Almost every question about Canadian work permits comes down to which of these two you are eligible for. They are assessed differently, cost different amounts and take different lengths of time.
| Employer-specific | Open | |
|---|---|---|
| Tied to one employer | Yes | No |
| Usually needs an LMIA | Yes, unless exempt | No |
| Typical holders | Skilled workers with a Canadian offer | Post-graduation, spouses of workers or students, some youth programs |
| Changing jobs | Needs a new permit | Free to change |
A Labour Market Impact Assessment is the employer proving no Canadian was available. It is slow and it is the employer’s job, not yours. What most applicants miss is how many routes skip it entirely.
Canadian work experience is worth substantial CRS points and unlocks the Canadian Experience Class. For many applicants whose score is short, a year of skilled Canadian work does more than any amount of retaking the language test. That is the sequence we build toward rather than treating the permit as an end in itself – see how the CRS actually works.
The permit itself is issued at the border, not before you fly. The document you receive beforehand authorises travel; the officer issues the permit on entry.
Where you work matters as much as whether you work. Several provincial streams are built to convert a work permit into a nomination, and a nomination is worth 600 CRS points – effectively an invitation. Choosing an employer in a province whose streams match your occupation is a decision worth making before you accept, not after. Our provincial nominee service maps that.
Not every Canadian work permit needs a labour market test, and the exempt routes are faster because the longest stage disappears. It is worth checking whether one applies before your employer starts an LMIA that takes months.
| Route | Who it fits |
|---|---|
| Intra-company transfer | Employees moving to a Canadian branch, subsidiary or affiliate of their current employer |
| CUSMA professionals | A defined list of occupations, for citizens of the United States and Mexico |
| Global Talent Stream | Employer-driven, for occupations on the global talent list, with a much shorter processing standard |
| Spouse of a student or worker | An open permit, with no employer or offer needed at all |
| Post-graduation work permit | Graduates of eligible Canadian institutions |
A spouse can usually apply for an open work permit alongside your application, and dependent children can study without a separate study permit. Lodging the family together is generally simpler than following later – the relationship and dependency evidence is the same either way, and one submission avoids a second round of biometrics and fees. Where the spouse also intends to work, the open permit is normally worth more to the household than the principal permit alone.
Only through an open permit route – post-graduation, spousal, or a youth mobility program. Otherwise an offer is required.
The spouse of a skilled worker is generally eligible for an open work permit, which is one of the strongest reasons to plan the two applications together.
Not automatically, but Canadian skilled experience feeds directly into Express Entry and the Canadian Experience Class.
Processing follows IRCC service standards and varies by country and permit type – see our page on processing time after biometrics.
The whole file is prepared from our Hyderabad office and lodged online. What needs local planning is the biometric appointment, the medical where one is required, and police clearance – the item people consistently start too late. We sequence those so nothing expires before the decision.
Send us your offer, your occupation and your NOC. We will tell you whether an LMIA is needed, whether an exemption applies, and how the permit fits into a PR plan. Talk to our Canada team in Hyderabad.
