7 Simple Steps to Apply for a Canadian Work Permit
People ask us for a “simple” explanation of the Canadian work permit process more than almost anything else, and the honest answer is that it really is simple once you know the order things happen in. Most of the confusion comes from skipping straight to the application form before figuring out which permit you actually need. Here’s the process broken into seven steps, based on how IRCC’s own application system is structured in 2026.
Step 1: Work out whether you need an employer-specific or open work permit
This decision shapes everything that follows, so it comes first. An employer-specific work permit ties you to one company, one job, and usually one location—most people getting hired directly by a Canadian employer fall into this category. An open work permit lets you work for almost any employer in Canada and doesn’t require a specific job offer to apply for; these are usually tied to a particular status, like being a spouse of a skilled worker or student, a recent international graduate, or a working holiday participant. If you already have a job offer in hand, you’re almost certainly looking at the employer-specific route.
Step 2: Confirm whether your employer needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
For most employer-specific permits, the Canadian employer has to prove they could not fill the role with a Canadian worker or permanent resident first—that’s what an LMIA does. The employer applies for it, not you, and it has to happen before your work permit application in most cases. Whether the employer applies under the high-wage or low-wage LMIA stream depends on how the offered wage compares to the provincial median wage plus 20%—as of July 2026, that threshold ranges from around $31.20 an hour in Prince Edward Island up to $48.00 an hour in the Northwest Territories, so it genuinely varies by province. Some categories skip the LMIA entirely—intra-company transfers and certain trade agreement categories being common examples—so it’s worth checking whether your specific situation qualifies for an exemption before assuming you need one.
Step 3: Check for special program instructions that apply to you
Before you touch the main application, IRCC’s system asks you to confirm whether any special instructions apply—caregivers, post-graduation work permits, and a handful of other categories each have their own rules layered on top of the general process. Skipping this step is one of the more common reasons applications get flagged for missing information, since the standard document checklist doesn’t automatically account for program-specific requirements.
Step 4: Create your IRCC secure account and complete the questionnaire.
Nearly everyone applies online now—paper applications are largely reserved for applicants with disabilities, participants in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, and a few other specific exceptions. Once you’re signed in, you’ll answer a questionnaire about your situation, and the system generates a personalized document checklist based on your answers. This is genuinely useful, but only if you answer accurately; vague or rushed answers here produce an incomplete checklist, which then produces a rejected application later.
Step 5: Gather and upload your documents.
You will need a scanner or a decent camera, since everything gets uploaded digitally. Exactly what’s required depends on your checklist from Step 4, but it typically includes your job offer letter or LMIA confirmation number, proof of your qualifications, a valid passport, and proof of funds in some cases. Give yourself more time for this step than you think you need—waiting on a document from a former employer or a translated transcript is the single most common thing that stalls an otherwise-ready application.
Step 6: Pay the fees
As of 2026, the core fees are straightforward: $155 for work permit processing, plus another $100 if you are applying for an open work permit specifically, plus a biometrics fee of $85 per person or up to $170 for a family. Some applicants qualify for fee exemptions depending on their category, so it’s worth checking before you pay rather than after.
Step 7: Submit your application and complete biometrics.
Once everything’s uploaded and paid for, submit the full application—double-check it first, since an incomplete submission is grounds for refusal rather than a request for more information in a lot of cases. After submitting, you’ll get a biometrics instruction letter; book that appointment as soon as it arrives rather than sitting on it, since processing generally does not move forward until biometrics are done. Processing times vary significantly by country, occupation, and which stream you applied under—some healthcare and essential-service occupations get priority processing
Frequently Asked Questions
For an employer-specific permit, yes — you need a genuine job offer, and usually an LMIA from your employer. For an open work permit, no job offer is required, but you need to qualify under one of the specific open work permit categories.
The base work permit processing fee is $155, with an additional $100 if you’re applying for an open work permit, plus biometrics fees of $85 per person (up to $170 for a family). LMIA costs, if your employer needs one, are separate and paid by the employer.
In many cases yes, provided you are in valid status and meet the specific program’s requirements — the steps are largely the same as applying from outside, though a few eligibility details differ.
Your work permit application generally can’t proceed without it for LMIA-required categories, so your employer would need to either address the reasons for refusal and reapply or look at whether an LMIA-exempt category might actually apply to your situation.
It genuinely varies by country of application, occupation, and permit stream—anywhere from a few weeks to several months isn’t unusual. Check IRCC’s processing times tool for the most current estimate for your specific case rather than assuming a fixed timeline.
It genuinely varies by country of application, occupation, and permit stream—anywhere from a few weeks to several months isn’t unusual. Check IRCC’s processing times tool for the most current estimate for your specific case rather than assuming a fixed timeline.
