Canada brings in hundreds of thousands of temporary foreign workers every year — farm hands, truck drivers, cooks, nurses, software developers. Almost all arrive the same way: with a work permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). Behind most permits sits one document you will hear about constantly, the LMIA, and one of two federal programs: the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) or the International Mobility Program (IMP). Which one applies to you decides who does the paperwork and who pays what.
This guide walks through both routes, explains the LMIA in plain terms, and ends with the warning signs that separate a real offer from a scam. Still comparing destinations? Our work visa guide shows how Canada's system differs from permits elsewhere.
Overview
A Canadian work permit authorises a foreign national to work in Canada temporarily. It comes in two forms:
- An employer-specific work permit names one employer, one job and usually one location — the type most workers hired from abroad receive.
- An open work permit lets you work for almost any employer without a job offer first. It is reserved for specific situations — recent graduates of Canadian institutions on a post-graduation work permit, spouses of certain workers and students, Working Holiday participants under International Experience Canada (IEC).
Two departments share the work: Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) runs the TFWP's labour market test, while IRCC issues the permit itself.
The Two Main Routes
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is the route for filling a genuine vacancy. The employer must first obtain a positive LMIA (explained below) proving no Canadian or permanent resident is available; only then can the worker apply. The TFWP covers high-wage and low-wage positions, agricultural workers, caregivers, and the Global Talent Stream for specialised tech and engineering roles.
The International Mobility Program (IMP) covers hiring serving Canada's broader economic, cultural or reciprocal interests — and needs no LMIA. Its main categories:
- Professionals covered by free trade agreements such as CUSMA (Canada–United States–Mexico) and CETA with Europe
- Intra-company transferees moving within a multinational company to its Canadian branch
- Workers whose employment brings a significant social, cultural or economic benefit to Canada
- International Experience Canada participants (Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op)
The IMP still has an employer step: the employer submits the offer through IRCC's Employer Portal, pays a $230 employer compliance fee, and gives you the offer of employment number before you apply. IRCC summarises who can be hired under the International Mobility Program on Canada.ca.
What Is the LMIA?
LMIA stands for Labour Market Impact Assessment: ESDC's verdict on whether hiring a foreign worker will hurt or help the Canadian labour market. A positive LMIA confirms the employer genuinely needs to hire from abroad; a negative one means the job goes to someone already in Canada.
The crucial point: the LMIA is the employer's application, not yours. The employer must:
- Advertise the job in Canada first — normally on the government's Job Bank plus other recruitment — to show Canadians had first chance at it
- Submit the LMIA application to ESDC/Service Canada and pay the processing fee of $1,000 per position requested
- Offer wages and conditions in line with Canadian rates for the job and region
That $1,000 fee is the employer's cost by law: non-refundable even if the LMIA is refused, and ESDC policy prohibits recovering it from the worker — remember this at the scams section. (Some farm and caregiver positions are fee-exempt.)
If the LMIA is positive, the employer sends you a copy plus a written job offer. It is valid for six months — apply for your work permit within that window. Jobs in Quebec also need a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ).
Requirements for Workers
Whatever the route, IRCC expects every applicant to meet the general conditions in its official work permit guide:
- Convince the officer you will leave Canada when your permit expires
- Show enough money to support yourself and family during your stay, and to return home
- Obey the law and have no criminal record — a police certificate may be requested
- Not be a danger to Canada's security
- Be in good health, with a medical exam if your job or country requires one
- Not plan to work for an employer on IRCC's list of ineligible employers, or one that regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages
- Provide any further documents the officer asks for
How to Apply
Most people apply online from outside Canada, before travelling:
- Get a genuine job offer from a Canadian employer — or confirm you qualify for an open work permit instead.
- Your employer completes their step. Under the TFWP: the positive LMIA, a copy for you, plus your contract. Under the IMP: the portal offer, the $230 fee and your offer of employment number.
- Gather your documents (below), with certified translations for anything not in English or French.
- Create an IRCC secure account and apply online. Upload your documents and pay the fees — a $155 work permit processing fee, plus $85 for biometrics if required.
- Give biometrics at a visa application centre when asked, plus any required medical exam or police certificates.
- Wait for the decision. Times vary by country and permit type; check IRCC's online processing-times tool for your case rather than trusting anyone's promised date.
- Travel after approval. You get a letter of introduction to present on arrival; the border officer issues the actual permit at the port of entry.
Documents
Your account generates a personalised checklist; most applications include:
- A valid passport or travel document
- The job offer letter or employment contract
- A copy of the positive LMIA (TFWP), or the offer of employment number (IMP)
- Proof of funds, such as bank statements
- Police certificates from countries where you have lived
- Proof of qualifications and experience — certificates, reference letters, a CV
- A medical exam receipt, where required, and a digital photo to IRCC's specifications
After You Arrive
Read your permit carefully at the border — mistakes are easier to fix on the spot. It states your employer, occupation, location and the date your status ends. Then:
- Apply for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) from Service Canada — your employer needs it to pay you
- Work only within the conditions printed on the permit; on an employer-specific permit, changing employers means a new work permit first
- Your permit runs for the length of the job offer, never beyond your passport's expiry — renew a short-dated passport early
- To stay longer, apply to extend your permit from inside Canada before it expires
Scams to Avoid
Fake Canadian job offers are an industry in themselves. IRCC's fraud prevention pages come back to one simple test: a genuine employer never charges the worker for the job or the LMIA. Honest companies pay the $1,000 fee and their own recruiters. Red flags:
- Being asked to pay for a job offer, an LMIA, "the right to apply", training, or supplies like tools or a uniform
- A recruiter charging you a fee to "find" you a job
- Wages far above the going rate for that job and region — Job Bank publishes typical wages to compare against
- A vague job description, an unclear employer, or "no experience needed" for a skilled role
- Promises that you can start working within weeks, or that a visa or permanent residence is guaranteed — no one can guarantee either
- An "employer" who communicates only through messaging apps or free email accounts and pressures you to pay quickly
If an employer breaks the TFWP rules, the LMIA can be revoked and your visa cancelled — a company willing to make you pay is a risk beyond the money.
FAQ
Can I apply for an LMIA myself?
No — only a Canadian employer can apply, for a real job in their own business. Anyone offering to sell you an LMIA is breaking the rules.
Do I always need an LMIA to work in Canada?
No. IMP hires — trade agreement professionals, intra-company transferees, IEC participants — are LMIA-exempt, and open work permits never need one. Most offers outside those categories do require the employer's positive LMIA first.
How much does a work permit cost me?
Your own fees are modest: $155 processing, plus $85 for biometrics if required. The expensive item — the $1,000 LMIA fee — is the employer's, as is the $230 IMP compliance fee.
Can I change employers once I am in Canada?
On an open work permit, yes. On an employer-specific permit, no — the new employer must complete their own LMIA or IMP step, and you need a new permit before starting work for them.
Does a work permit lead to permanent residence?
It can help: Canadian experience strengthens Express Entry and Provincial Nominee Program applications. But the permit is temporary; PR is a separate application with its own criteria.
Summary
Working in Canada legally comes down to a short chain: a real job offer, the employer's step done properly — a positive LMIA under the TFWP or a portal offer under the IMP — then your own online application to IRCC.
Most costs fall on the employer, which is why the scams work as they do: the moment someone asks you to pay for a job or an LMIA, that is not a shortcut — it is fraud. Start from Canada.ca's official pages and compare any offer with Job Bank wages. Still weighing Canada against other destinations? Our round-up of the best countries to work abroad in 2026 compares its routes with the alternatives.