Work Permit

Canada’s appeal also extends to skilled individuals coming to Canada seeking employment, thus addressing Canada’s labour needs. Individuals that successfully obtained a work permit, most times are eligible to apply for permanent residence under many programs that Canada has to offer after meeting work eligibility requirements.

Work permits, just like study permits, are documents that allow foreign nationals to legally live and work in Canada. Work permits may have limitations depending on the nature of the work permit itself and can be extended or renewed only under specific circumstances.

Below we outlined different types of work permits that are available in Canada (for applicants working in Quebec, they must obtain a proper authorization document from Quebec’s immigration authority):

The PGWP is issued to international students of public colleges and universities in Canada, all provinces outside of Quebec. This work permit is an open work permit, meaning there are no restrictions based on occupation, employer, or location. The work permit can be issued anywhere between 8 months to 3 years, this solely depends on the length of the program that the international student completed.

The post-graduation work permit is helpful when it comes to transition to permanent residence status in Canada. One must apply within 180 days after receiving your final marks to apply for a PGWP. It is imperative that you do not let your status expire in Canada, while you wait for your marks.

If you require help with your post-graduation work permit application, our experienced team of immigration lawyers can assist you with this process. At UL Lawyers, for all immigration matters, we offer free consultation for the first 15 minutes and in the event our law firm is retained, we will credit the consultation fee towards your legal fees. For more information, you can contact us via telephone or WhatsApp at 1-905-744-8888 or email us at info@ullaw.ca. We look forward to assisting you with your immigration matter.

The OSWP is issued to spouses of students attending public college or university in all provinces outside of Quebec. This work permit is also extended to spouses of workers (foreign nationals holding a work permit in Canada) that are employed on a full-time basis in a skilled occupation (NOC 0, A or B). For those who are applying for permanent residence under a spousal, common-law or conjugal sponsorship in Canada, are also eligible to request an OSWP. These work permits are open work permits – meaning there are no restrictions with regard to the occupation, employer, or location.

If you require legal assistance with your open spousal work permit application, our experienced team of immigration lawyers can assist you with this process. At UL Lawyers, for all immigration matters, we offer free consultation for the first 15 minutes and in the event our law firm is retained, we will credit the consultation fee towards your legal fees. For more information, you can contact us via telephone or WhatsApp at 1-905-744-8888 or email us at info@ullaw.ca. We look forward to assisting you with your immigration matter.

As the name suggests, this work permit has a restriction allowing the foreign national to work for one employer, in a particular occupation, usually with a geographical restriction as well. These work permits are obtained only as a result of a job offer from a Canadian employer and sometimes are also called LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) work permits or LMIA exempt work permits.

For more information about these permits and how to obtain a job offer, please visit our LMIA overview page by clicking https://ullaw.ca/immigration-law/work-in-canada/#LMIA-overview

This class is available in unfortunate situations if the foreign national is at risk of or a victim of abuse by the employer. In immigration context, abuse is defined through the following examples:

1. physical abuse, including assault and forcible confinement;
2. sexual abuse, including sexual contact without consent;
3. psychological abuse, including threats and intimidation;
4. financial abuse, including fraud and extortion

Migrant workers in Canada on employer-specific work permits who are experiencing abuse, or who are at risk of abuse, in the context of their employment in Canada may be eligible to receive an open work permit that is exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process, per section 207.1 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR).

Migrant workers in Canada who currently hold a valid LMIA-required work permit issued under subparagraph R200(1)(c)(iii) or a valid LMIA-exempt, employer-specific work permit issued under subparagraph R200(1)(c)(ii.1) may benefit from this specific provision. In addition, migrant workers who have applied for a renewal of their employer-specific work permit under subsection R201(1) and who are currently authorized to work in Canada under paragraph R186(u) (implied status) may also benefit from this specific provision.

If you are of the opinion that you fall under this specific criteria, contact our team of experienced Canadian immigration lawyers today. At UL Lawyers, for all immigration matters, we offer free consultation for the first 15 minutes and in the event our law firm is retained, we will credit the consultation fee towards your legal fees. For more information, you can contact us via telephone or WhatsApp at 1-905-744-8888 or email us at info@ullaw.ca. We look forward to assisting you with your immigration matter.

It is imperative that one make note of the fact that the above-noted work permits are not eligible for extension, unless the circumstances fall under one of the following scenarios:

• Applicant submitted an application for permanent residence and awaits a final decision – applicant will be allowed to extend their work permit. This is called an application for a Bridging Open Work Permit.

• Applicant received another job offer and the employer completed all required steps for the applicant to apply for a work permit.

• Applicant’s passport is expiring soon and IRCC (Immigration, Refugee and Citizenship Canada) were not able to issue a work permit for the full duration. Once the applicant obtains a new passport, the applicant can extend the work permit.

If you are confused and need advice from a work permit lawyer or consultant, contact our team of experienced immigration professionals today. At UL Lawyers, for all immigration matters, we offer free consultation for the first 15 minutes and in the event our law firm is retained, we will credit the consultation fee towards your legal fees. For more information, you can contact us via telephone or WhatsApp at 1-905-744-8888 or email us at info@ullaw.ca. We look forward to assisting you with your immigration matter.