Canadian work visa and work in Canada
A Canadian Work Visa is issued under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP) by the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The TFWP aims to help Canadian employers respond to labor market shortages by hiring foreign workers.
TFWP consists of four streams:
- Highly skilled workers,
- Low-skilled workers,
- Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program
- Home Caregivers Program.
Foreign workers must have a job offer approved by a Canadian employer and a work visa before entering Canada under the TFWP.
The Canadian Immigration Service (IRCC) works with the Canadian Employment and Social Development Administration (ESDC) to ensure that foreign workers are not employed in jobs where Canadian citizens or permanent residents are employed. Canadian employers who intend to hire a foreign worker must obtain prior approval from the agency. This is done at the request of the Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
In some cases, foreign workers under various programs or in some Canadian cities may be eligible to work in Canada without the need for an LMIA.