Work In Canada
To work in Canada, you need to have a valid Canadian Work Permit or a Canadian Working Visa to become part of the Canadian workforce.
There are many Canadian work permit options for international talent and employers. Canada has two programs for those who want to work in Canada: the International Mobility Program (IMP) and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The difference between the two programs is that the TFWP requires a labour market test, known as the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is jointly managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The program permits Canadian employers to respond to a shortage of workers by allowing them to hire internationally while making sure that Canadian permanent residents and citizens have the first opportunity to apply for open jobs. Employers looking to hire under the TFWP must obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). An LMIA is a document showing that hiring a foreign worker will have a positive or neutral impact on the Canadian labour market.
International Mobility Program: Canadian employers may hire international workers to work in Canada on a work visa under the ‘International Mobility Program’ (IMP). Under this program, employers from Canada do not need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
The IMP is administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to promote Canada’s broader economic, social and cultural interests and to support trade agreements between Canada and other countries.
Which Type Of Workers Are Eligible For IMP: Employees entering Canada under certain trade agreements such as the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) or the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), employees who enter Canada with an open Canadian work visa, and workers being transferred within a company to Canada.
Spousal Open Work Permits: As a foreigner authorized to work in Canada, you may want your spouse and dependent children to join you in Canada. A Canadian spouse work visa can make this possible. A Canadian spouse work visa permits your spouse to interact with the local community and earn a living through paid employment, and it supports family reunification. Since January 2025, eligibility has been narrower: it depends mainly on the principal worker’s occupation and on how long their work permit remains valid, and in most cases dependent children can no longer get an open work permit.
The application for a Spousal Canada work visa can be submitted in conjunction with the principal Canadian work permit application. Spousal open work permits allow your spouse to work for almost any employer. The principal worker’s job must meet a minimum skill level: generally, the worker must be employed in a TEER 0 or 1 occupation, or a select TEER 2 or 3 occupation, and hold a work permit valid for at least 16 more months when the spouse applies.
The Global Talent Stream lets employers hire certain highly skilled workers on a faster timeline, and eligible workers may have their Canadian working Visa application processed within two weeks. It is one of the pillars of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy, which aims to help innovative companies grow by ensuring they are able to access the high-level talent they need quickly. For eligible, complete applications made online from outside Canada, IRCC aims for a two-week standard for the processing of Canada work Visa applications (and temporary resident visas, if applicable). The Global Talent Stream is part of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
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