A Canadian work permit is the permission to take a job within Canada if you are from a foreign country. You usually need a work permit to work in Canada

What is an open work permit?

An open work permit is a work permit that is not job-specific. Because it is not job-specific, you will not need the following when you apply for your work permit:

a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada, or

proof that an employer has submitted an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and paid the employer compliance fee

In most cases, you will have to pay the open work permit holder fee at the same time that you pay the work permit fee. Check the fee list for the most up-to-date application fees.

Work permits and applications for temporary workers, business people, students and caregivers in the Live-In Caregiver Program

Are there any conditions on my work permit?

Some conditions will be written directly on your work permit.

These may include:

the type of work you can do,

the employer you can work for,

where you can work, or

how long you can work.

Regulation 185 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations lists all the conditions that may be put on your work permit.

There are also standard conditions that apply to all work permit holders. Even if you have no specific conditions on your work permit, you still must:

not work for an employer in a business where there are reasonable grounds to suspect a risk of sexual exploitation of some workers.

How long will it take to process my work permit application?

Processing times vary, depending on the type of application you submit. Information on processing times is available online for applications submitted inside and outside of Canada. This information is updated frequently, so check often.

Canada is still accepting work permit applications. The following foreign workers are now allowed to cross the border into Canada by land or air:

• Temporary workers who hold a valid work permit or who are approved for a work permit but have not yet been issued the work permit
• IEC participants who have not yet activated their work permits must have a valid job offer in order to enter
• IEC participants who have already activated their work permits and were outside the country temporarily do not require a valid job offer in order to re-enter
• If you’retravelling by air, you need to follow all airline requirements and pass a health check conducted by airlines before you’re allowed to board your flight. Anyone who shows symptoms of
• COVID-19 will not be allowed to enter Canada by air.
• When you arrive in Canada, they will assess your health before you leave the port of entry. You must have a plan to quarantine for 14 days when you arrive in Canada. This is mandatory, even if you have no symptoms. If you don’t have a plan, you should not travel to Canada.
• Only people who provide essential services, for example, truck drivers who regularly cross the border to maintain the flow of goods, are exempt from the quarantine requirements.

Can I apply to extend a work permit from inside Canada?

Yes, if your work permit is still valid, you can apply to extend it from inside Canada.