Canada Temporary Work Visa

A Temporary Work Visa is a document that allows an immigrant to work in Canada for a specified period. It’s a term used to describe a blend of two different papers unofficially. These are the Canadian Work Permit and one of the Canadian visitor visas: either the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).

You need both a work permit and visitor visa to work in Canada temporarily–a visitor visa gets you into the country while a valid work permit lets you work.

Page Contents

• What is a Temporary Work Visa?
• Do I need a Temporary Resident Visa in Canada?
• Visa Requirement for a Temporary Foreign Worker
• Your Eligibility for a Canada Temporary Work Visa
• Applying for a Temporary Work Visa in Canada
• Fees and Processing Time for the Visa
• What Happens After You Apply for a Temporary Work Visa
• What to Do at the Canadian Border
• How Can IAS Help?

As referred above, you would need a Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) to enter Canada if you are not a Canadian citizen or have permanent residence status in Canada. You may also need one if you have been authorized to re-enter Canada and your previous TRV has expired.

Temporary foreign workers from this list will not need a temporary work permit for Canada. Conversely, if your country is not listed, you’ll require a TRV instead of an eTA to enter Canada.

The answer to this question depends on your nationality. You may already have a valid TRV if you recently travelled to Canada or if you have a multiple-entry visa that is still valid. You will need a Temporary Resident Visa if you visit Canada from a visa-required list country. You will require an Electronic Travel Authorization if your country is on the visa-exempt list (eTA).

If you apply for a work visa before coming to Canada, you will automatically get either a TRV or an eTA upon approval of your study/work permit application. In this case, you won’t need to apply for an eTA or a TRV separately, nor will you be charged extra costs. It will be placed inside your passport if you’re given a TRV. The letter of introduction you’ll get when they approve your work permit will include the eTA.

To work in Canada on a Temporary Visa, one must first get a work permit. To be approved for a work permit in Canada, you must satisfy the following conditions:

• Persuade an officer at the office that you will depart Canada after the expiry temporary work permit.
• Bring documentation to demonstrate that you have the financial ability to support yourself during your stay and return home.
• Be law-abiding and have a clean criminal record.
• Not a security threat to Canada.
• Be in good physical condition and experience a medical test, if required.
• Do not expect to find employment with Canadian employers on the ineligible list.
• Unwilling to work for Canadian employers who often provide striptease, erotic massages, erotic dance, and escort services.
• Bring any documents that may prove your eligibility to enter the country, as border services officers will likely ask for them upon arrival.

There are further criteria for obtaining an employer-specific work permit. You must have the following if you want to apply:

• A letter of employment from one of the eligible Canadian employers.
• A contract/agreement with the Canadian employer.
• Labour Market Impact Assessment of the employer.

Although you have the option to apply for the visa both online and on paper, the IRCC secure account system is recommended to avoid processing delays.

Applying from outside Canada is the standard procedure, although there are some specific cases in which you might apply for work permits from within Canada or at the border.

The following forms need to be completed when applying for a Temporary Work Visa:

• Application form for the Work Permit.
• Document Checklist.
• Detailed Family Information.

You must also complete the following documents/forms if they are relevant to you:

• Common-law Union Statutory Declaration.
• Authorisation of a Representative.
• Authority form to disclose personal info to a designated person.

Remember that each visa category has its own documents and measures required to submit an application. These will also vary based on where you apply for a work permit.

The fee for applying for a Temporary Work Visa per person is CAD 155. In addition, you may be charged a one-time open work permit fee of CAD 100 if you want to apply for a non-specific work permit. If you require biometrics for visa application, there is an additional fee of CAD 85.

The processing time for a work permit application is between 2 weeks and four months, depending on your nationality and the country where you apply. It could take longer if you need to have a medical exam as part of your application. You can use the IRCC website to check the estimated processing time that applies to your situation.

After submitting your Temporary Work Visa application, you might need to provide your biometric details. You must make an appointment at a Canadian Visa Application Centre (or visa office) to complete this. You will find several VACs across the world.

The following information/documents are typically collected from you during your appointment:

• Personal information such as Name, DOB, and other data are provided on your travel document (passport).
• Your unique fingerprints.
• Your digital photo.

The Canadian government may ask you for an interview in your own country, submit to a medical inestigation, or provide more information before processing your application. Then they will review it to ensure that all required documents are included. If your application process is incomplete, they will send it back to you unprocessed.

Once your application is authorised, you will receive both your documents and a letter confirming that you’re now allowed to work in Canada temporarily. If you need a TRV to visit Canada, you will receive one in your valid passport when it is returned from the application process.

For eTA, the eTA number you need to visit Canada will be linked to the passport and included in the letter of approval the would issue. However, for the work permit, you need to get to the border.

When you arrive at the Canadian border or airport, a border services officer will ensure that you’re the person already approved to work in Canada and that the job you’re coming to do is the same as what was described on your application.

You must inform the officer at the border that you are visiting Canada for working purpose. When asked, you should also be ready to produce your supporting papers. These may include your job offer number, a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from your employer, or evidence that you fulfil the job requirements.

If you get into Canada through certain airports, they would automatically check your fingerprints upon arrival. However, if you’re entering via a smaller airport or land port of entry, border officials may take your fingerprints as part of the secondary inspection process.

Moreover, you must persuade the officer with the fact that:

• You fulfill Canada’s entry requirements.
• At the ending of your authorized stay, you’ll leave Canada.
• You have favourable medical inestigation results if you need one for immigration purposes.

If your application is successful, the border officer will then decide whether to grant you a temporary work visa and authorise you to enter Canada. The officer will print your work permit once they’ve verified your papers and confirmed that you are permitted to enter Canada.