Work Permit

A work permit is a written authorization to work in Canada issued by an officer to a person who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada. It is required if the employment location is in Canada, whether or not the employer is in Canada. 
There are two types of work permits: open work permits and employer-specific work permits.​

Open work permit

​​An open work permit allows you to work for any employer in Canada, except for an employer who is listed as ineligible on the list of employers who have failed to comply with the conditions.
You can only get an open work permit in specific situations.​

Employer specific work permit

An employer-specific work permit allows you to work according to the conditions on your work permit, which include:

• The name of the employer you can work for
• How long you can work
• The location where you can work (if applicable)

General eligibility requirements
No matter where you apply, you must:
- Prove to an officer that you will leave Canada when your work permit expires.
- Show that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada and to return home.
- Obey the law and have no record of criminal activity (you may be asked to provide a police clearance certificate),
- Not be a danger to Canada’s security,
- Be in good health and have a medical exam, if needed.
- Not plan to work for an employer listed with the status “ineligible” on the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions.
- Give the officer any other documents they ask for to prove you can enter the country.

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Post-Graduate Work Permit

The Post-Graduate Work Permit allows students who have graduated from eligible Canadian designated learning Institutions to obtain an open work permit to gain valuable Canadian work experience.