Can I Work While Under A Canadian Visitor Visa?

Like the United States, Canada protects itself against labour problems by generally not allowing individuals to work with a Canadian Visitor Visa. That being said, most people will not be able to apply for a work permit while in the country for vacation or for a visit. However, there are some conditions and programs that offer visitors a chance to apply for a work permit while holding a visitor’s visa. Selecting the right path can mask the process easy and simple for you or your loved ones.

Canadian Visitor Visa Restrict Economic Activity

The visitor visa is created in order to allow people entrance to Canada for the purposes of tourism, family, or other short stays. Depending on the country from which you arrive, the maximum duration of the stay is six months.

Depending on the application you put forth, you may be granted a single-entry visa or a multiple-entry visa. For multi-entry visitor visas, you may be valid to leave and re-enter for up to a decade, with the longest stay being half-a-year. With the single stay visa, in some cases, when you leave you may need to reapply for another visa.

One of the requirements for these types of visas is to demonstrate that you will return to your native country when visa expires, with ties to home such as employment and/or financial assets there considered proof. In fact, the idea of the visitor visa is that you’re not arriving in Canada specifically to get a job. If an immigration official have the slightest idea that you’re making an attempt to obtain a work permit in Canada through a visitor visa, then you may be denied entry altogether.

Applying To Work While In Canada

When you’re within the borders of the country as a visitor, the majority of applications to work within Canada will be immediately denied. While you’re in Canada as a visitor, there are specific circumstances that will enable you to apply. In most cases, you’ll need to apply from outside Canada before you’ll be allowed to obtain a work permit.

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), you may apply for a work permit within Canada under the following circumstances:

• If a valid study or work permit is held by your parents or spouse.
• If you want to apply for a permit for a different type of employment while possessing a permit for your current work.
• If you possess a temporary resident permit and the validity is longer than half a year.

You’ll be required to pay fees and sort out the right offices to apply through for the work permit. Even if you’re permitted to apply within Canada, you may still be required to submit this application to an embassy that’s located within your home country.

Consider Visiting Under A Work-Based Program Instead

Tourists under visitor visas are mostly welcome in Canada partly because of tourism dollars. Canada seeks to improve the economy in so many ways one of which is through labor and investment programs that address key needs within sectors that are important to the growth of the Canadian economy.

When applying for a temporary work permit, your employer is required to fill out a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in order to be able to hire you under the work permit. The idea is to protect jobs meant for Canadian citizens or permanent residents.

When a spouse or a common-law partner seeks a work permit, they may be able to apply because you already have your own set up. In this case, you’ll need to prove that your permit is valid for six months or longer, and that the job you’re performing is classified at “Skill Level 0, A, or B in the National Occupation Classification.”

Depending on your choice of area in Canada you wish to work in, you may also discover that certain provincial programs may be appropriate for the type of work you intend to apply for. One good example is the PEI provincial nominee program, which invites workers and investors to the province under their business impact or labour impact category.

You can also see the different type of work permit for Canada.