Canada Temporary Work Visa
Foreign citizens who want to come to Canada to work as temporary workers need to obtain the Temporary Work Visa.
For assistance with your visa application, call us today on +1 844 290 6312.
We’re here to help you in person, via the phone, or online.
Page Contents
- What is the Temporary Work Visa?
- Who is Eligible for the Temporary Work Visa?
- Who is Exempt From the Temporary Work Visa Requirement?
- What is the Application Process for the Temporary Work Visa?
- Which Visitor Visa do I Need for the Temporary Work Visa?
- What are the Costs and the Processing Time?
- How Can IAS Help?
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Temporary Work Visa?
The term Temporary Work Visa is used to describe the combination of the Canadian Work Permit and one of the Canadian Visitor Visas: the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) or the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA).
This means that those who want to come to Canada as temporary workers need to have both a work permit and one of the visitor visas. The work permit grants foreign citizens the right to work during their stay in Canada and the visitor visa is necessary for them to be able to enter the country.
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Who is Eligible for the Temporary Work Visa?
To be able to get the Temporary Work Visa, foreign citizens must meet the following requirements:
- Have a job offer from a Canadian employer
- Be able to provide a copy of the employer’s Labour Market Impact Assessment and the Labour Market Impact Assessment number
- Have enough money to sustain themselves during their stay in Canada
- Intend to leave Canada after their work permit expires
- Be committed to obeying the law
- Have no criminal record
- Be in good health
- Not plan to work for an employer placed on the ineligible list
- Not plan to work for an employer who offers striptease, erotic dance, or erotic massages.
Applicants must submit documents that prove that they meet these eligibility requirements.
Who is Exempt From the Temporary Work Visa Requirement?
Citizens of certain countries are exempt from having to obtain the Temporary Work Visa.
These countries are:
- Andorra
- Australia
- Austria
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Belgium
- British overseas territories
- Brunei Darussalam
- Bulgaria
- Chile
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Great Britain
- Greece
- Hong Kong (as long as the applicant has a passport issued by Hong Kong SAR).
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Israel
- Italy
- Japan
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Mexico
- Monaco
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Norway
- Papua New Guinea
- Poland
- Portugal
- Republic of Korea
- Romania (but only holders of the electronic passport)
- Samoa
- San Marino
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Taiwan (provided that the applicant has a passport issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taiwan that includes the personal identification number)
- United Arab Emirates
- Vatican City State (provided that the applicant has a passport or travel document issued by the Vatican).
If you are not sure whether you need a visa to come to Canada as a temporary worker, get in touch with our lawyers who will assess your situation and help you find an answer.
What is the Application Process for the Temporary Work Visa?
Foreign citizens who want to obtain the Temporary Work Visa can apply for it online or on paper. It is recommended to choose the online application as the process is quicker and more straightforward.
To apply for the Temporary Work Visa to Canada, applicants must complete the followingforms:
- Application for the work permit
- Document checklist
- Family information
- Statutory Declaration of Common-law Union
- Use of a Representative
- Authority to release personal information to a designated individual.
Typically, applications for the Temporary Work Visa to Canada need to be submitted from outside of Canada. In exceptional circumstances, foreign citizens might be able to apply for a work permit at the border or from within Canada.
Which Visitor Visa do I Need for the Temporary Work Visa?
The type of Visitor Visa the applicant needs to get depends on whether they come from a visarequired or a visa-exempt country.
Those who are citizens of visa-required countries need to obtain the Temporary Resident Visa (TRV) and those who are citizens of visa-exempt countries need to get the Electronic Travel Authorisation (eTA) instead.
It is important to note that those who successfully apply for the initial work permit to Canada, receive their Temporary Resident Visa or the eTA automatically.
So, there is no need to apply for the Visitor Visa separately.
Applicants who receive the TRV have it placed in their passport and those who are issued with the eTA have the eTA number included in the letter of introduction that comes with their work permit.
What are the Costs and the Processing Time?
The application fee for the Temporary Work Visa is CAN$155 (£102). Applicants who want to get an open work permit that is not job-specific need to pay an additional CAN$100 (£66).
Some applicants might also have to pay the biometric fee of CAN$85 (£56) if they need to provide their biometrics as part of the visa application.
As for the waiting time, it varies depending on the nationality of the applicant. Some hear the decision within a couple of weeks while others need to wait several months.
The failure to submit some of the required documents can lead to delays in the processing of the application. This is why it is recommended to hire an immigration lawyer
How Can IAS Help?
Our experienced lawyers are experts in all areas of Canadian immigration law. They have helped many clients successfully obtain various visas to Canada, including the Temporary Work Visa.
Thanks to their help, you can make your case as strong as possible and maximise the chances of your visa application being approved.
If you hire one of our lawyers, they will guide you through each step of the application process and will provide you with professional assistance and support. They will also answer any questions and clear any doubts you might have.
For more information about how our team can help, call us today on +1 844 290 6312.
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Last modified on June 17th, 2023 at 8:16 am
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Frequently Asked Questions
After you submit your application for the Temporary Work Visa, you will most likely have to attend an appointment to give your biometric information. To schedule the appointment, you need to get in touch with a Canadian Visa office or Visa Application Centre.
When you come to the appointment, immigration officials will collect the following information:
- Your name, date of birth, and other personal details
- Your fingerprints
- A digital photograph of you.
Sometimes, you might be asked to attend an interview or a medical exam. Immigration officials might also request that you submit additional documents. Once you complete these steps, the Canadian government will process your application.
If your application is approved, you will get your original documents back together with an approval letter that confirms your eligibility to work in Canada. Then, when you arrive at the border of Canada, you will get your actual work permit.
There is no set duration of the Temporary Work Visa. How long foreign workers are allowed to work depends on:
- The type of job offer they have
- The length of time listed on their Labour Market Impact Assessment (if the Canadian employer was required to get one to hire them)
- The validity of their passport or visitor visa.
Overstaying the Temporary Work Visa can lead to the foreign citizen facing financial penalties or deportation. To make sure you do not accidentally stay in Canada after your work permit expires, consult an immigration lawyer.
They will explain to you in detail what the conditions of your Temporary Work Visa are and will tell you how long you are allowed to remain in the country.
Typically, those who hold a work permit in Canada have the right to bring their immediate family members with them. You can include them in your application for the Temporary Work
Visa or they can apply to join you once you are already in the country. Keep in mind that your family members do not automatically get the right to work in Canada even though you hold a valid work permit. To be eligible to work in Canada after they join you, they need to complete a separate application for their own work permit.
If you are a temporary foreign worker in Canada and you want your family members to come to join you, or you are wondering how to include them in your visa application, get in touch with our lawyers. They will tell you what the best route to bringing your loved ones to Canada is.
When you reach the Canadian border, those working at the port of entry will check your identity to confirm whether you are the same person who got the visa. You will have to tell them what the purpose of your visit to Canada is and show them your supporting documents.
You will also have to convince the officer that you meet the requirements to enter Canada and that you intend to leave the country after your permit expires.
Based on the information you provide, the officer will make a decision whether to grant you the work permit and allow you to enter Canada as a temporary foreign worker. If they confirm your eligibility, they will print the actual work permit for you.