Work Permits

Over the years, Canada has very successfully used Work permits and brought in temporary workers to take care of the job market shortages. Currently, there are various permanent and temporary programs that allow foreign nationals to work in Canada on a Work Permit. These Work Permits can be broadly categorized as:

• Open Work Permits: An individual on an Open Work Permit is free to work for any employer and be employed in any legal profession inside Canada.
• Closed Work Permits: A Closed Work Permit restricts the individual’s employment to a specific employer who originally aided the individual’s work permit by arranging for an LMIA or by doing an Intra Company Transfer.
• Restricted Occupation – Open Work Permits: This is a category of Work Permits that allows the individual to work for any employer as long as the employment is in a particular kind of occupation. E.g., The Home support worker pilot allows the individual to change his/her employer in Canada as long as he/she continues working in the same NOC 44101.