There are two ways you can apply:

Apply online

To apply online you must have access to a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents for uploading and have a valid credit card for payment. Determine your eligibility and apply online.

Apply on paper

Please follow steps 2 to 4 below.

There are different ways to apply for a work permit, depending on where you are applying from. Find out how to apply.

Before you fill out the application or request a work permit at a port of entry, you will need:

If you need an LMO, it is up to your employer to get it and send it to you. Learn more about HRSDC LMOs. After your employer gets confirmation that you can be offered a job, the employer will send you the LMO confirmation letter. You must submit the detailed job offer and the LMO with your application.

Remember, even if HRSDC has given a positive LMO, there is no guarantee that you will get a work permit.

Some jobs do not require an HRSDC opinion. For these jobs you will require:

proof of identity in the form of a valid passport or travel document that guarantees that you will be able to return to the country where it was issued; and

if you are not a citizen of the country in which you are applying, you must also provide proof of your present immigration status in that country.

Passport and temporary resident visa

If you want to work in Canada, you must meet the requirements for a work permit. You must also meet the general requirements for entering Canada. This means that you might also need a passport and a temporary resident visa.

A temporary resident visa is an official document that is placed in your passport.

If you require a temporary resident visa, you do not have to apply for it separately or pay a separate fee. If your work permit is approved, the visa will be issued at the same time as the documentation you need to enter Canada as a worker.

If you are a citizen or a permanent resident of the United States, Greenland or Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, you do not need a passport or a temporary resident visa to enter Canada. You must, however, provide proof of citizenship or permanent residence, such as a national identity card or an alien registration card.

There is a fee for applying for a work permit.

For current rates, go to Pay my application fees. In many countries, the fee can be paid in the local currency.

Check the website of the Visa office responsible for the country or region where you live for more information on fees, including how to pay them.

Your fee will not be refunded, even if your application is not accepted.

Once you are sure your application form is complete, sign and date it, and check that you have included all the required documents and fees. Make sure you have the right receipt for the fees.

Remember, your application will be returned to you if it is not properly completed or if documents are missing.

If you apply from outside Canada

You must submit your application to the visa office responsible for the country or region where you live. You must have legal status in your country of residence.

If you apply as you enter Canada

If you are eligible, you can make a request directly at a Canadian port of entry for authorization to work in Canada. Although no application form is used, you still must present the same documents as you would if you were applying from outside Canada.

If you apply from inside Canada

You can either mail in your application to the Case Processing Centre in Vegreville, Alberta, or apply online for your work permit.