Work Permit
overview
This package contains the application
In this application package, you will find the following features:
Guides and instructions
Forms must be filled out.
Please follow these instructions:
In this document, you will find information you should know before submitting your application, as well as
Provides instructions for filling out the forms and gathering the supporting documents.
When you have read the instruction guide and completed the applicable forms, please submit them.
Your application will be processed by answering questions.
As part of this guide, we use the following symbols:
The following symbols will appear as you read this guide:
You must follow these steps in order to process your application.
You should know the following information to avoid delays.
Its location and how to find it.
To help you with this application, here are some tips.
Before you apply
The application process
This application guide is intended for whom?
If you are applying for a work permit outside of Canada, follow this guide.
What does work mean to us?
Citizens and permanent residents may not be paid for work that directly competes with their activities.
It’s what it sounds like: a work permit.
These items are usually included in a work permit:
Authorization for an officer to work in Canada for someone who is not a citizen or permanent resident;
It must be filed regardless of where your employer is located;
Usually, they are only valid for a specific job, employer, and length of time;
Offers made by employers that are not subject to LMIAs made by ESDC.
Compliance requirements for employers
IRPR protects your rights while working in Canada by ensuring that your employer follows the terms of their employment contract.
In evaluating your employer, we consider the following factors:
Providing a genuine job offer;
Evidence of compliance (within six years) with the following commitments:
Earnings;
Work conditions;
A job is what it is;
Their compliance with federal, provincial, and territorial laws;
Foreign nationals are not allowed to be hired under the IRPR.
Foreign workers may be prohibited from being hired by employers who fail to adhere to past commitments. The length of employers’ bans is listed on the public list for non-compliant employers.
It is not possible for you to be employed by an employer who is not eligible. In the current list of non-compliant employers, you can find a list of employers who were found to be non-compliant.
The Employer Compliance Regime may not apply to missions, foreign governments, international organizations, or bridge or tunnel authorities. You can only take advantage of this exemption for a limited time.
In a labour market impact assessment, a project’s impact on the labour market is evaluated.
Through an LMIA, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) can help employers hire temporary workers.
ESDC will assess the employer’s LMIA application to determine how foreign workers will affect the Canadian labor market. In either case, ESDC will send an LMIA letter to the employer. You should receive this letter from your employer so that you can submit it with your work permit application.
LMIAs are issued for specific periods of time. For renewals beyond this period, you’ll likely need a new LMIA. LMIA – learn more.
Work permits with LMIA exemptions are subject to different conditions that are reviewed by IRCC or CBSA. LMIAs may be required.
Offers of Employment from a specific employer for LMIA-exempt foreign workers
If you do not need an LMIA to work in Canada, your employer must submit an offer of employment to us through the Employer Portal. Your employer must give you an Offer of Employment number and pay the Employer compliance fee before you start your work permit application. The Offer of Employment number starts with the letter “A” and is followed by seven numbers.
If your employer does not need to pay the employer compliance fee, they must upload proof of their fee exemption in the Employer Portal.
Do I need a work permit?
You need a work permit if you are not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident and you want to work temporarily in Canada.
Depending on the nature of the activity, you may be exempt from a work permit. In most cases, you will need one to work legally in Canada.
Find out if you need a work permit.
You can also find information in the Help Centre.
When should I apply?
You should apply as soon as you have:
a written job offer or employment contract and
your LMIA decision letter that your employer received from ESDC.
If you do not need an LMIA, you may apply when you get your Offer of employment number from the employer.
Am I eligible?
You must show the officer that you are eligible under Canada’s Immigration law and that you will be in Canada for a temporary stay. You must:
satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your employment;
be law-abiding and have no record of criminal activity (you may be asked to give us a Police Clearance Certificate);
not be a danger to the security of Canada;
be in good health and complete a medical exam, if needed;
not intend to engage in employment with an employer on the List of Ineligible Employers;
not plan to work with an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages; and
provide any other documents the officer needs to establish your admissibility.
Are there any conditions on my work permit?
An officer may impose, change or cancel conditions when issuing a work permit. These may include any of the following:
the type of employment;
the employer you can work for;
where you can work;
how long you can continue to work; and
Working hours or periods.
Do I need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA)?
If you want to work in Canada, you may need a TRV or an eTA.
A TRV is an official document issued by an officer that is placed in your passport to show that you meet the general requirements for admission to Canada as a temporary resident. An eTA is a paperless document that is electronically linked to your passport. It also shows that you are eligible to enter Canada as a temporary resident.
If you need a TRV or an eTA, you do not have to fill out a separate application or pay more fees. It will be issued by the officer at the same time as the documents you need for your entry to Canada as a worker.
Find out if you need a TRV or an eTA.
Applying for a post-graduation work permit from outside Canada
If you graduated from a Canadian post-secondary institution and are applying for a post-graduation work permit from outside Canada, you must indicate this on your Application form for a work permit made from outside Canada (IMM 1295):
In the section “Details of intended work in Canada”:
Question 1: Choose “Open Work Permit”
Question 2a (Name of employer): Write “Post Graduate Work Permit”
A work permit can be applied for 180 days after receiving confirmation from your school that your study program has been completed. This confirmation could be a degree, diploma, transcript or official letter from your school.
Make sure you submit proof that you have completed all the requirements of your program of study (final transcript and a letter from the institution or formal notice of graduation).
Note: To be eligible, your study permit must have been valid at some point during these 180 days.
See if you’re eligible for a Post-graduation work permit.
Important information:
Family member definitions
Your family members include your spouse or common-law partner, your dependent children and any children that are their dependent children.
Spouse
Refers to either of the two persons (opposite or same gender) in a marriage legally recognized in the country in which it took place, as well as in Canada.
Proxy, telephone, fax, internet and similar forms of marriage where one or both parties were not physically present are not considered as valid spousal relationships under the Regulations. For more information, consult our policy on the legality of a marriage.
Common-law partnerRefers to a person who is living in a conjugal relationship with another person (opposite or same gender), and has done so continuously for a period of at least one year. A conjugal relationship exists when there is a significant degree of commitment between two people.
This can be shown with evidence that the couple share the same home, support each other financially and emotionally, have children together, or present themselves in public as a couple.
Common-law partners who have been in a conjugal relationship for at least one year but are unable to live together or appear in public together because of legal restrictions in their home country or who have been separated for reasons beyond their control (for example, civil war or armed conflict) may still qualify and should be included on the application.
Dependent children
We assess your child’s eligibility as a dependant based on how old they were at a specific point in time, called the lock-in date. This is usually the date we received your application. To see if your child qualifies as a dependant, we consider the age of your child on the lock-in date, even though your child’s age may change during processing.
Your child or the child of your spouse or common-law partner can be considered a dependent child if that child meets the requirements below on the lock-in date:
They’re under 22 years old, and
They don’t have a spouse or common-law partner
Children 22 years old or older qualify as dependants if they meet both of these requirements:
They have depended on their parents for financial support since before the age of 22, and
They are unable to financially support themselves because of a mental or physical condition
With the exception of age, dependants must continue to meet these requirements until we finish processing your application.
Not sure if your child is a dependant? Check if your child qualifies by answering a few questions.
If your child’s age was locked in on or before October 23, 2017, a previous definition of dependent children may apply.
Dependent child of a dependent childRefers to children of dependent children of the applicant and those of the spouse or common-law partner, if applicable.
Do I have to apply separately for my family members?
Family members must complete their own application forms. However, you may submit your applications together online or at a Visa Application Centre (VAC) and use one payment receipt for the total amount.
Your spouse or common-law partner and children must meet all of the requirements for temporary residence in Canada.
May my spouse or common-law partner and children work in Canada?
To work in Canada, your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children must apply for their own work permits. Each person must meet the requirements to get a work permit, including the LMIA requirement.
They may, however apply for their work permit from within Canada. Find more details in the Help Centre.
May my children attend school?
Your children may attend school in Canada. You must apply for their study permit at the same time as your own. If your children plan to join you at a later date, they must apply for a study permit before coming to Canada.
Are there medical requirements?
If you plan to visit or study for six months or less:
You usually do not need a medical exam.
If you plan to visit or study for more than six months:
You will need a medical exam if you:
have lived temporarily for six or more months in a row
in any of these countries or territories
in the one year immediately before the date you want to enter Canada. (This applies even if you are a citizen of a country that does not need a visa to enter Canada.)
Regardless of the length of time you are in Canada, you will need a medical exam if you wish to work in one of the following fields:
a designated occupation, such as the field of health services or with children. Examples of designated occupations include hospital staff, clinical laboratory workers, patient attendants in nursing and geriatric homes, and medical and dental students admitted to attend Canadian universities;
to work in agricultural occupations, you will need a medical exam if you have lived in certain countries or territories.
You and your family members may need a medical exam to come to Canada. Find out more by checking the Medical examination requirements for temporary residents.
You may either:
have an upfront medical exam by contacting a Panel Physician; or
wait until your application is reviewed and medical instructions are given to you by the visa office.
Get the instructions to complete the medical exam.
When medical results are submitted up front, routine cases benefit from faster processing since we do not have to ask for them at a later date. This is done at your own cost and does not influence the final decision on your application. If you have an upfront medical exam, you must submit proof that you completed the medical exam with your application. Failure to do so may result in processing delays.
The officer’s decision is based on the type of job you will have and where you have lived in the past year.
If you want to work in health services, child care, primary or secondary education, you will need a medical exam and a satisfactory medical assessment before we can issue you a work permit.
If you want to work in agricultural occupations, you will need a medical exam if you have lived in certain countries or territories.
Note: A medical exam may add over three months to the processing of your application.
Biometric (fingerprints and photo) requirements
You may need to appear in person to have your fingerprints and photograph (biometric information) taken at a biometric collection service point. If your family members are also applying, they may need to appear in person to have their biometric information taken as well.
If you’re in Canada as a visitor and you apply for an initial study or work permit, you need to give your biometrics. As of December 3, 2019, you need to give biometrics when you apply from within Canada. You can go to a designated Service Canada location.
Find out if you need to give biometrics.
Note: If you need to give biometric fingerprints and photo, you do not need to include paper photos with your application.
How often do you give your biometrics
You only need to give your biometrics once every 10 years. You don’t need to give your biometrics again until the 10-year period expires.
If you gave biometrics in the past as part of an application for a visitor visa, work or study permit and they are still valid, you don’t need to give them again for this application.
Find out if your biometrics are still valid and when they expire by using the Check Biometric Status Tool.
When to give your biometrics
If you submit your application online or by mail.
You can give your biometrics after you:
pay for and submit your application and biometric fees, and
get a biometric instruction letter (BIL) that will direct you to a list of official locations you may choose from. You are encouraged to give your biometrics as soon as possible after getting the BIL.
If you submit your application in person at a visa application centre (VAC)
You may be able to book an appointment in advance to give your biometrics at the same time that you submit your application at a VAC. If you can’t give your biometrics when you submit your application you will have to make an appointment at the VAC to give them at a later date.
Where to give your biometrics
You need to book an appointment to give your biometrics at one of these official biometric collection service points.
We’ll start processing your application after we get your biometrics.
You must fill out and submit these forms:
- Application For Work Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1295) (PDF, 465.84KB)
- Document Checklist (IMM 5488) (PDF, 316.89KB)
- Family Information (IMM 5645 or IMM 5707)
- Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409) (PDF, 636.51KB), if it applies to you
- Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) (PDF, 648.31KB), if it applies to you
- Authority to release personal information to a designated individual (IMM 5475) (PDF, 593.57KB), if it applies to you
Note: A migration officer may ask you for more supporting documents.
Important information: It is a serious offence to give false or misleading information on these forms. The information on your application may be verified.
Important information
Be complete and accurate
Make sure all sections are filled out. In the case of a section that does not apply to you, write “Not Applicable” or “NA”. Don’t do this for the name fields (last name and given name). If you prefer, you can find instructions under the “Personal Details” section on questions 1 and 2. A signed and dated application is required.
It may be rejected or returned to you if your application is incomplete, which will delay the processing of your application.
Print another page with the correct section if you need more space. Please complete this page and submit it with your application.
(IMM 1295) Application for Work Permit Made Outside of Canada
The application form must be filled out by who?
This form must be filled out by everyone who needs a work permit.
Observations
Please fill out the form
If you are not instructed otherwise, you must answer all the questions on this form.
On a computer, download and fill out the form.
The form can also be saved and filled out later.
Computer-based applications are easier to complete and reduce errors that can slow down the application process.
Please read and answer the questions below.
Item 1 of the questionnaire
If you know your UCI, type it here. The field should be left blank if not. Your UCI will not be available if you are dealing with IRCC for the first time.
In response to question 2
Please select your preferred language of service (English or French).
Information about yourself
1st question
Detailed information about yourself
It is important that you type your family name (surname) exactly as it appears on your passport or travel document (even if it is spelled incorrectly). Please do not use initials.
If your passport or travel document does not have a family name, enter all your given names here.
Be sure to type all of your given names (first, second, or more) exactly as they appear on your passport or travel document (even if they are misspelled). Initials should not be used.
You may leave this field blank if your passport or travel document does not contain a given name. Do not enter “*”, “Not applicable” or “NA”.
In response to question 2
Nicknames and aliases
If you have ever used another name, please check the box. Names such as your birth name, maiden name, married name, nick name, etc. could be included here.
Please type any other family name you have ever used if you checked “Yes”.
Check “Yes” and type any other given name you have ever used (first, second, or more).
3rd question
The gender of the participant needs to be selected (F-Female, M-Male or X-Another gender).
You must complete the Request for a Change in Sex or Gender Identifier form and send it with your application if you choose a gender identifier that differs from the one you have or had on your Canadian temporary resident document (visa, electronic travel authorization, work permit, study permit or visitor record). The Request for a Change of Sex or Gender Identifier form must also be completed and sent to your application if you have never applied for a temporary resident document and identify with a gender other than what appears on your passport or foreign travel document. Documentation is not required.
In response to question 4
The date of your birth should be entered here. For unknowing dates, please use the star symbol (asterisk) or star to indicate the year, month or day.
Five questions
Note: If your passport or travel document indicates your city, town, country, or territory of birth, please enter it exactly as it appears on the document.
Answer to question 6
Choose a country or territory where you are a citizen. A citizen of a country or territory is either born there (in most cases) or has been granted citizenship by it. You should choose the country or territory that issued the passport you will be using for this trip if you are a citizen of more than one country or territory.
The seventh question
Make sure the information you choose is correct:
When you are lawfully admitted to a country or territory, you will need to provide the name of the country or territory in which you reside.
If you are an immigrant in that country or territory, you have the following immigration status:
As a citizen
Residency
An anonymous visitor
Job
Inst
Other
Person who is protected by the law
Claimant for refugee status
If you selected “Other” as your status, you must fill out this section.
Dates (From – To) when you lived in your country or territory.
The eighth question
In the past five years, have you lived in any other country or territory other than your country of citizenship or your current country or territory of residence (indicated above) for more than six months?
You need to select the correct information if you checked “Yes”:
Your home country or territory’s name,
During your stay in that country or territory, your immigration status was:
The citizen
Having a permanent address
An unexpected visitor
Employee
Tutor
Aside from that
Person who is protected
Claimant for refugee status
When you select “Other” as your status, this section must be completed.
When you lived there (From – To).
The ninth question
In this box, you will be asked to tell us which country or territory you reside in.
Choose the correct information if you checked “No”:
Name of the country or territory from which you are applying,
Your immigration status in that country or territory by choosing one of the following:
Citizen
Permanent resident
Visitor
Worker
Student
Other
Protected Person
Refugee Claimant
Other: You must fill out this section if you chose “Other” as a status.
The dates (From – To) that you have been living in that country or territory.
If you are not a citizen of the country or territory where you are applying, you must send proof of your legal status in the country or territory you live in when you submit your application.
Question 10
Choose your current marital status:Annulled Marriage This is a marriage that is legally declared invalid. An annulment can also be a declaration by the Catholic Church that the marital union did not have a binding force.Common-
Law This means that you have lived continuously with your partner in a marital-type relationship for a minimum of one year.DivorcedThis means that you are officially separated and have legally ended your marriage.Legally Separated This means that you are married, but are no longer living with your spouse.Married This means that you and your spouse have had a ceremony that legally binds you to each other. Your marriage must be legally recognized in the country where it was performed and in Canada.SingleThis means that you have never been married and are not in a common-law relationship.WidowedThis means that your spouse has died and that you have not re-married or entered into a common-law relationship.Enter the date (year, month and day) you were married or you entered into your current common-law relationship.
Type the family names and given names of your current spouse or common-law partner.
If you are in a common-law union, you must also fill out the Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union (IMM 5409) form and include it with your application. If you are married, you must send a photocopy of your marriage licence or certificate with your application.
Question 11
Check the box to tell us if you have ever been married or in a common-law relationship. If you checked “Yes”, enter:
All family names,
All given names,
Date of birth,
Type of relationship:
Common-law, or
Married.
Dates (From – To) for which you were in the relationship with your former spouse or common-law partner.
Languages
Question 1
Choose your native language (mother tongue).
If your native language is not English or French, choose the language you would most likely use.
Both
English
French
Neither
Choose English, French or both as your language of communication:
English
French
Both
Neither
Check Yes or No to tell us if you have taken a test from a designated testing agency to test your abilities in English or French.
Passport
Question 1
Type your valid passport or travel document number exactly as shown on the document. Make sure there is no space between each number or letter.
Question 2
From the list, select the name of the country or territory that issued your passport or travel document.
Question 3
Enter the date your passport or travel document was issued.
Question 4
Enter the date your passport or travel document will expire.
Question 5
For this trip – Check Yes or No to tell us if you are using a passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that shows your personal identification number.
Question 6
For this trip – Check Yes or No to tell us if you are using a National Israeli passport.
Venezuelan passport holders
You may need to complete extra steps when you fill out your application.
National Identity Document
Question 1
Check Yes or No to tell us if you have a national identity document.
Question 2
Enter your national identity document number exactly as shown on the document.
Question 3
From the list, select the name of the country or territory that issued your national identity document.
Question 4
Enter the date your national identity document was issued.
Question 5
Enter the date your national identity document will expire.
US PR Card
Question 1
Check Yes or No to tell us if you are a lawful permanent resident of the United States.
Question 2
Enter your U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) number exactly as shown on the document.
Question 3
Enter when your U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) document will expire.
Contact Information
Question 1
Type your current mailing address (where information should be mailed). Make sure you include the following information:
Post Office Box (P.O. Box) number, if you have one. If you do not have a post office box number, you must type the street number.
Apartment (Apt.) or Unit,
Street number (No.). If you did not type in a P.O. Box number, you must type the street number,
Street name. Do not abbreviate words (Street, Avenue, Boulevard, Drive, etc.) except for directions (NW, SE, W, etc.)
City or Town
From the list, choose the country or territory of your current mailing address.
Province or State
Postal code or zip code
District, if it applies to you.
All correspondence will go to this address unless you give us your e-mail address.
If you wish to have a representative who can conduct business on your behalf, you must give us their email and mailing addresses in this section and fill out the Use of a Representative (IMM 5476) form.
Question 2
Check the box to tell us if the address you live at is the same as your mailing address. If “No”, type the following information:
Apartment (Apt.) or Unit, if it applies to you
Street Number (No.)
Street Name. Do not abbreviate words (Street, Avenue, Boulevard, Drive etc.) except for directions (NW, SE, W, etc.)
City or Town
Country or territory
Province or State
Postal Code or zip code
District, if it applies to you.
Question 3
Check the correct box to tell us if the telephone number is from Canada, the United States (US) or Other (any other country).
Choose the type of telephone:
Residence (home)
Cellular (cell or mobile)
Business (work)
Type your telephone number including the country code, area or regional codes, etc.
If you have an extension number, write it after your phone number under “Ext.”
Question 4
Check the correct box to tell us if your other telephone number is from Canada, the United States or Other (any other country).
Choose the type of telephone:
Residence (home)
Cellular (cell or mobile)
Business(work)
Type your telephone number including the country code, area or regional codes, etc.
If you have an extension number, write it after your phone number under “Ext.”
Question 5
Check the correct box to tell us if the facsimile (fax) number is from Canada, the United States or Other (any other country).
If you have one, type your facsimile (fax) number, including country code, area or regional codes, etc.
Question 6
If you have one, type your e-mail address using a format similar to the following: name@provider.net
Note: Make sure you check your email regularly. Any emails sent to you by IRCC will end in:
“@cic.gc.ca”
“@canada.ca” or
“@international.gc.ca”.
Please add these to your “safe senders” list in your email program and check the junk mail folder in case important emails get filtered. If we find that your email address does not work or no longer exists, we will communicate with you by mail. By giving us your e-mail address, you are hereby authorizing us to send your correspondence, including file and personal information electronically to this address.
Note: If you need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and your work permit application is approved, you must give us your original passport so we can issue the visa counterfoil.
Details of Intended Work in Canada
Question 1
Choose the type of work permit you’re applying for:
Exemption from Labour Market Impact Assessment
Labour Market Impact Assessment Stream
Open Work Permit
Other
Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program
Start-up Business Class
Ask your employer if you’re not sure if you should choose
Labour Market Impact Assessment Stream or
Exemption from Labour Market Impact Assessment
If you choose “Open Work Permit”, leave questions 2 to 6 blank.
If you’re applying for a post-graduation work permit,
choose “Open Work Permit”
write “post-graduation work permit” in question 2a
leave the following questions blank: 2b, 3, 4, 5 and 6
Do not select “Other” unless you’re on the list below.
Who should select “Other”
Choose “Other” only if you’re applying to extend your status in Canada to work for a
foreign mission or international organization recognized under the Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act
foreign government or
bridge or tunnel authority
Your employer must give you an employment contract or an employment letter including the following information:
name of employer
address of employer
title
salary
hours of work
any other relevant details
Your employer does not need to submit an offer of employment through the Employer Portal. This means you don’t need to provide a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) number or offer of employment (LMIA-exempt) number.
Question 2
a) If you need an LMIA to get a work permit, type the name of the employer as shown on the LMIA. Attach original employment contract and LMIA.
If you do not need an LMIA to get a work permit, type the name of the employer who gave you the Offer of employment number.
If you are applying for a post-graduation work permit, write “post-graduation work permit” as the employer name.
b) Enter the complete address of your employer:
Province
City or Town
Address
Question 3
Enter the address where you will work in Canada:
Province
City or Town
Address
Question 4
Type the following information about the work you plan to do in Canada:
Job Title
Brief description of duties
Question 5
Type the expected start and end dates of your work in Canada (From–To).
The dates should match the dates in either the
Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
offer of employment
duration allowed in the work permit category, if applying for an open work permit
For example, the “From” and “To” date for a spousal open work permit must match the validity of the principal applicant’s permit.
Note: A work permit cannot be issued for a duration that is longer than the validity of your passport
Note: use format YYYY-MM-DD
Question 6
Type the seven-digit number of your valid Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or the alpha numeric combination of the Offer of Employment (LMIA Exempt) number. This number begins with the letter “A” and is followed by seven numbers.
Education
Check the box to tell us if you have any post-secondary education (including university, college or apprenticeship training).
Examples of post-secondary education:
Trade or Apprenticeship
Training completed in a specific trade, such as carpentry or auto mechanics.
Non-university certificate or diploma
Training in a profession that requires formal education but not at the university level (for example, dental technician or engineering technician).
Bachelor’s degree
Academic degree awarded by a college or university to those who finished an undergraduate curriculum; also called a baccalaureate. Examples include a Bachelor of Arts, Science or Education.
Master’s degree