A work permit is a written authorization issued by an officer that allows a foreign national to engage in employment in Canada. It is linked to a specific job, employer, and location. Depending on the nature of the activity in Canada and the country of origin of the foreign worker, a work permit and/or visa may not be necessary (for example, under an international trade agreement). However, in most cases, the foreign worker will require either a TRV or eTA and a work permit. An open work permit is not linked to a specific job, employer, or location.
A foreign national with an open work permit may work in most jobs and may change employers without having to apply to IRCC for approval. Some open permits, however, may have restrictions. A labour market impact assessment (LMIA) is issued by the federal department of Economic and Social Development Canada (ESDC). It is an opinion that allows an officer to assess the effect that a permanent job offer to a foreign worker will have on Canada’s economy (positive, negative, or neutral). Several factors are considered, such as wages, working conditions, the availability of Canadians or permanent residents to do the work, and the skills and knowledge transfer and job creation that may result from employing a foreign worker. A positive LMIA means that the hiring of a foreign worker would have a beneficial impact on Canada’s labour market.
