Canada temporary foreign worker permit
To come to Canada via Canada temporary foreign worker program you must first apply for and get a work permit. There are three locations at which a foreign national can apply for a work permit:
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- A visa office outside of Canada
- A Canadian port of entry
- A visa office within Canada CEGEPs
There are different kinds of work permits. To get a work permit:
- You need to get a job offer from a Canadian employer before you apply.
- The employer must apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
- ESDC will decide whether the employer can hire a foreign worker to fill the job.
There are special Canada temporary foreign worker permits for some kinds of workers. For example, there are special work permit programs for caregivers, business people and agricultural workers.
For more information, go to How to Apply for Canada temporary foreign worker permit.
If You Are in Canada
If you are already in Canada, you may be eligible to apply for a special type of work permit. For more information, go to
Where to Apply for a Canadian Temporary Work Permit.
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Work Permits are Temporary
You cannot use a temporary worker permit to immigrate to Canada. If you want to come to Canada as a permanent resident based on your work skills and experience, see if you qualify to apply as a skilled worker under the federal Express Entry economic immigration programs or the Provincial nomination programs.
Individuals issued Canada temporary foreign worker permits can apply for permanent residence under those programs.
For More Information see the following from IRCC
- Working Temporarily in Canada – Information for foreign workers and Canadian employers. From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
- Applications to Work in Canada: Work Permits – Application forms and instructions about how to apply. From IRCC.
- Applying to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada – Worker (IMM 5553) – Information about who can apply for a work permit from inside Canada, and how to apply. From IRCC.
- IRCC Help Centre – A tool that helps answer frequently asked questions on immigration matters. It offers several ways of searching through the information available, including search by keyword. From IRCC.
- Migrant Worker Guides – Multilingual information for Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) in Ontario. These guides cover migrant workers’ rights and the services available to them. From the Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants (OCASI).
