HOW DO I APPLY FOR A CANADIAN WORK PERMIT IN 2022?
HOW DO I APPLY FOR A CANADIAN WORK PERMIT IN 2022?
A Canadian work permit or work visa is a government-issued document and permit for foreigners to accept work in a province or city within their territory. Canadian work permit applications are submitted to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly CIC), which then processes and issues the Canadian work permit on behalf of the Canadian government.
Whether you completed your work permit application online or by submitting paper documents, the Canadian work permit processing time typically takes around 5 months. Again, it depends on the country from which an applicant is applying.
The CIC work permit has a specific date that serves as an expiry date and renders it invalid for the holder. This is usually between 1 and 2 years; This is longer for students attending an authorized Designated Learning Institution for more than 2 years. It is best to apply for your Canadian work permit extension at least 30 days before it expires. Your international passport must also be valid before you begin processing your work permit application.
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Expired temporary agency workers in Canada are required to stop work immediately when their work permit in Canada expires. Eligible persons (visitors and tourists) visiting Canada on a valid visitor visa may convert their permit to a work permit under IRCC regulations. made some changes to their policies. This allows temporary visitors and tourists to take advantage of available vacancies in Canada.
How to apply for a Canadian work permit in 2022?
Application requirements
Not all foreign nationals are required to apply for a Canadian work permit before they can work in Canada. It is therefore advisable to first visit Canada’s immigration website to check whether your profession and country require a work permit to take up employment in Canada.
Some jobs in Canada require an employment test to determine if an applicant is eligible for a work permit in a particular occupation. Provided that all requirements are met, you must pay a processing fee of USD 155 for your Canada work permit application. Therefore, you will need a valid credit/debit card (a special form of bank transfer in Canada known as an Interac and money order is also allowed) to make payments, and a scanner or digital camera to assist you in making digital copies of your documents help.
Apply for a work permit at the port of entry (POE)
A port of entry (POE) is a location chosen by the Canadian government as a point of entry into Canada. Usually, the port of entry you come through is the first airport or land crossing you stop at in Canada. Port of Entrys are Below are some conditions you need to meet when applying for your work permit with POE.
- Currently, only foreign nationals entering Canada from the United States are allowed to apply for a work permit at the port of entry.
- You must have a valid job offer.
- Due to COVID-19 guidelines, you must be prepared for a 14-day quarantine upon arrival in Canada.
- Online or paper application for a Canadian work permit
- To apply for a Canadian work permit online or by paper, you must go through the following processes;
Create a new online account or log into your existing account on the CIC website.
- Complete all mandatory forms and supporting documents.
- Pay the necessary fees for your work permit application.
- Then apply online, in person or by post at your nearest application center.
After applying, make sure to log into your online account regularly to confirm your application status and know if it has been approved or rejected. If you have been fortunate enough to have approved Canadian work permit status, you will be issued with a Canadian Work Permit Number, also known as a Unique Client Identifier (UCI).
Types of Canadian Work Permits
There are 2 types of Canadian work permits that are ideal for foreigners due to their specialization and qualifications. The processing time for CIC work permits cannot be properly estimated at this time due to the impact of COVI9-19, resulting in their inability to process the work permit applications as anticipated. However, below are the types of Canadian work permits.
Employer specific work permit
This type of Canadian work permit allows you to work in Canada based on a few factors. These factors include the number of hours you can work, the areas you can work in, and the name of the particular employer you are allowed to work for. The employer-specific work permit is usually granted to researchers, visiting professors, etc.
For certain occupations, there are some requirements that the employer must meet before you can forward your application for an employer-specific work permit. The employer must also provide you with a job offer number to support your application or a copy of the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Open work permit
The open work permit is one of the most common types of Canadian work permits. If the open work permit application is approved, a permit will be issued to foreign nationals who need to work anywhere in Canada. It is offered by the Immigration Service to foreigners who intend to work for a Canadian employer for a period of time.
You do not have to have a job offer before you can apply for an open work permit Canada. Also, no Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is required when applying for an open work permit.
Fees for applying for a work permit
In addition to a US$100 application fee for Canadian work permit applications, Canadian work visa applicants must make payments of US$155, also known as the open work permit holder fee.
Extension of work permit in Canada
Your Canadian work permit does not last forever, so you will need to renew it when it is close to its expiration date. When you apply for a work permit extension online, you will receive a WP-EXT-exempt PGWP letter to authorize you to continue working with your employer. It offers the same conditions as your current work permit.
WP-EXT exempted PGWP letter has an expiry date of 120 days written on it. This indicates the normal processing times for Canada work permit extensions. You can then access your online account to view the status of your Canada work permit extension application.
Temporary work permit (BOWP)
You will need BOWP if you are currently applying for permanent residency in Canada. It is a unique work permit that allows you to extend work permits while waiting for permanent residency. It is a work permit that serves as a bridge connecting the period between applying for your permanent residency and the expiry of your current visa.
Post-Graduate Work Permit (PGWP)
“A foreigner may work in Canada without a work permit”.
The above is in accordance with Section 186 of the IRPR. This includes international students who have completed their studies at qualified Canadian Designated Learning Institutions (DLI’s). A postgraduate work permit allows graduates from some Canadian DLIs to seek and apply for a job in Canada to gain more work experience. Post-graduation work permit is only available to Canadian study permit holders and is available to those with an open work permit.
Additionally, in the National Occupational Classification (NOC) skill type 0 or skill level A or B, qualifying work experience gained by an individual through PGWP is helpful to the individual as it qualifies them for permanent residence in Canada. To obtain a Canadian postgraduate work permit, you must meet the following criteria:
You should have/have a valid study permit.
- You were a full-time student at a Canadian DLI.
- They were eligible to work off-campus without a work permit.
- You have never exceeded the permissible working time.
Please note that postgraduate to Canada processing time takes approximately 4 to 5 months to complete the application process. Applicants whose postgraduate work permit has been denied must cease work upon receiving such an update. It may also prompt you to leave Canada as you are not studying and your postgraduate work permit application has not been approved.
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Additionally, postgraduate work permit extensions are now possible as Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) recently passed a new policy allowing foreigners who have graduated from a Canadian institution with a new open work permit.
Work permit for cooperatives
This type of work permit is suitable for Canada’s international students who need to participate in internships or cooperative internships. When you apply for a cooperative work permit, you will be offered an open work permit, which your institution considers as your employer.
Before applying for a Coop work permit, make sure;
You have a valid study permit
- Your institution has made it essential for you to work before you can graduate
- In addition, your university must provide a letter stating that all students in the same program must complete an internship with you in order to meet the requirements of their degree
- Your internship or internship should not cost more than 50% of your studies
- Spouse open work permit
- If your spouse has an open work permit such as a post-graduation work permit, you can use your spouse’s work permit to facilitate your application.
You can do this by appending;
- a copy of your husband’s/wife’s work permit
- a copy of your spouse’s most recent payslips
a copy of your spouse’s place of work or a letter from your spouse’s employer to prove that he/she is employed in the organisation/site in occupation NOC 0, A or B.
Note: If the work you are applying for involves welding, soldering and other combustible materials, you must apply for a Canadian Hot Work Permit. In addition, it is one of the requirements of hot work management programs for foreigners.
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Processing time for work permit Canada
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been changes in Canada’s Immigration Service operations that have resulted in an inaccurate prediction of Canada’s work permit processing time. However, the processing time for work permits in Canada usually takes about 5 months.
