How to Get a Work Visa in Canada in 2023

A work visa is needed by most foreign nationals in 2023. Many people are wondering about How to get a work visa in Canada in 2023, there are 2 types of work permits – Employer specific work permit and Open work permit.

Employer-specific work permit

It lets you work in Canada according to conditions such as, how long you can work, the name of the specific employer you can work for, and the location where you can work on your work permit. It is important to know if you want to get a work visa in Canada in 2023.

Your employer must give you a copy of your employment contract and a copy of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). If you are an LMIA-exempt worker, you need to get an offer of employment number instead of LMIA. Your employer must use the employment portal to get this number. Your employer must give you a copy of the employment contract if he/she does not need to use the employer portal to submit the offer of employment.

Open work permit

There is another way to get a work visa in Canada in 2023. Open work permit lets you work for any employer in Canada, except for one that is listed as ineligible on the list of employers who have failed to comply with conditions. Your spouse or common-law partner may be able to study, work or live with you while you work in Canada but there are certain modifications in the eligibility of spouses and dependent children of work permit holders. Their eligibility will be expanded from January 30, 2023.

You are eligible for an open work permit if you are a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child of a work permit holder who is the principal applicant and has an open work permit or works in a job of any TEER (Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities) category (0 to 5). You are also eligible if you are a spouse, common-law partner, or dependent child of a work permit holder who is an economic class’s permanent resident applicant. You need to verify if you’re eligible or not in order to get a work visa in Canada in 2023.

Spouses and dependents of workers in a TEER 4 or 5 job under the low wage stream of the Agricultural Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program are not eligible at this time.

Eligibility requirements for all applicants

There are specific requirements you need to meet depending on whether you are inside or outside Canada to get a work visa in Canada in 2023, but regardless of where you apply or which type of work permit you are applying for, you must: 

• Show proof of enough funds to support your family in Canada during your stay here and to return home.
• Prove to an officer that after expiry of your work permit, you will leave Canada.
• Provide a police clearance certificate to prove no record of criminal activity.
• Provide your medical examination certificates to prove you are healthy.
• Give the officers any other documents they ask to prove you can enter the country.
• Not work for an employer with “ineligible” status.

Eligibility requirements if anyone applies from outside Canada

Anyone can apply before entering the country to get a work visa in Canada in 2023, there may be visa office requirements you need to meet depending on what country or territory you are applying from.

Eligibility requirements if anyone applies from inside Canada

You can apply for the work permit from inside Canada if you:

• Hold a valid work or study permit.
• Have a spouse, common-law partner, or parents with a valid study or work permit.
• Have a valid temporary resident permit.
• Claimed refugee protection.
• Are waiting from inside Canada, on a decision on an application for permanent residence.
• Have been recognized as a conventional refugee or protected person by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.
• Are an investor, trader, intra-company transferee, or professional under the Canada – United States – Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).
• Are allowed to work in Canada without a work permit but you need permit to work in a different job.

Eligibility requirements if you apply when you enter Canada at a port of entry

You must apply for your work permit before traveling to Canada to get a work visa in Canada in 2023, but you can apply for a work permit when you enter Canada if you are eligible. To apply at a port of entry (POE) you must be eligible for an electronic travel authorization or to travel without a visitor visa and meet other requirements depending on what kind of work permit you’re applying for. You need to apply online for a work permit.

How an application is processed?

If you’re outside Canada

It will be made sure that you have all the necessary documents including the biometrics (fingerprints and photo), application will be returned if the documents are incomplete. An officer will also check the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions to make sure the employer can hire you and that you qualify for a work permit. You may also be asked to go to an interview with officials in your country and send more information or documents. You’ll get an approval letter if your work application is approved, the letter is not your permit but you need to present it at the port of entry.

You will get your work permit once you arrive in Canada which will outline the following:· 

Where you can work.

How long you can work?

The employer you can work for

Nature of work you can do

If you’re in Canada

The initial procedure of gathering documents for verification is the same. If you’re a visitor who is applying for a work permit in Canada and held a valid permit in the last 12 months, you can be allowed to work while your application is processed. You must be physically present when you apply, be a visitor with valid status for applying, applied for an employer-specific work permit between August 24, 2020, and February 28, 2023, and have held a work permit that was valid in 12 months before you applied to be eligible.