Many people come to Canada to work temporarily and then return to their home country, possibly to return for temporary work again. Every year, over 150,000 foreign workers enter Canada to work temporarily in jobs that help Canadian employers address skill shortages, or to work as live-in caregivers. Imagine working for part of the year and taking your Canadian salary back with you to your home country where it would convert into a
great sum which would enable you to not have to work or work so hard for the rest of the year in your home country! If you find this option appealing this may be a good reason for you to come to Canada.
For many, coming to Canada as a temporary worker may be a confusing process, therefore, utilizing the services of a licensed immigration consultant can make the whole process a lot easier and we can also help to arrange employment if you are not sure where to start. Effective April 1, 2011, employers and certain temporary foreign workers will be subject to additional requirements under new Temporary Foreign Worker regulations, just another reason to consult with an immigration consultant.
For most temporary workers a work permit is required. The following may not require a work permit:
You may not need a work permit if you fall into one of the following categories:
- Athletes and coaches
- Aviation accident or incident investigators
- Business visitors
- Civil aviation inspectors
- Clergy
- Convention organizers
- Crew members
- Emergency service providers
- Examiners and evaluators
- Expert witnesses or investigators
- Family members of foreign representatives
- Foreign government officers
- Foreign representatives
- Health-care students
- Judges, referees and similar officials
- Military personnel
- News reporters, film and media crews
- Performing artists
- Public speakers
- Students working on campus
If you intend to work in the province of Quebec, you must obtain a certificat d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ)before a work permit can be issued
If you want to work in Canada, you must understand the following important information:
- Your employer helps determine if you are eligible. Your employer may need to get a labour market opinion from Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC). A labour market opinion confirms that the employer can fill the job with a foreign worker.
- To work in Canada, you must meet the general requirements for entering the country and for staying here, in addition to those for getting a work permit. This means you may need a temporary resident visa.
- A work permit is not an immigration document. It does not allow you to live in Canada permanently. To live here permanently, you must qualify under an immigration category, such as skilled worker. Live–in caregivers can stay in Canada permanently if they meet certain requirements.
- If you want your spouse or common–law partner and your dependent children to come with you to Canada, they must apply to do so.
When you come to Canada for temporary work there are certain requirements you need to meet. You will need a work permit and a temporary resident visa. Your employer helps to determine if you are eligible to work in Canada. On their end they complete paperwork (a labour market opinion, from the HRSDC) to confirm that they can fill the job with a foreign worker. If you want to come to Canada to live permanently you should apply under the Skilled Worker category or under live in care.
Those coming to work temporarily here don’t need to be separated from their family members. If this is something deterring you from coming to reap the benefits of working in Canada, keep in mind that you don’t need to leave your family behind, and they may also work while they are here with you!