A work permit, which is a legal document allowing a foreign national to engage in employment and receive payment from a Canadian employer, is necessary for the majority of foreign nationals who want to work in Canada. A foreigner may, however, be able to work in Canada without a work permit in some exceptional cases.
Jobs That DO NOT Require A Work Permit in Canada
The following jobs may be performed by foreign nationals without needing a work visa in Canada. It should be emphasized that merely being listed on this list does not automatically entitle one to a work permit exemption.
A person’s job must be on this list in order for them to be eligible for a work permit exemption, and individuals must fulfill the extra exemption requirements listed on the International Mobility Program website for their particular job in order to qualify.
1. Player or Coach
2. Investigator for Aviation Accidents or Incidents
3. Inspector for Civil Aviation 4. Clergy
5. Conference Planner
6. Crew Member Who Provides Emergency Services
7. Examiner Or Judge
8. Investigator Or Expert Witness
9 Member Of The Foreign Representative’s Family
10. Official Or Representative Of A Foreign Government
11. Student Of Health Care 12. Judge, Referee, or Comparable Official
13. Armed Forces Personnel
14. Reporter or members of a media publicity group
15. A Producer Or Employee Who Creates Commercials
16. Artist Performing, Speaking in public Places
17. Temporary Highly Skilled Employee
18. Temporary Researcher
19. Student Off-Campus Employment
20. Working on-campus as a Student.
A foreign national may qualify for a work permit exemption if they work in one of the positions or circumstances mentioned above.
1. Player or Team Coach
You might not need a work permit if you are a foreign national competing in Canada as a member of a foreign athletic team. Athletes, coaches, and other teammates on international teams are covered by this clause. You need a work permit if you are a member of a Canadian team.
2. Investigation Of Aviation Incidents or Accidents
You might not need a work permit to conduct such investigations in Canada if you are accredited as an agent or adviser to look into aircraft accidents and other events. The investigation must fall under the purview of the Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act to be eligible for the exemption.
3. Business Traveler:
Foreign nationals who visit Canada for business purposes but do not work there are referred to as business visitors. You might not need a Canadian work permit if you fall under the category of a business visitor.
Note: To be eligible for the exemption, you must fit the criteria of a business person, which differs significantly from a business visitor.
4. Aviation Safety Inspector:
You can be eligible for a work visa exemption if your job involves inspecting the cabin safety and flight operations of international flights that pass through Canada.
5. Clergy
You can be eligible for a work permit exemption to carry out religious work in Canada if you are a foreign national and you are an ordained minister, a layperson, or a member of a religious organization. Preaching theology, directing worship, and/or providing spiritual counseling are only a few of your responsibilities in Canada.
6. Conference Planner:
You can be entitled to a work permit exemption if you plan or direct international conferences or gatherings. Please be aware that this exemption only applies to conference organizers; anyone offering hands-on services (such as audio-visual services) must have the proper work authorization.
7. Team Member:
You can be eligible for a work permit exemption if you are a foreign national who works as a truck driver, bus driver, shipping, or airline employee. Your employment must fulfill two requirements in order to be eligible for the exemption:
Your work must be related to the operation of the vehicles and/or the serving of passengers. You must be working on vehicles that are owned and registered by businesses outside of Canada and are used to transport cargo and/or passengers internationally.
8. Provider Of Emergency Services:
You can be eligible for a work permit exemption if you are a foreign national and you will be working in Canada to offer services during an emergency. Your assistance must be used to protect Canadian property or human life. Natural catastrophes like fires or floods as well as industrial incidents that endanger the environment are also considered emergencies.
9. Examiner Or Judge:
If you are a professor or academic specialist from outside Canada, you can qualify for a work permit exemption to carry out specific types of activities there. These tasks include assessing and/or supervising research proposals, theses, and academic projects. You might work for a Canadian university or a Canadian research organization.
10. Investigator Or Expert Witness:
You can be qualified for a work permit exemption if you are employed in Canada to offer testimony in front of an administrative tribunal, a court of law, or another tribunal.
11. A Member Of The Foreign Representative’s Family;
You might qualify for a Canadian work permit exemptions if you are the spouse, child, or foreign representative. You must fulfill the requirements listed below in order to be eligible:
You must have a GAC counterfoil in your passport as well as accreditation from Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
A letter of no objection from GAC is required. Normally, this letter would only be sent if Canada and the other country had a reciprocal employment agreement.
official or representative of a foreign government
If you satisfy one of the three criteria listed below, you can be eligible for a work permit exemption:
You hold a position with a foreign government and are covered by an exchange agreement that permits officials to serve in your country’s government and In Canada.
12. You Represent Another Nation As A Diplomat Or Other Official Representative.
You are a UN official or a diplomat from a different country.
If an employee of another government will be working in Canada for more than three months, they must obtain an official letter.
13. Student Of Medicine:
You might qualify for a work permit exemption if you’re a foreign national studying healthcare in Canada and want to work while enrolled in a training program. You must fulfill the four requirements listed below in order to be eligible for the exemption:
Clinical clerkship participation is required.
Your employment’s primary objective is to train you.
Your profession’s provincial regulatory body must have given you formal consent (please note that not all provinces require this).
Your training period cannot exceed four months.
You will need a work permit if you don’t meet all of these requirements.
14. Judge, Arbitrator, Or Comparable Official:
You may be eligible for a work permit exemption if you are a foreign national traveling to Canada to serve as a judge or official at an amateur international competition. This exemption is applicable to the following categories of events:
Festivals of dance and music.
zoo exhibits.
Agri-sports competitions.
armed forces personnel
You may qualify for a work permit exemption in Canada if you are a member of another nation’s military services. You must obtain movement orders declaring that you are visiting Canada in accordance with the Visiting Forces Act in order to be eligible for this exemption.
15. Reporter For The News Or Members of The Media:
You can be eligible for a work permit exemption if you are a foreign national working as a news reporter or on a film and media crew in Canada. To be eligible, you must fulfill one of the requirements listed below:
You must be a reporter for the news or a part of a reporter’s team.
You must be a part of a media or film crew that isn’t planning on working in Canada.
You must be a journalist who works for a non-Canadian print, radio, television, or online medium.
You have to be a local reporter.
You must work as a manager or administrative assistant for an event that lasts no longer than six months.
16. Producer Or Employee Preparing Advertisements
You can be eligible for a work permit exemption if you are entering Canada to participate in a foreign-financed commercial or advertising shoot for television, publications, or other media. You must hold one of the following roles in order to be eligible:
producer of movies actor director technician
additional crucial personnel
Only temporary employment, typically lasting no more than two weeks, is covered by this exception.
17. Artist Performing:
A work permit is not required for some overseas performers to work in Canada. The foreign national must fulfill the following conditions in order to be eligible for this exemption:
You are the foreign artist or a significant member of the artist’s team.
For a brief period of time, you will perform in Canada.
The organization that employed you will not continue to employ you in Canada.
You won’t be involved in making a broadcast for radio, TV, or a movie.
18. Speaking In Public:
If you are a guest speaker, a paid speaker, or a seminar leader and you are a foreign national, you can be eligible for a work permit exemption. This exemption only applies to speakers at events that last no more than five days.
19. Temporary Highly Skilled Employee:
High-skilled personnel may be authorized to engage in temporary employment in Canada, providing that a specific interval separates each exemption. Foreign citizens working in Canada at NOC Skill Level 0 or A may be free from needing a work permit for a brief period of time under the guidelines of the short-term work permit exemption. The worker must be coming: if they meet the requirements for the short-term work permit exemption.
Work must be performed for 15 consecutive calendar days or less and six months must have passed since the first day of work under the prior use of this exemption, or work must be performed for 30 consecutive calendar days or less and twelve months must have the prior application of this exception
Those who reside in Canada are unable to qualify for the short-term work permit exemption since it is intended to make it easier for foreign people to work there.
20. Temporary Researcher
Some foreign nationals visiting Canada for a brief period of time to do research may be exempt from work permit requirements. This exemption is only valid if the researcher satisfies the requirements listed below:
must be conducting research at a public university or a research institute that is linked with it.
must have worked for no more than 120 days straight.
must not have used this exemption in the 12 months prior.
21. Student Off-Campus Employment:
International students enrolled full-time do not need a work permit to work off campus while they are in school. International students enrolled full-time are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week while they are in school as well as full-time during the regular academic vacations and holidays.
22. Working On-Campus As A Student
In order to work on the campus where you attend classes, you do not need a work visa if you are an international student studying full-time in Canada. International students enrolled full-time are permitted to work up to 20 hours per week while they are in school as well as full-time during the regular academic vacations and holidays.