To participate in this program your country of citizenship must have an agreement with Canada. There are currently 37 countries that contribute to this program. A country that has a coalition with Canada will allow you to apply for an IEC work permit.
The different program streams are:
This allows the participant to fund their vacation with temporary work in Canada and is considered an open work permit. The program is built for people that; don’t have a job offer yet, individuals wanting to work for more than one employer or location in Canada during their travels.
This is an employer-specific work permit. It allows individuals to acknowledge Canadian professional work experience while working for the same employer at the same location in Canada.
- INTERNATIONAL CO-OP INTERNSHIP
This stream will allow individuals to acquire valuable overseas work experience associated with their field of study. The work permit is employer-specific and designed for school or college students that are registered at a post-secondary institution, have an employment offer for a job placement or internship in Canada, the same employer, and site, and are required a work placement or internship to finalize their studies
Canada, the United States, and Mexico Agreement facilitates temporary entry for business persons who are citizens of the U.S., Mexico, and Canada and who are involved in the trade of goods or services, or investment activities.
CUSMA removes the need for a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for all business persons, Professionals, Intra-Company Transferees, and Traders & Investors covered by the Agreement. In the case of a business visitor, it removes the necessity for a work permit.
For professionals and intra-company transferees, it expedites the application process because one can apply at the port of entry (POE), (note that nationals who require a temporary resident visa to enter Canada, however, should apply at a visa office before coming to Canada).
- HOME CHILD CARE PROVIDER PILOT PROGRAM & HOME SUPPORT WORKER PILOT PROGRAM
It is a pilot program run by the Canadian government for 5 years starting in 2019 in which 2750 applications will be accepted every year for each program. These programs have been designed to bring home child care providers and home support workers to Canada on a 36 months temporary work permit with an ability to apply for permanent residence after gaining 24 months of work experience in Canada.
- OWNER/OPERATOR WORK PERMIT
Owner/Operator LMIA is a specialized application whereby an individual or a self-employed person wishing to settle in Canada can apply for the same either via purchasing an existing business or simply establishing a new one. A foreign national would be an Owner/Operator if they establish that they have a controlling interest within the business. There is no minimum investment requirement to be eligible to apply for this program.
Foreign nationals wishing to come to Canada to operate a business can apply for a work permit and become Permanent Residents once they become eligible.
