Visas
CANADA
Introduction
A work permit is needed for most temporary jobs in Canada, though for some swaps it is not necessary. More information on work permits for temporary jobs can be found in this section of the website.
Depending on the swap some temporary workers require a work permit and some do not. The requirements and processing times depend on the sort of work you will do when you come to Canada. Even if you do not need a work permit, you may need to meet other requirements.
Do I need a visa?
Canada is similar to most major countries involved in swaps – all entrants require a minimum of a visitors visa even if they do not require a working visa. Follow the link here to see if you require a working visa: www.cic.gc.ca
Really useful sites
Main visa types
The Government of Canada has negotiated reciprocal temporary work permits with close to 40 countries for Canadians between the ages of 18 and 35. These permits cover:
- Working holidays;
- Student work abroad programs;
- International co-op placements;
- Young professional/young worker opportunities.
Working holiday visa
For more information go here: www.visabureau.com:80
Are you eligible?
You may be eligible if you hold a passport from one of the following countries:
United Kingdom Finland Sweden Denmark Austria Australia Belgium France Germany Ireland the Netherlands New Zealand Switzerland South Africa Ukraine United States
As part of the application process you may have to prove the following:
- Satisfy a visa officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your work permit.
- Show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family while you are in Canada.
- Respect the law and have no criminal record. (You may have to provide a police clearance certificate. See Have a medical exam or criminal check done in the Quick Find section on the right-hand side of this page.)
- Show that you are not a risk to the security of Canada.
- Be in good health. (You may have to have a medical examination.)
Main conditions
The main conditions of the visa are specific to the country of origin of the swapper. For more information on the requirements specific to your country, go here: www.visabureau.com
Application process
www.visabureau.com
3 stages to getting a work permit:
- Obtain a valid offer of employment from a Canadian Employer
- The Canadian employer must then apply for an LMO (Labour Market Opinion). For further information on this, see below.
- You then apply for the work permit through CIC (Citizenship and Immigration Canada).
LMO (Labour Market Opinion):
It is the employer's responsibility to obtain the LMO on the employee's behalf and one must be obtained before the foreign worker may apply for a work permit. The purpose of the LMO is so that the Department of Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSCD) can verify that the job offered to a foreign national could not have been filled by a Canadian Citizen.
This usually means that, amongst other things, the employer has gone to reasonable efforts to advertise the position to Candians before offering the job to a foreign national. The processing time for a standard LMO is 3 to 4 months.
Skilled visa application form: assessments.visabureau.com
To apply for a work permit you must submit the following documents:
- a job offer from a Canadian employer
- a completed application, that shows that you meet the requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
- written confirmation from Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) that the employer can hire a foreign worker to fill the job. This confirmation is called a positive labour market opinion. In most cases, it is up to your employer to get that written confirmation
- Visas by destination
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- South Africa
- UK
- US
- China
- Singapore
- UAE
- Europe (General Advice)