Work permits: employer-specific, open, or none at all?

Three situations, not one

1. Some work needs no permit at all

The law sets out exceptions: business visitors, foreign diplomats, crew members, performing artists, athletes and a few other categories. A business visitor, for example, comes to meet clients or visit a site on behalf of an employer abroad, and both their main source of income and their main place of business must stay outside Canada.

2. The employer-specific permit

It lets you work for one employer, in a named job and often at a named location. It requires a job offer, then one of two routes:

• With an LMIA: your employer obtains a Labour Market Impact Assessment before you can apply for the permit.
• Without an LMIA: an exemption applies, for example an intra-company transfer, a trade agreement or Francophone Mobility. The employer then submits the offer of employment through the Employer Portal and pays a $230 compliance fee.

Checking for an exemption before launching an LMIA is usually the single biggest time saver. See our guide to the LMIA in Québec.

3. The open work permit

It lets you work for almost any employer in Canada. You can't simply ask for one: you have to fall into a specific category, including graduates eligible for the post-graduation work permit, certain spouses, International Experience Canada participants, and some people waiting on a permanent residence decision. An extra $100 open work permit holder fee applies.

Spousal open work permits: the rules have narrowed

Since January 21, 2025, access is far tighter than it used to be:

• Spouse of a worker: the worker must hold a job in TEER category 0 or 1, or one of the selected TEER 2 and 3 occupations (nursing, construction trades, technicians and others), and must have at least 16 months left on their work permit when the spouse applies.
• Spouse of a student: the student must be enrolled in a master's program of at least 16 months.
• Dependent children: they are no longer eligible for the family open work permit, apart from limited exceptions.
• Permanent residence application under way: different rules apply, with a 6-month threshold on the principal applicant's permit.
• Québec: since June 5, 2026, the spouse of a temporary worker who has applied for permanent selection under the PSTQ may be eligible.

Where to apply

• From outside Canada: the usual route, with the processing times of the responsible visa office.
• From inside Canada: possible if you already hold valid status here, for example as a worker, a student or, in some cases, a visitor.
• At a port of entry: limited to certain nationalities and certain exemptions. Showing up at the border without qualifying leads to a refusal of entry.

In Québec, one more step

For a position in Québec, the LMIA is processed jointly by Service Canada and Québec's immigration ministry (MIFI), and a CAQ for workers is often added. Documents must be in French. Our guide to the LMIA in Québec covers the whole process.

Federal fees

• Work permit, including an extension: $155 per person
• Open work permit holder: an additional $100
• Biometrics: $85 per person, to a maximum of $170 per family
• Employer compliance fee for LMIA-exempt offers: $230, paid by the employer

These are IRCC's fees at the time of writing. They don't include the LMIA, which the employer pays, or Québec's own fees.

What we do for you

• Determine whether your situation needs a permit, and which one: employer-specific, open, or none
• Look for an LMIA exemption before your employer commits to a long process
• Check whether your spouse qualifies for an open work permit under the current rules
• Prepare the application and plan what follows: extension, post-graduation work permit, permanent residence

Frequently asked questions

Can I change employers on an employer-specific permit?

Not freely: the permit names the employer. You need a new permit before you start with another employer, which means a new offer and, depending on the case, a new LMIA or an exemption. Starting before the authorization comes through counts as unauthorized work.

My permit expires soon. Can I keep working?

If IRCC receives your extension application before the expiry date, you keep your status and can keep working under the same conditions, as long as you stay in Canada, until a decision is made. If the permit expires with no application filed, your situation becomes far more fragile and the options are time-limited.

Official sources: IRCC, "Work permit: Who can apply" (canada.ca, modified June 1, 2026), "Who can work in Canada without a work permit", "Open work permits for family members of foreign workers: Who can apply" (June 12, 2026), "Extend or change the conditions on your work permit" and "Citizenship and immigration application fees" (July 2, 2026). Accessed September 20, 2026.