For entering Canada as a temporary foreign worker, you must first obtain a work permit. It is better to understand why this program has been initiated by the federal government. The temporary foreign worker program is for the benefit of the employers in Canada who want to hire skilled persons from other countries when there is a shortage of required skills in their own country.
For an aspiring immigrant, it can be a win-win situation if he gets to enter the Canadian land through this particular program. First, you will have to qualify for either of the various kinds of work permits that are offered by the immigration authorities in Canada.
Requisites For Temporary Foreign Worker Program
In case you are not a Canadian national/citizen or permanent resident you will have to get a work permit for staying legally in the country. For that, you will have to first apply to a Canadian visa office or Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a work permit. To apply for the work permit you must have a job offer letter from an employer in Canada.
Also, the employer has to fulfill a few formalities before sending you the job offer. He must get Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) confirmation from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). It is this organization that decides whether the employer who is sending you a job offer is justified in hiring a foreign national to fill up a vacancy at his workplace.
Apart from that, you can also qualify under special work permits that are reserved for some workers like business people, agricultural workers, and caregivers. Importantly, in the current scenario of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for caregivers and workers from the healthcare sector has increased which has elevated the chances of getting a work permit under a temporary foreign worker program for immigrants.
Applying For Special Type Of Work Permit From Inside Canada
If you are already inside the country then you can apply for a special type of work permit if:
- You possess a valid work or study permit
- Have a common-law partner, parents or spouse with a valid work or study permit
- You are a graduate from a community college, Canadian university, public-funded technical or trade school, CEGEP, or any other school considered eligible by the country’s immigration authorities.
- You are a holder of a temporary residence permit with validity of six months or more
- You are awaiting a decision on your permanent residency application while staying inside Canada
- You want to or have already claimed for refugee protection
- The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada has given you recognition as a protected person or a convention refugee
- Canadian authorities have permitted you to work in the country without a work permit but you need it to apply for a different job
- You are an investor, trader, professional under NAFTA or an intra-company transferee
From Being Temporary Foreign Worker To Permanent Resident
You should keep in mind that work permits cannot help you to become a permanent resident of Canada as they are temporary. For becoming a permanent resident of the country you must qualify as a skilled worker. As a person who has entered Canada through temporary foreign worker program, you can become a permanent resident by applying for
- Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
- Opportunities Ontario: Provincial Nominee Program (PNP)
- Caregiver Program