Work Permits

Canada offers several work permit categories depending on your situation. Employer-specific (closed) work permits tie you to a single employer and typically require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) confirming no qualified Canadian was available for the role. Open work permits, by contrast, allow you to work for almost any employer in Canada and are available to specific categories of applicants including spouses of skilled workers, international graduates, and applicants with pending PR.

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) allows international students who graduate from eligible Canadian designated learning institutions (DLIs) to work in Canada for up to three years, depending on the length of their study program. The International Experience Canada (IEC) program offers working holiday, young professional, and international co-op permits for eligible citizens of participating countries. Each permit type has distinct eligibility requirements, and choosing the right category is essential to avoiding delays or refusals.