions of your stay as a worker or your class (to include permission to work) you can apply for the Work Permit inside Canada. This option is also available for those who want to correct problems in their status in Canada.
If you are working in Canada and you want to change the conditions on your Work Permit, you must apply and obtain a new Work Permit. It is important to apply before making that change. Remember you should always apply at least 30 days before your status in Canada expires.
You can apply for your initial Work Permit inside Canada only if:
- you or your spouse have a valid Study or Work Permit;
- you were previously authorized to work without a permit in Canada;
- you have a valid Canadian Temporary Resident Permit;
- you are a trader, an investor, an intra-company transferee, or a professional under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.
Refugee claimants or applicants for permanent residence in Canada are also allowed to apply for their initial Work Permit within Canada.
To apply for your Work Permit inside Canada, you must demonstrate that you meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. You must guarantee that you will be in Canada for a temporary stay, and show that you have enough money during your stay in Canada. You must be law-abiding and have no record of criminal activity, you must be in good health, too (sometimes a medical examination is required). Remember you must not intend to engage in employment with an employer on the List of Ineligible Employers. Sometimes additional documents can be required by the officer to establish your admissibility.
The mandatory documents, that you need to provide in the process of your application for the Work Permit inside Canada include:
- a copy of the Labour Market Impact Assessment provided by Employment and Social Development Canada;
- a copy of your job offer letter from your employer in Canada or the Offer of Employment number provided to you by your employer;
- proof that you meet all the requirements of the job (education, a valid Canadian provincial or territorial trade certificate);
- if you work in Quebec or will be working in Quebec - a copy of the Certificat d’acceptation du Québec issued by the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration.
Refugee claimants need to prove they cannot support themselves without recourse to social assistance and vulnerable workers, who seek an open work permit inside Canada, need to provide proof that they are experiencing abuse or that they are at risk of abuse in the context of their employment in Canada.
Applicants may also restore their status as workers within 90 days of losing it if they lost it because they stayed in Canada longer than the period authorized for the stay; changed employers, location, or type of work. To be eligible for restoration, they must continue to meet the initial requirements for the stay in Canada. It is worth mentioning, that restoration of the status applies to each family member who has lost their status.
As an applicant, you must answer all the questions on the application form, you can also save and complete it later. You can appoint a representative who will fill out the form for you. Dependent children aged 18 years or older, must fill out their own copies of the form IMM 5476 if a representative is also conducting business on their behalf.
Remember, you are allowed to submit an application for the Work Permit inside Canada for any of or a combination of the following services:
- The extension of your stay in Canada as a worker;
- The request of an initial Work Permit in Canada;
- The Restoration of your status as a worker (restoration of temporary resident status due to loss of status).
When you apply for the Work Permit inside Canada online, you must pay a Processing Fee for each service that you require during the process. Remember, that all fees must be submitted with your application. The Work Permit Fee (including extensions) is 155 CAD per person, the Work Permit Fee (including extensions) – per group of 3 or more performing artists is 465 CAD. You can restore your status as a worker for 355 CAD. Biometrics Fees vary from 85 CAD to 255 CAD depending on the number of people in application.
Please check your application before you pay your fees because the Work Permit inside Canada processing fee is not refunded, regardless of the final decision. When you apply online, you must have access to a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents and a valid credit card to pay with. If any further action regarding your application is needed, you will be informed in writing. You can check your application status online.
Regards,
International Experience Club
