Canadian work permits step by step: LMIA, open and employer-specific
Nothing checked off yet
First visit? Here's how the map works.1
Steps run in order. A dashed step is blocked: something before it has to be finished first.
2
Check a step off when it's done. Whatever it was blocking unlocks by itself.
3
Some steps are IRCC's to make, not yours. Those show as waiting and can't be checked off.
Work permitsWork out what you needStep 1 of 7
Not startedFree · 15 minutes · RequiredYou are here
1. Check whether you need a permit at all
Most foreign nationals need a permit to work in Canada, but not all.
The rest of the pathway, folded up
This view fits the whole pathway on one screen: the step you're on is enlarged, its neighbours are shown small, and everything further out is folded into a summary bar you can open. The idea is borrowed from degree-of-interest trees (Card and Nation, 2002).
Times and fees on this page are rough and change without notice. Check canada.ca before you pay for anything or make a plan around a date.