Canadian Employer Sponsored Work Permits

A work permit for Canada can only be obtained if you have an offer of employment before applying for your Canadian work visa. Canada seeks to attract temporary skilled workers to fill positions that Canadian employers are currently having difficulty to fill by a Canadian Permanent Resident or Citizen.

A Canadian work permit is issued on a temporary basis only and on the condition that you work for the specific employer sponsoring you. You can apply to change your Canada immigration status once in Canada, however the Canada work visa is not transferable and you will not be able to stay and work in Canada on your Canadian Visa upon termination of your employment.

• First confirm your position is suitable to apply for a Canadian Work Permit by making an application to Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).
• Then offer you the confirmed position.
• Then make an application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada for a Work Permit for Canada.

Please be aware that not all employment offers will be considered and HRDC’s role is to confirm that your position will be of benefit to the Canadian Labour Market and of no threat to Canadian citizens employment opportunities before an application for a Canada Work Permit can be considered.

In summary, employers that need to address skill shortages in Canada may seek to employ a foreign national by sponsoring a Canadian Visa.

Other options that may be suitable include:

As you may be aware, some employers find themselves in a catch 22 situation with the work permit process in which case you may like to consider the Federal Canada Skilled Worker Visa. This visa enables you to gain Permanent Resident status, in which you are entitled to live and work in Canada without the need of an employment offer.

Employers can still sponsor this application if they wish to increase your points total and speed up processing, however it will be issued to you and is not a temporary visa.

Some employers may also be able to sponsor your application under the Province Nominee Program, depending on where they are situated and the nature of the position. This visa is also a Permanent Resident Visa, but does restrict you to work in the Province that sponsored your application until you become a Canadian citizen.

We can ensure that your permit is obtained without delay and have you living and working in Canada in a matter of days depending on your quick response to our efficient Work Permit process.

If potential employers ask you to get your own work permit before applying for their jobs, they either do not understand the processes or would rather you looked at some of the above options.

If they do not understand the processes, just explain to them that they need to be involved in this sponsored process and point out the above options. Better still, ask them to get in touch with us.