Temporary Foreign Workers

Requirement to become a temporary foreign worker:

• Positive LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) (if applicable)
• Temporary resident visa / eTA (if applicable)
• Job offer / contract
• Proof of financial support
• Police certificate and medical examination might be required

 

LMIA Exemptions:

• Worker under international agreements
• Spouses of foreign worker with work permit of 6+ months (foreign worker must be NOC 0 ,A or B)
• Workers nominated by a province for Permanent Residency with a job offer
• Entrepreneurs and workers transferred with a company
• Academics (researchers, guest lecturers, visiting professors, etc)
• Co-op students
• People in exchange programs including International Experience Canada
• Spouses of full-time (non ESL/FSL/General courses) foreign students (spouse must not be enrolled in full time studies)
• Refugee claimants from non DCO (Designated Country of Origin)
• Religious workers

 

Work Permit Exemptions:

• Academic examiners and evaluators
• Athletes and coaches competing in Canada
• Aviation accident or incident investigators
• Civil aviation inspectors
• Clergy
• Convention organizers (not hands on)
• Crew members
• Emergency service providers
• Expert witnesses or investigators
• Family members of foreign representatives
• Foreign government officers (formal letter required for 3+ months)
• Health care student (internship less than 4 months with written approval)
• Judges, referees and similar officials for internationals amateur competitions
• Military personnel
• NAFTA business visitors
• News reporters, film and media crews and foreign new company
• Public speakers (up to 5 days)
• Students working on/off campus
• Performing artists and key support staff (limited time and not making a movie, television or radio broadcast)

 

Work permit will not be issued if:

• There are reasonable grounds to believe the applicant can’t do the work
• The applicant intends to work in Quebec but doesn’t hold a CAQ
• The intended work would affect the labour dispute in progress or the job of any person involved in the dispute
• The foreign national is engaged in unauthorized work or study, or failed to comply with a condition with the last 6 months
• The foreign national intends to work in erotic services
• The employer is ineligible to hire foreign nationals
• The foreign national no longer meets the requirements
• The applicant is the spouse of a NOC c or D temporary worker