What is a Temporary Work Permit?

Categories: Temporary Work Permit 

A Temporary Work Permit allows foreign workers to take a job in Alberta and Canada on a temporary basis. In almost all cases, you must have a job offer in Canada before you can apply for a Temporary Work Permit. Foreign workers who want to take a job in Alberta will need a Temporary Work Permit.

Visitors can work in Canada if they get permission from a Canadian visa office in their own country before entering.

The Temporary Work Permit is tied to the job for which you were confirmed and is only valid for a limited time: usually multiples of 6 months. This means that you cannot work for another employer without having your Temporary Work Permit updated or amended.

How do I apply for a Temporary Work Permit?

  1. You must be offered a job by an employer in Canada. The employer must ask Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) for permission in order to hire a foreign worker. These requests are submitted to local HRSDC offices in Alberta.
  2. The job offer will be examined by HRSDC. They will consider if it is actually necessary to hire you from abroad or if the job could more easily be filled from the local labour market. This is called providing a labour market opinion. In Alberta, this is frequently positive because there are not enough local workers. A positive outcome is called a confirmation.
  3. Once your job officer is confirmed, HRSDC will notify your local Canadian visa office You can then apply to for a Temporary Work Permit.
    Thanks to recent federal-provincial government agreements, Alberta employers can now get HRSDC confirmation more quickly than ever before.

How much does it cost?

The application for a Temporary Work Permit (and a Temporary Resident Permit) is CAD $75 for a single entry, and CAD $150 for a multiple entry permit.

How long does it take?

The current processing time for Temporary Work Permits ranges from 2 to 30 working days, depending on the visa office you apply to.

Where can I find more information?

You can get more information, including application forms and instruction kits at the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) under Working Temporarily in Canada.

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