Canada Work Visa

There are two kinds of work visa :–

Open work permit – An open work permit allows you to work freely under any employer in Canada. The only exceptions are those businesses that do not comply with the standards or engage in the sex trade or massage parlors. Since this is not bound to any employer or company, you need not pass the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LIMA) for applying for an open work permit. It is an effective and secure option for students or spouses of professionals to engage in employment activity.
Closed work permit – This is also known as Employee specific work permit. A closed work permit is issued by an employer who indents to employ you in his/her business. It restricts you to work for a specific employer during a fixed period. Since this is employer-specific, the permit has to be accompanied by a LIMA certificate, which clearly states that any Canadian citizen could not have fulfilled the role. It is to ensure that the government protects the livelihood and opportunities of the citizens first.

These visas or work permit comes under the TFWP program (Temporary Foreign Worker Program). Under this program, there are four categories of workers

✓ Highly skilled workers program
✓ Low skilled/unskilled workers program
✓ Seasonal Agricultural workers program
✓ Caregivers’ program

Any Canadian employer needs to get the LIMA approval before offering you a job. It ensures that no foreign immigrant takes away any opportunity entitled to a Canadian citizen.