JSR Immigration & LegalsServicesWork Permits & Extensions
IMMIGRATION — WORK PERMITS & EXTENSIONS

Canadian work permits — employer-specific, open, and extensions.

LMIA-based and LMIA-exempt employer-specific permits, every category of open work permit (PGWP, spousal, IEC, bridging, vulnerable worker), and extensions or restoration of status — handled end-to-end by a regulated consultant.

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REGULATED CONSULTANT
RCIC
LICENSED PARALEGAL
Law Society of Ontario
BASED IN
Brampton, ON
OVERVIEW

The work-permit landscape — at a glance.

Canadian work permits fall into two big families. Employer-specific permits tie you to a named employer, occupation, and location — and they either need a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from ESDC, or qualify for an LMIA exemption under the International Mobility Program (IMP). Open work permits let you work for (almost) any employer in Canada and are issued to specific categories — graduates of Canadian programs, spouses of certain skilled workers and students, applicants already in IRCC's PR processing queue, and a few others.

On top of those, we handle extensions and renewals, change-of-employer applications, implied status questions, and restoration of status if a permit lapsed. Every work-permit file at JSR is handled directly by Jugraj — no junior reviewers, no handoffs.

EVERY KIND OF WORK PERMIT

What we handle.

Three categories cover the full work-permit landscape. Within each, the specific stream depends on the employer, your nationality, your status in Canada, and sometimes a treaty or sector pilot. We confirm which fits at the first consultation.

EMPLOYER-SPECIFIC

LMIA-based work permits

Job-tied permits requiring a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment from ESDC.

  • Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) — High-wage stream
  • TFWP — Low-wage stream (additional employer obligations)
  • Global Talent Stream — accelerated processing for tech and high-demand roles
  • Agricultural stream and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)
  • Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots
  • Employer LMIA application support and compliance review
EMPLOYER-SPECIFIC

LMIA-exempt (IMP) work permits

Job-tied permits exempt from LMIA under treaty, reciprocal, or significant-benefit grounds.

  • Intra-company transferees — executives, senior managers, specialised knowledge
  • CUSMA / USMCA professionals (former NAFTA categories)
  • GATS — General Agreement on Trade in Services
  • Significant benefit work permits (C10, C11) and entrepreneur / self-employed (C11)
  • Reciprocal employment — including Mobilité Francophone
  • Charitable and religious work; research, educators, academics
OPEN

Open work permits

Not tied to a single employer — issued to specific eligible categories.

  • Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) — for graduates of eligible DLI programs
  • Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) — spouses of eligible skilled workers and graduate-level students
  • Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP) — once your PR application is in processing
  • International Experience Canada (IEC) — Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op
  • Vulnerable workers — open work permits via Temporary Resident Permit pathways
  • Refugee and protected person work permits
EXTENSIONS, RESTORATION, AND CHANGE OF EMPLOYER

We also handle work permit extensions filed before the current permit expires (with implied status while a decision is pending), restoration of status if a permit lapsed in the past 90 days, change-of-employer applications for employer-specific permits, and condition changes on existing permits.

HOW IT WORKS

From eligibility check to permit in hand.

The four-step path most work permit files follow. Timelines vary by category and country — IEC and PGWP move quickly, LMIA-based files can take several months at the ESDC stage alone.

01

Eligibility & strategy

We confirm which permit type fits — LMIA-based, LMIA-exempt under the IMP, or an open category — and flag any inadmissibility risk before any filings start.

02

Documents & employer support

For employer-specific permits: LMIA application or IMP offer of employment + employer compliance fee. For open permits: confirmation-of-completion / spousal documents / IEC profile / PR application proof, as the category requires.

03

Application & biometrics

We file the work permit application (online via IRCC), pay the fees, and book biometrics. For visa-required applicants outside Canada, we add the temporary resident visa request to the same file.

04

Decision & port of entry / extension

For applicants outside Canada — we walk you through port-of-entry activation. For in-Canada applications — your new permit is mailed to you. We follow up on stalled files and address any procedural fairness letters.

SAVE TIME BEFORE WE MEET

Complete your work-permit intake online.

Personal details, current status, education, employment history, and admissibility questions — collected once, securely, before your consultation. We'll review and get back to you within 1–2 business days.

Start intake ↗
WHAT WE'LL ASK FOR

Documents at a glance.

The exact checklist depends on the permit type and your country. This is the working inventory most work-permit files need — we customise after the first consultation. Starting the intake form first means we already have most of this when we meet.

Identity & status

  • Passport biodata pages
  • Current Canadian status documents (study permit, work permit, visitor record)
  • Previous Canadian permits and visa stamps
  • Confirmation of Permanent Residence (if BOWP)

Employer documents

  • LMIA approval letter (LMIA-based files)
  • Offer of employment number from IRCC's Employer Portal (LMIA-exempt files)
  • Signed employment contract — duties, wage, hours, location
  • Employer compliance fee receipt ($230 for LMIA-exempt employers)

Education (PGWP)

  • Final transcripts from the DLI
  • Letter of completion confirming program length and full-time status
  • Confirmation that the program is on the PGWP-eligible field-of-study list
  • Language test result (CLB 7 university grads / CLB 5 college grads, where required)

Spouse / dependent documents (SOWP)

  • Marriage certificate or evidence of common-law relationship
  • Principal applicant's work permit or study permit (with eligible TEER and program details)
  • Family photos, joint accounts, communication history if relationship needs to be proven
  • Children's birth certificates if applying with dependants

Other supporting documents

  • Police certificates (where required)
  • Medical exam (for some occupations and durations over 6 months)
  • Proof of funds (where required)
  • Biometrics appointment confirmation
GOVERNMENT FEES

What IRCC and ESDC charge.

Work permits have a few standard government fees. Some are paid by the applicant (work permit, open work permit holder, biometrics); some are paid by the employer (LMIA, employer compliance).

IRCC — APPLICANT FEES
  • Work permit (per person)CAD $155
  • Open work permit holder fee (in addition to the $155)CAD $100
    Applies to PGWP, spousal open work permits, IEC, bridging, and other open work permit categories.
  • BiometricsCAD $85 / person · $170 family max
ESDC / EMPLOYER FEES
  • LMIA application (paid by employer to ESDC)CAD $1,000
    Per position. Some LMIA categories (e.g. caregiver, in-home support for families earning less than the median wage) qualify for an exemption.
  • Employer compliance fee (LMIA-exempt employers via IRCC)CAD $230

Fees as published by IRCC and ESDC as of April 30, 2026. Medical exam, language tests, ECA reports, and translations are billed separately by their providers.

View the current IRCC fee schedule ↗
FAQ

Questions we're asked most.

Need a work permit?

Tell us the role, the employer, and your current status. We'll respond within one business day with the right permit category and the next steps — or start the intake form online to save time at our consultation.

Get in TouchStart intake ↗