Applying for a work permit

Are there any conditions on my work permit?

Some conditions will be written directly on your work permit.

These may include

• the type of work you can do
• the employer you can work for
• where you can work
• how long you can work

Regulation 185 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations lists all the conditions that may be put on your work permit.

There are also standard conditions that apply to all work permit holders. Even if you have no specific conditions on your work permit, you still must

• not work for an employer in a business where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a risk of sexual exploitation of some workers, specifically
  • strip clubs
  • massage parlours
  • escort agencies
• leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay

See also: How do I remove medical conditions from my open work permit.

How do I remove medical conditions from my work permit?

Follow the steps that apply to your situation.

If you have a port of entry letter and haven’t left your country of residence

You won’t have medical conditions on your work permit if you do all of the following:

1. Get an upfront medical exam from a panel physician.
   • “Upfront” means you get your medical exam done before an immigration officer asks for it.
   • Your medical exam results are usually available to us within 30 days from your exam, but it could take longer.
     • The panel physician will send us the results.
2. Bring proof that you’ve had a medical exam when you travel to Canada.
3. Give your proof to the border services officer when you arrive at the port of entry.
   • Example of proof: the printed information sheet you’ll get from the panel physician who performed your medical exam.

The border services officer can adjust the conditions on your work or study permit before they give it to you. The officer can only do this if you provide proof that you’ve had an upfront medical exam. If you don’t have proof, your work or study permit will have conditions.

If you have a work permit with conditions and are already in Canada

You must follow the steps below to lift the job conditions:

1. Get an upfront medical exam from a panel physician
   • “Upfront” means you get your medical exam done before an immigration officer asks for it.
2. Apply to change your work permit conditions, and include all the required documents.
   • On the IMM 5710 form, for 1 a), under “Details of intended work in Canada,” select “Other.”
   • Also on the IMM 5710 form, for 1 b), under “Other,” write that you need the conditions removed (not authorized to work in childcare, primary/secondary school teachings, health service field occupations).

How long will it take to process my work permit application?

Processing times vary, depending on the type of application you submit. Information on processing times is available online for applications submitted inside and outside of Canada. This information is updated frequently, so check often.

See also checking processing times questions.

Can I apply for a work permit when I enter Canada?

You should apply for your work permit before you travel to Canada. You can only apply at a port of entry if you’re eligible.

I want to apply for a work permit by mail. How can I avoid my application being delayed or refused?

You can help avoid delays or a refusal if you:

• properly fill out and sign the application form(s),
• include all the documents listed in the Document Checklist (IMM 5556),
• pay the processing fee online with a credit card,
• pay for each service, if you apply for more than one on a single application, and
• include proof of payment.

How do I get a copy of a lost, stolen or destroyed work permit?

You must fill out an application and pay a fee to replace the permit.

What is an open work permit?

An open work permit lets you work for any employer, except for one that either

• is listed as ineligible on the list of employers who have failed to comply with the conditions, or
• regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages
  • You can only get an open work permit in specific situations.

Open work permits are not job-specific, so your employer doesn’t need

• a labour market impact assessment from Employment and Social Development Canada
• proof that an employer has submitted an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and paid the employer compliance fee

In most cases, you will have to pay the open work permit holder fee at the same time that you pay the work permit fee. Check the fee list for the most up-to-date application fees.

Open work permit restrictions

You may have restrictions listed on your open work permit. Restrictions can include things like

• the type of job you can hold
  • Example: You may need a medical exam to work in some jobs.
• the location you can work
  • Example: If you have an open work permit under the provincial nominee class, you may only be able to work in a specific province.

If you have a restricted open work permit, your restrictions will be listed on your work permit.

See also: How do I remove medical conditions from my open work permit?

What is a job offer letter?

A job offer letter is a document that a Canadian employer gives you (as a temporary worker). It explains the details of your job.

Generally, a job offer letter (or “employment letter”) is less detailed than a contract.

The letter includes information about:

• your pay and deductions from your pay
• your job duties
• conditions of employment, such as hours of work

If you need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), include a copy of your job offer letter with your work permit application.

An “offer of employment” is not the same as a “job offer letter”. If your employer doesn’t need an LMIA to hire you for the job, they need to submit the offer of employment in the Employer Portal. Once submitted, the portal generates an offer of employment number that you need when you apply for your work permit.

Employer compliance exemptions

Some LMIA-exempt employers don’t need to submit an offer of employment and won’t have an offer of employment number for you. Find out how to get a work permit for these jobs.

There is a mistake in my name on my work permit, can you fix it?

Yes. Your name on your work permit should be exactly as it is on your passport.

If we made a mistake and the name on your permit does not match the name on your passport, submit a Request to Amend the Record of Landing, Confirmation of Permanent Residence or Valid Temporary Resident Documents.

Read the instruction guide to find out how to fill out the form and where to submit

Who can apply for an open work permit?

You may be eligible for an open work permit if you

• are an international student who graduated from a designated learning institution and are eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program
• are a student who’s no longer able to meet the costs of your studies (destitute student)
• have an employer-specific work permit and are being abused or at risk of being abused in relation to your job in Canada
• are a dependent family member of someone who applied for permanent residence
• are the family member of certain foreign workers in Canada
• are the spouse or common-law partner of an international student
• are the spouse or common-law partner of an applicant of the Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program or the Atlantic Immigration Program
• are a refugee, refugee claimant, protected person or you’re their family member
• are under an unenforceable removal order
• are a temporary resident permit holder
• are in Canada and being sponsored as a spouse, common-law partner, conjugal partner or accompanying dependent child
• are a Quebec investor who received a Quebec Notice of Intent to Select

In each of these situations, you must meet additional criteria to be eligible.

Answer a few questions to find out if you’re eligible for an open work permit.

Are there different application forms for employer-specific and open work permits?

No, you can use the same application to apply for an employer-specific or open work permit.

Find out how to apply for a work permit.

I got a new passport after coming to Canada. Will that affect my application for a work permit?

No. However, your work permit cannot be valid for longer than your current passport’s validity. If you renewed your passport after coming to Canada, when you apply for a renewal of your work permit, you must include a photocopy of the new passport.

Can I appeal a decision on a work permit application?

Under Canada's Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, there is no formal right of appeal on temporary resident decisions. Instead, you can reapply. If possible, a different officer will examine the application.

You can also ask for a judicial review through the Federal Court of Canada, if you think the process was not fair. A lawyer in Canada would act on your behalf.

Can I extend my International Experience Canada work permit?

You can only extend your work permit in very specific situations. Find out if you can extend your work permit.

Can I apply to extend my Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program work permit?

No. The rules for the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) differ from those for other work permits. Under the SAWP, you may remain in Canada for a maximum of 8 months between January 1^st and December 15^th. You must leave Canada no later than December 15th. Your employer must request authorization from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to hire you each season. This is known as a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment. More information is available from ESDC and the Quebec’s Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion. Your employer may want to rehire you. Even so, you must go back to your home country before you can apply for another work permit.

Do I need a medical exam to get a work permit?

You may need a medical exam to get a work permit if any of these situations apply to you:

1. You wish to work in any job where it is important to protect public health, such as
   • health services
   • child care or
   • primary or secondary education
2. You’ll work in an agricultural job, and you have lived in a designated country or territory.
3. You want to work in Canada for more than 6 months, and you lived in a designated country or territory for 6 consecutive months during the year right before the date you intend to enter Canada.

If you need a medical exam, an officer will tell you so and send you instructions on how to proceed. The officer’s decision is based on the type of job you will have and where you lived in the past year.

Open work permit holders

An officer may not know if you need a medical exam. You should get a medical exam from a panel physician if any of the 3 situations above apply to you.

See also: How do I remove medical conditions from my open work permit.

How can I find a doctor who can provide the medical exam I need to come to Canada?

Only a panel physician authorized by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada can do the immigration medical exam.

You can choose a panel physician anywhere in the world. You have to tell them where your application will be processed, so that the medical results can be sent to the right office. You will have to pay for the medical exam. The cost can differ from one doctor to another.

See the list of panel physicians to find a doctor in your area. You cannot choose your family doctor if their name is not on this list.

Who needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment?

Employers of some types of temporary workers need to get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before the worker applies for a work permit. An LMIA is a document from Employment and Social Development Canada that gives the employer permission to hire a temporary worker.

If you are an employer, find out if you need an LMIA.

If you are a worker, you can answer a few questions to find out:

• the kind of work permit you can apply for, and
• the steps your employer needs to take before you submit your work permit application.

Which work permit fees do I have to pay?

In most cases, both workers and employers must pay fees before a work permit can be issued.

Check the fee list for the most up-to-date application fees.

Workers

If you are applying for an employer-specific work permit, you must pay the work permit processing fee.

If you are applying for an open work permit, you usually have to pay the open work permit holder fee and the work permit processing fee at the same time.

Employers

If you need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), you usually need to pay a processing fee to Employment and Social Development Canada. In this case, don’t need to pay the employer compliance fee.

If you don’t need an LMIA, you have to pay the employer compliance fee when you submit the offer of employment using the Employer Portal.

What is a port of entry (POE) letter?

It’s a letter you may receive from IRCC if you’ve been approved for a

• study permit
• work permit or
• super visa (if you’re from a country that doesn’t require a visitor visa)

Officially, it’s called the port of entry (POE) letter of introduction. But this letter is sometimes called the

• correspondence letter
• introduction letter
• introductory letter

The letter of introduction is not your study or work permit.

You’ll get this letter if you were approved and you

• applied online or
• gave us your email address in your study or work permit application

When you arrive in Canada

Tell the officer at the port of entry about your approved application.

If you don’t have a printed copy of your letter of introduction, you can show

• an electronic version or
• the visitor visa in your passport, if you have one

How long is my POE Letter valid?

There is a box titled “Permit validity” on your Port of Entry (POE) Letter. You must come to Canada prior to that date.

If the validity date has passed and you have not yet come to Canada, you must submit a new application.

You cannot extend the validity date on your POE Letter.

Your POE Letter will be valid for the requested length of your work permit, study permit or super visa. You may be eligible to extend your work permit once you are in Canada.

International Experience Canada participants only

Your POE Letter will normally be valid for 12 months. If you underwent a medical exam, it will be valid until the expiry date of your medical exam or for 12 months, whichever is less.

You can only extend your International Experience Canada work permit in very specific situations. Find out if you can extend your work permit.

I paid the $100 open work permit holder fee with my open work permit application, but the application was refused. Can I get a refund?

Yes. We will send you a refund of the open work permit holder fee. You do not have to do anything.

However, you are not eligible for a refund of the work permit processing fee.

What proof do I need to show that my employer paid the compliance fee and submitted the offer of employment?

When you submit your work permit application, include the offer of employment number we gave your employer.

An offer of employment number can only be used for 1 work permit application.

Employer compliance exemptions

Some LMIA-exempt employers don’t need to submit an offer of employment. Find out how to get a work permit for these jobs.

How do I change employers?

To change employers, you must apply to change the conditions of your work permit.

Before you apply, you need some information and documents from your new employer. What you need will depend on if the employer needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to hire you.

If your employer needs an LMIA

Your employer must give you:

• a new job offer letter
• a new LMIA number, and
• a new contract signed by you and your future employer

If you work in Quebec, you will also need a new Québec Acceptance Certificate.

If your employer doesn’t need an LMIA

Your employer must give you the offer of employment number they received when they submitted your offer of employment.

Employer compliance exemptions

Some LMIA-exempt employers don’t need to submit an offer of employment. Find out how to get a work permit for these jobs.

Can I have a work permit and study permit at the same time?

Yes. You can apply for an additional permit. However, you must

• be eligible for both permits
• show the officer that you can study and work at the same time

When you apply, include a letter to explain how you’ll do this. Give details about how you’ll balance your work schedule with your studies. If you apply online, upload this letter in the Client information part of your document checklist.

Workers who can study without a study permit

You may be eligible to study without a study permit if you are in either of the following situations:

1. You have a valid work permit that was issued on or before June 7, 2023.
2. You must have been issued a letter on or before June 7, 2023, authorizing you to work while we process your work permit application.
   1. You can use this letter if you’re waiting for a decision on your work permit extension.

Find out if you’re eligible.

Eligibility for other programs

There are some things to know about holding 2 permits:

• The work experience you gain while you hold a study permit doesn’t count toward the work experience requirements for most permanent residence programs.
  • Check the requirements for your program before you apply for permanent residence.
• If you plan to apply for a post-graduation work permit when you complete your studies, you’ll need to meet the eligibility criteria.
  • For example, you must maintain full-time status during all semesters of your study program, even while working.

See who can apply for a work permit and who can apply for a study permit.