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WORK PERMIT One of Canada's goal under the Immigration and
Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) is to facilitate entry of foreign workers.
Foreign workers contribute to Canada's economic development by
addressing its labor shortages in Canada's labor market. Also, it
provides other economic opportunities for Canadians and permanent
resident through job creation and transfer of skills and knowledge.
Recently, the importance of foreign workers to
Canadian employers has been more vital and paramount. Through the years,
Canada's needs for foreign workers has drastically increased due to
labor shortage and an aging population. In 2004,
Citizenship and Immigration Canada admitted 90,668 foreign workers, for
whom employment was authorized, to fill skill gaps in the domestic labor
market. This total represents an increase of about 6% over the level of
85,501 recorded in 2003. Source:
Citizenship and Immigration Canada 2005 Annual Report to Parliament on
Immigration A foreign national intending to
legally work in Canada must obtain a positive Labor Market Opinion from
Service Canada, formerly Human Resources Skills Development Canada (HRSDC),
before submitting an application for work permit unless the occupation
is a Service Canada Confirmation-Exemption Category.
What is "Work"?
"Work" is defined in the Regulations as an activity for which wages and
commissions is earned, or that competes directly with activities of
Canadian citizens and permanent residents in the Canadian labor market.
Source: Citizenship and Immigration Canada Policy and
Program Manuals Temporary Foreign Workers Guidelines Manual
What is a Work Permit?
It is an official document issued by Citizenship and Immigration Canada
that allows a foreign national to legally work in Canada.
Who needs a Work Permit?
A foreign national intending to work in Canada generally needs a Work
Permit in order to legally work in Canada.
When can I apply for a Work Permit?
In general, before submitting an application for work permit, a foreign
national must have an employer. A foreign national can only submit an
application for work permit once a positive Labor Market Opinion from
Service Canada has been received from the employer. Please note that it
is only the employer that can obtain the Labor Market Opinion from
Service Canada.
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