A foreign national may not work in Canada unless authorized to do so. In many instances, a work permit is required and will only be issued by an Immigration officer after Human Resources Development Canada (“HRDC”) approves the job offer of a prospective Canadian employer to a foreign national. There are exceptions to this requirement, as well, the circumstances of which vary on a case by case basis. HRDC is not required to provide an opinion on each individual offer of employment. Rather, HRDC may provide this opinion with respect to a single job offer, a group of job offers made by a single employer or a single or group of job descriptions that reflect needs across a range of Canadian employers.

The work permit will state that you can work at a specific job for a specific period of time for a specific employer. A work permit will NOT be issued for you to come to Canada to look for work. It is valid only for the specific job, the specific amount of time and the employer stated on the form.