Temporary Resident: Work Authorization

Work Permit Canada

Open work permits, employer-specific permits, LMIA-based applications, and IEC working holidays. Shirani Daniel, RCIC-IRB, helps workers and employers navigate Canada’s complex work permit system from Edmonton.

Worker in a hard hat and safety vest holding a folder outside an Alberta workplace

Work Permit Types Explained

Canadian work permits fall into two categories: open work permits (allowing work for any employer) and closed (employer-specific) work permits. Which type you need depends on your situation, your employer, and your underlying immigration status.

Employer signing an employment contract at a desk — Employer-specific permits usually rest on an offer of employment and, in many cases, an LMIA.

Before a permit expires

An employer's LMIA process and a worker's permit application are separate. Have the current permit, expiry date, application confirmations and employer records available for review. Do not assume that a pending employer process establishes permission to keep working. If you are the worker, our guide to work permit extensions and maintained status sets out the order of events before an expiry date.

If you are the employer

Hiring with an LMIA and hiring without one are two different employer processes. An LMIA is applied for through Employment and Social Development Canada, using LMIA Online. For a position exempt from the LMIA, the employer submits an offer of employment through IRCC's Employer Portal, pays the employer compliance fee unless exempt from it, and gives the worker the offer of employment number. Which process applies depends on the position. Our guide to the Employer Portal and LMIA-exempt offers covers the second one.

Any Employer

Open Work Permit (OWP)

Spousal/common-law open work permit
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) for PR applicants
IEC Working Holiday open work permit
Open work permit for vulnerable workers

One Employer

Employer-Specific (Closed) Work Permit

LMIA-based work permits (most common)
CUSMA (USMCA) professional work permits
Intra-company transfers
International agreements (GATS, FTA workers)
LMIA-exempt permits under R205 / R204

What We Help With

Work permit applications (initial and renewal)

LMIA review and employer guidance

Work permit extensions before expiry

Review of expired permits, status concerns and potential next steps

Change of employer for closed work permit holders

PGWP applications for graduates

IEC (International Experience Canada) Working Holiday applications

Compliance review for employers hiring foreign workers

Need a Work Permit?

Book a consultation to determine which work permit applies to your situation and build a complete application.

Book Consultation ($50 + Tax) (825) 435-1101

Common Work Permit Issues

● Unauthorized work (working outside permit conditions)

● Expired permit without renewal filing

● Working for wrong employer on closed permit

● LMIA declined or expired

● Flagged at border for work conditions breach

If you have experienced any of these, contact Shirani before taking further action.

Applicant completing an online form on a tablet — Work permit applications and extensions are filed online.

Passports on a desk — A valid passport for the full period requested is checked first.

Consultant meeting a client — The permit category is confirmed in consultation before any forms are started.

Newcomer professional at a standing desk in a downtown office

Open or employer-specific

The right permit depends on the job, the employer and your status.

LMIA-based, LMIA-exempt, open spousal, post-graduation and bridging permits each have their own conditions. We identify which one fits your situation and what the employer must provide.

Healthcare workers in a hospital corridor — LMIA-based and LMIA-exempt hiring run through different government systems, and the employer's process comes before the worker's application.

Open, employer-specific or LMIA-based: the category depends on your job and your status.

A licensed RCIC-IRB confirms which permit category applies to you and what your employer has to provide.

Book Consultation Plan Your Path to PR

30 minutes with a licensed RCIC-IRB. $50 + Tax. No obligation to proceed.

This article is general information and is not immigration advice. Advice about your own situation comes from a consultation with Shirani Jenita Daniel, RCIC-IRB, CICC Licence R705794. Representation begins only once a retainer is signed.