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A Canadian work permit is the authorization by the Canadian government that allows a foreign worker to work legally and temporarily in the country. There are different types of work permits.

The employer-specific work permit is a permit that allows the foreign worker to work in Canada under the conditions imposed by the work permit. This permit is granted under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), and administered by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA).

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is intended to allow a Canadian company to hire foreign workers to alleviate labor shortages in the Canadian labor market.

Foreign workers must have an approved job offer as well as a work permit prior to arriving in Canada under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

The program comprises four categories:

• Highly skilled workers
• Semi-skilled workers
• Seasonal Farm Worker Program
• Domestic Assistance Program

This program is independent of the International Mobility Program, and it is intended to create jobs and help the Canadian economy through the transfer of specialized knowledge.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) works in conjunction with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to ensure that foreign workers do not acquire jobs for which permanent residents or Canadian citizens are qualified. This is done through a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).