Canada Work Visas

Employer‑specific (closed) work permits
An employer‑specific work permit ties you to one company, role and location, and is the most common way foreign workers first enter Canada. To qualify, you usually need a formal job offer and, in many cases, your employer must obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) showing that hiring you will not harm Canadian workers.
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“Easier” pathways within this category include:

LMIA‑based permits under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which are widely used when employers can show real shortages.
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LMIA‑exempt permits under the International Mobility Program, where hiring you is deemed to bring broader economic, cultural or competitive benefits—for example, intra‑company transferees or workers covered by international agreements.
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If you already have in‑demand skills and a Canadian employer ready to support the process, employer‑specific permits are often the most direct way to start working in Canada.

Open work permits
Open work permits let you work for almost any employer in Canada and are widely seen as the most flexible and “easy to grab” when you qualify. They do not require a specific job offer, though each pathway has its own eligibility rules.
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Common open‑permit routes include:

Post‑Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) for graduates of eligible Canadian colleges and universities, allowing up to three years of open work and providing a strong platform for permanent residence.
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Spousal or common‑law partner open work permits for partners of skilled foreign workers, international students and some permanent‑residence applicants, which allow them to work for any employer while in Canada.
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Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) for people already in Canada who have applied for permanent residence under programs such as Express Entry or a provincial nominee stream and need to keep working while they wait.
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Because open permits remove the need for an LMIA and a pre‑arranged job in many cases, they are often considered the most accessible options once you are inside Canada or connected to a qualifying principal applicant.

International Experience Canada and youth programs
For younger applicants from partner countries, International Experience Canada (IEC) offers one of the simplest ways to get Canadian work rights. IEC includes Working Holiday, Young Professionals and International Co‑op categories, typically aimed at people 18–35 who want short‑term work and cultural exchange.
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The Working Holiday stream usually provides an open work permit for up to two years, making it extremely attractive because no job offer is needed to apply. Young Professionals and Co‑op placements are more structured, tying you to specific employers but still offering a relatively straightforward route when you have a suitable offer. For eligible nationalities, IEC is often viewed as the easiest first step into Canadian work experience.
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Intra‑company transfers and CUSMA professionals
Canada also offers employer‑specific but LMIA‑exempt options that can be easier than standard LMIA routes when you fit their niche. Intra‑company transfer permits allow managers, executives and specialized‑knowledge employees of multinational firms to move to a Canadian branch without an LMIA.
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For citizens of the United States and Mexico, the CUSMA (formerly NAFTA) Professionals work permit is another relatively streamlined option: it covers a list of qualifying occupations, requires a job offer and documentation of credentials, but does not need an LMIA or face annual caps. These routes can be particularly attractive for experienced professionals in tech, business or engineering roles employed by companies with North American operations.
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Work permits linked to permanent residence
Some Canadian work permits are specifically designed to bridge temporary work and permanent residence, making them strategically valuable even if they are not the very easiest to obtain. For example, applicants under programs like the Canadian Experience Class, Federal Skilled Worker, Provincial Nominee Programs or the Atlantic Immigration Program can access BOWPs or employer‑specific permits while their PR applications are processed.
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Canadian work experience gained through these permits significantly increases your points or eligibility for many economic immigration pathways, so they are often recommended as part of a “work‑then‑PR” strategy. For many skilled workers, the combination of an initial closed permit and later open or bridging permits is ultimately the safest and most realistic route to long‑term status.
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In practice, the most “grab‑able” Canadian work options fall into a few clusters: employer‑specific permits when a company is willing to support you, open permits through study, relationships or PR applications, IEC for young travellers, and LMIA‑exempt routes like intra‑company transfers or CUSMA professionals. Choosing the right path depends on your age, nationality, education, work history and whether you already have ties to Canada, but understanding these categories helps you map a realistic strategy from temporary work permission to eventual permanent residence.