Work Permit

Canada broadly has two work permit pathways that individuals can pursue:

Temporary residents may still be able buy a house in Canada if they meet certain conditions under the new regulations.

One key reason behind the growing number of qualified workers in Canada, is a strong and internationally accredited post-secondary education system, which Canadians have benefitted from. The strength of the educational sector can be seen by its growth just among Canadians.

Canada announced in April that PGWP holders would get an extension. Now in July, these international student graduates still have no way to apply and are losing their legal status.

Months after introducing a special measure to allow certain Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) holders to apply for a new open work permit that would allow them to keep working in Canada, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser is blaming technical issues for the delay.

Canada’s aging population is set to benefit Canadian-born and immigrant workers alike.

Canada is enjoying its lowest unemployment rate ever.

On the surface, this may seem strange given the coronavirus pandemic.

There are several reasons why Canada remains a top destination for international students—including the standard of education, lower costs, obtaining work, and immigration opportunities post-graduation.

More work permits are issued every year. Here are some of the ways Canadian employers can hire foreign workers.

Canadian employers hire hundreds of thousands of international workers every year through more than 100 different work permit pathways. With the exception of 2020, these numbers have only been going up since 2015 and there are no signs of stopping.

IRCC continues to weigh its options and is going to submit a new Express Entry plan to the Deputy Minister. A recent internal memo by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) states the department remains undecided on its Express Entry plans for this year but invitations to FSWP and CEC candidates will resume “later in 2022.”

The Deputy Minister is the senior-most non-political official in each Canadian government department. Unlike the Minister, who is an elected official tasked with carrying out the government’s political agenda, the Deputy Minister is responsible for providing the government with technocratic advice.
Key components of the memo include Invitation to apply rounds for Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, and Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP) candidates will resume later in 2022.

Those who have applied under the Home Child Care Provider (HCCP) and Home Support Worker Pilot (HSW) will now need less Canadian work experience to qualify for permanent residence.

Alongside the cost-of-living requirement, IRCC also announced that it is extending the waiver on the 20 hours of work per week cap for international students until April 30, 2024. Only students already in Canada, as well as those who have already submitted an application for a study permit as of December 7th, 2023, are eligible for this extension.

Not all foreign nationals require a work permit. There are 22 specific groups eligible to work without one: