Work Opportunities

NAFTA

Under the terms of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), American and Mexican citizens may be eligible for facilitated processing when applying for a temporary Work Permit in Canada. Work Permits under the provisions of NAFTA do not usually require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Although LMIA-exempt, workers and employers who use the NAFTA program must comply with all provisions governing temporary work in Canada. US citizens do not require an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) to enter Canada, but citizens of Mexico require one.

a) NAFTA Job Categories:

Efforts made to recruit available Canadian citizens/permanent residents

NAFTA Professionals
NAFTA Intra-Company Transfers
NAFTA Traders and Investors

b). NAFTA Professionals

A NAFTA Professional must be qualified to work in one of approximately 60 targeted professions (see below). Depending on his or her profession, an applicant may be required to provide educational credentials and/or proof of work experience in the field. NAFTA Professionals must have pre-arranged employment in Canada in an occupation that matches their qualifications. Individuals who wish to perform self-employed work in Canada are not eligible for this category.

c). NAFTA Intra-Company Transfers

NAFTA Intra-Company Transferees must be transferred to Canada on a temporary basis in order to work for a branch, subsidiary, or affiliate of their US or Mexican employer. In addition, they must have worked continuously for their US or Mexican employer for at least one of the last three years and be employed by the company at the time of application.
A NAFTA Intra-Company Transferee must work in a capacity that is considered managerial, executive, or involving specialized knowledge. For general information on intra-company transferees, including those covered under NAFTA, click here.

d). NAFTA Traders and Investors

A NAFTA Trader must demonstrate an intention to carry out substantial trade of goods or services between Canada and his or her country of citizenship (US or Mexico). A NAFTA Investor must demonstrate that he or she has made a substantial investment in a new or existing Canadian business and that he or she is seeking entry to Canada to develop and direct the Canadian business. Work permits in the NAFTA Investor category may also be granted to employees of the primary Investor who can be considered essential staff.

e). NAFTA Professional Work Permits can be issued for the following professions:

Scientific

Technician/Technologist /Social Worker/ Sylviculturist (including Forestry Specialist)/Technical Publications Writer/Urban Planner (including Geographer)/Vocational Counsellor

Scientists

Agriculturist (including Agronomist)/Animal Breeder/Animal Scientist/Apiculturist/Astronomer/ Biochemist/ Biologist /Chemist/Dairy Scientist /Entomologist/ Epidemiologist / Geneticist/Geologist/ Geochemist /Geophysicist (including Oceanographer in Mexico & US)/ Horticulturist /Meteorologist/
Pharmacologist /Physicist (including Oceanographer in Canada) /Plant Breeder /Poultry Scientist /Soil Scientist /Zoologist

General

Accountant /Architect /Computer Systems Analyst /Disaster relief Insurance Claims Adjuster /Economist /Engineer /Forester /Graphic Designer /Hotel Manager /Industrial Designer/Interior Designer/Land Surveyor/ Landscape Architect/ Lawyer (including Notary in the Province of Quebec)/Librarian/ Management Consultant/Mathematician (including Statistician)/Range Manager/ Range Conservation list Research Assistant (post-secondary educational institution)

Medical/Allied Professional

Dentist /Dietitian/ Medical Laboratory Technologist (Canada)/Medical Technologist (Mexico and the United States)/ Nutritionist/ Occupational Therapist/Pharmacist/Physician (teaching or research only) Physiotherapist/ Physical Therapist/ Psychologist/ Recreational Therapist/ Registered Nurse/Veterinarian

Teachers

College /Seminary /University

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To find out more about NAFTA Work Permits or help applying for one, Contact us today.

Global Talent Stream

Employers who are in high growth industries or wish to hire IT professionals can apply for work permits under the Global Talent Stream and benefit by two-week expedited processing times. This program was introduced to ensure companies can bring foreign workers to Canada quickly to meet the needs of their growing business.

a). Global Talent Stream Occupation List:

Computer and information systems managers (NOC 0213)
Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers) (NOC 2147)
Mathematicians and statisticians (*subset of NOC 2161)
Information systems analysts and consultants (NOC 2171)
Database analysts and data administrators (NOC 2172)
Software engineers and designers (NOC 2173)(NOC 2172)
Computer programmers and interactive media developers (NOC 2174)
Web designers and developers (NOC 2175)
Computer Network technicians (NOC 2281)
Information systems testing technicians (2283)
Producer, technical, creative and artistic director and project manager – Visual effects and video game (*subset of NOC 5131 and specific rules apply)
Digital Media and Design (*subset of NOC 5241 and specific rules apply)

b). Wages for the Global Talent Stream

Employers are required to meet conditions relating to the payment of skilled workers. Foreign workers hired through the GTS must be paid at the prevailing wage or higher. The prevailing wage is defined as the highest figure of either:

the median wage for the occupation on the Government of Canada’s Job Bank;
the wage within the range an employer pays current employees in the same position at the same location, with the same skills and experience;
the minimum wage floor as defined in the Global Talent occupations list (if applicable).

c). Employers must pay a salary equal to the highest of either:

the applicable minimum wage for the occupation for a highly-skilled position as identified in the Global Talent Occupations List;
the wage that is within the wage range that the employer is paying current employees hired for the same job and work location, and with the same skills and years of experience; or;
the median wage on the Government of Canada’s Job Bank. The median wage is listed by job title or National Occupational Classification (NOC) code in the middle column, by community or area in Canada’s job bank.

d). Labour Market Benefits Plan

Employers looking to hire skilled workers through the Global Talent Stream are required to work with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan. This plan outlines the positive benefits that foreign talent will bring to the Canadian labour market, and activities that the employer will undertake to encourage job creation, skills and training investments.

Employers are required to commit to increasing investments in skills and training for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

In addition to the above mandatory benefits, employers are required to commit to two further complementary benefits, supported by defined activities. These benefits may include, but are not limited to, job creation, investment in skills and training, transferring knowledge to Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and/or improving company performance. Activities to support these benefits may include, but are not limited to, hiring more Canadian citizens or permanent residents, training current employees in new techniques, creating paid co-op or internship programs for local students, and/or increasing revenue and investments.

Work Permit Exemptions

Under the Global Talent Stream, two new categories of workers are now exempt from the requirement to obtain a work permit:

Highly-skilled workers in skill type 0 or skill level A occupations of the NOC may enter Canada to work for 15 days in a six-month period, or for 30 days in a 12-month period, without obtaining a work permit.
Researchers working on research projects at a publicly-funded degree-granting institution or affiliated research institution may come to Canada for 120 days in a 12-month period, without requiring a work permit.

Work without a Permit

There are several occupations and situations where a foreigner can work without a work permit.
An individual who is eligible to work without a work permit may still require a Temporary Resident Visa or an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) to enter Canada on a temporary basis.

In addition, one should be prepared to present immigration officials with documentation that attests to their desired status in Canada. This documentation will vary on a case-by-case basis. Often, items such as a letter of support from a parent company or letter of invitation from a Canadian company can help to bolster one’s likelihood of acceptance into Canada.

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To find out more about Work without a Permit or help applying for one, Contact us today.

The occupations that do not require a work permit are:

Athletes and team members
Aviation accident or incident inspector
Business visitor
Civil aviation inspector
Clergy
Convention organizers
Crew
Emergency service providers
Examiners and evaluators
Expert witnesses or investigators
Foreign representatives and Family members of foreign representatives
Health care students
Implied status
Judges, referees and similar officials
Military personnel
News reporters, media crews
On-campus employment and some Off-campus work
Performing artists
Public speakers

Athletes and Team Members

Professional or amateur athletes may travel to Canada to participate in sports activities or events in Canada either individually or as part of a team. Likewise, foreign coaches and trainers of foreign athletes, as well as other essential team members, may travel to Canada to participate in events. Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) gives the following examples of individuals who may be eligible under this exemption:

Amateur players on Canadian teams
Foreign pet owners entering their own animals in a show
Jockeys racing horses from foreign-based stables
Race car drivers
Individuals attending professional team tryouts
Foreign team members participating in a competition in Canada
Grooms or team support members
Full or part-time coaches and trainers

The spouses of professional athletes are eligible for a LMIA exempt work permit for their time in Canada.

Aviation Accident or Incident Inspector

Accredited representatives and advisors who are assisting in the investigation of an aviation accident or incident may do so without securing a work permit. The investigation should be conducted under the authority of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act.

Need Help?

To find out more about Work without a Permit or help applying for one, Contact us today.

Business Visitors

There are several reasons why an individual may come to Canada as a business visitor, including:

Attending business meetings, conferences, conventions, fairs, etc
Buying Canadian goods or services on behalf of a foreign entity
Taking orders for goods or services
Providing after-sales service, excluding hands-on work in the construction trades
Being trained by a Canadian parent company for work outside of Canada
Training employees of a Canadian subsidiary of a foreign company

The Business Visitor category facilitates entry for individuals (without a work permit) who engage in business or trade activities in Canada but will not enter the Canadian labour market. Individuals who plan to enter the Canadian labour market may require a Temporary Work Permit. In addition, a Business Visitor may still require a Temporary Resident Visa or an eTA (electronic Travel Authorization) to enter Canada on a temporary basis. There are a number of subdivisions under this category, but all business visitors must meet the following general criteria:

There must be no intent to enter the Canadian labour market (there will be no gainful employment in the country)
The worker’s activity in Canada must be international in scope (it is assumed that a business visitor will engage in cross-border activity of some sort)
For business visitors in Canada working for a foreign employer, the following criteria are assumed

The primary source of the worker’s compensation is outside of Canada
The principal place of employment is located outside of Canada
The employer’s profits are accrued outside of Canada

When travelling to Canada, a business visitor should be prepared to present immigration officials with documentation that attests to their desired status in Canada. This documentation will vary on a case-by-case basis. Often, items such as a letter of support from a parent company or letter of invitation from a Canadian company can help to bolster one’s likelihood of acceptance as a business visitor.

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Business visitors may fall into the following sub-categories:

a). After Sales Service

After-sales service providers may come to Canada to repair, service, supervise installers, and set up and test commercial or industrial equipment. Such services must be detailed in the contract of sale for the equipment in Canada. Individuals coming to Canada to train prospective users or maintenance staff in the operation of specialized equipment may also fall under this category.

b). Board of Directors Meetings

Members of a board of directors who must enter Canada to attend a meeting are eligible to do so as business visitors. Though these individuals may be remunerated for their time in Canada, this does not constitute entry into the Canadian labour market.

c). Employees of Short-Term Temporary Residents

Individuals who are employed in a personal capacity, on a full-time basis, by temporary residents in Canada may be considered business visitors. An example of professions that may be eligible under this category include domestic servants, personal assistants or live-in caregivers. If the short-term temporary resident, and subsequently their employee(s), extends their stay past 6 months, a Labour Market Opinion and Work Permit may need to be secured for the employee(s).

d). Employees of Foreign Companies Contracting Canadian Companies

Situations arise in which foreign companies contract Canadian companies to provide services in Canada. In such a situation, the foreign company may wish to send one or more employees to Canada to ensure that the work is being carried out in a way that pleases the foreign company.

If an employee of a foreign company is sent to Canada for this purpose, they may be considered a business visitor provided they fulfill the following criteria:

They remain an employee of the foreign company;
They remain on the payroll of the foreign company;
The foreign company remains the beneficiary of the employee’s efforts; and
The foreign company’s principal place of business remains outside of Canada.

A business visitor in this category may remain in Canada for up to two years.

e). Civil Aviation Inspectors

Flight operations and cabin safety inspectors may inspect commercial international flights without needing a work permit. Inspectors should be employed by a recognized aeronautical authority and hold valid documentation attesting to this fact.

f). Clergy

An individual who preaches, oversees religious services, or provides spiritual counselling as a profession may work in Canada without a work permit. Individuals may be ordained ministers, laypeople, or members of a religious order. It is not mandatory that the temporary worker be part of or share the beliefs of the particular religious community where they will work. The primary duties of the temporary worker should reflect a particular religious objective, such as providing religious instruction or promoting a particular faith.

f). Clergy

Individuals seeking entry to Canada under this exemption should provide documentation attesting to the following:

The genuineness of the offer of employment; and
Their ability to minister to a congregation (credentials, past employment, etc)

Persons who will be conducting charitable or religious work in Canada require a work permit; however, that permit is exempt from the Labour Market impact Assessment (LMIA) process.

g). Convention Organizers

This category covers individuals who come to Canada to organize a convention or conference, as well as the administrative support staff of the organizing committee. These events may be corporate meetings, trade shows, exhibitions, etc. Hands-on service providers, such as audio-visual specialists, are not included in this category.

Convention organizers who have been hired to perform work for a Canadian event are not eligible to work without a work permit. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) defines a ‘Canadian event’ as one that is held by an organization located and actively doing business in Canada.

Individuals attending conferences and meetings are considered business visitors and are exempt from the requirement for a work permit.

h). Crew

Crew members do not need a work permit if they are working on a means of transportation that is foreign-owned, not registered in Canada, and engaged primarily in international transportation. They may work in an operation, maintenance, or passenger service capacity.

Laws governing work conducted by crews on different modes of transportation vary greatly. As such, it is important to make sure that one’s work will in fact be eligible for a work permit exemption before coming to Canada.

i). Emergency Service Providers

Workers who will enter Canada to provide services in times of emergency may do so without a work permit. The purpose of their work should be preserving life and property in the face of natural disasters or commercial accidents.
Canada has specifically entered into agreements with the United States to facilitate the movement of emergency aid workers across the border between the two countries. These workers may be doctors or medical teams as well as appraisers and foreign insurance adjusters.

j). Examiners and Evaluators

Foreign professors and researchers may need to enter Canada in order to evaluate theses and projects conducted by their students. In this case, they may do so without obtaining a work permit.

k). Expert Witnesses or Investigators

Experts who must enter Canada in order to conduct surveys or analyses that will be used as evidence, or who will testify as expert witnesses before a regulatory body or court of law, may do so without requiring a work permit.

l). Foreign Government Officers

Canada is party to agreements with other countries that call for international exchange of government employees. Through such agreements, foreign workers may be brought to Canada to work for a department or agency in either the federal or provincial government(s). These individuals do not work for a foreign mission or organization and are not accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT).

Officers working in this capacity at an executive level require a contract from Canada’s Public Service Commission (PSC). Officers working below an executive capacity do not require a contract, though assignments lasting longer than three months should include a formal letter of agreement between the officer and their Canadian employer.

Family members of officers covered under this exemption will generally be issued an open work permit or be exempted from the requirement for a permit while in Canada.

m). Foreign Representatives and their Family Members

Foreign representatives, as well as their personal staff and family members, may work in Canada without a work permit. Foreign representatives should be accredited by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). Diplomatic representatives to United Nations offices in Canada are also covered by this exception.

Family members of foreign representatives must receive a ‘no objection letter’ by the Protocol Department of DFAIT in order to work without a work permit.

n). Health Care Students

Foreign health care students studying at foreign institutions may participate in clinical clerkships or short-term practicums in Canada without obtaining work permits. Students may be studying in fields such as medicine, nursing, medical technology and occupational and physical therapy. Such practicums should be unpaid and last no more than four months.

Foreign health care students who will be remunerated for their work, or who will spend more than four months in Canada, will require a work permit.

o). Judges, Referees, and Similar Officials

Judges, referees, etc may come to Canada to participate in international amateur sports, artistic, agricultural or cultural events and competitions.

Amateur sports competitions should be organized by an international amateur sport organization and should be hosted by a Canadian organization. In this case, amateur is defined as a competition in which athletes are not paid to compete. Judges, referees and similar officials who will participate in professional sports competitions must receive a positive LMIA and work permit.

P). Military Personnel

Military and civilian personnel in Canada under the auspices of the Visiting Forces Act may work and study without permits. The families of these individuals are also covered by these exemptions. In addition, military personnel are exempt from requirements for a passport, from a temporary resident visa, and from foreign national medical examinations. Civilians and family members are still required to obtain these documents, if necessary.

q). News Reporters, Media Crews

News reporters and their crews who come to Canada in order to report on events in the country may do so without a work permit. These can include journalists, provided the company they work for is not Canadian. However, this does not include managerial or clerical personnel unless these individuals are covering special events that will last for six months or less.

Media crews who come to Canada to produce travelogues, documentaries, etc are required to secure work permits. However, such decisions are left to the discretion of the Canadian Visa Officer reviewing their application.

r). Performing Artists

Many foreign performing artists may work in Canada without a work permit. However, some types of performers/performances require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and Work Permit.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC, formerly CIC) has outlined some common performers/performances and their immigration requirements:

In addition to the aforementioned scenarios, certain performers may work in Canada without a work permit under different sub-categories. They are:

Film producers (business visitors)
Film and recording studio users (business visitors)
Persons doing guest spots on Canadian TV and radio broadcasts (Guest speakers)

Guest artists who have been invited to perform with a Canadian group are covered under this exception as long as their invitation is for a ‘time-limited engagement’. For the purposes of immigration, this time limit is usually no more than two weeks, though flexibility is permitted. A guest artist who is invited to rehearse and perform for a longer duration of time, such as a performance season, will require a LMIA and work permit.

In order to work without a work permit, a performing artist should not enter into an employment situation in Canada. That is, they should not be the long-term employee of a Canadian organization, individual, or establishment.

s). Public Speakers

Guest speakers at events, commercial speakers and seminar leaders can present in Canada without needing a work permit. For the purposes of this exemption, ‘seminar’ is defined as a small class or intensive course of study no longer than five days.

Commercial speakers in this category will have a vested interest in the event in which they are speaking. Usually, this means that they will rent a commercial space, advertise for the event, charge admission, etc. Commercial speakers who are hired by a Canadian entity must secure a LMIA and work permit for their time in Canada.

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Working Holiday Permits (IEC)

This program is designed for young individuals between 18 – 35 to come to Canada and work on a temporary basis (1 or 2 years)

* The IEC program officially opened on November 23rd, 2018 for the 2019 period. Get into the pool now while there are still spots available!

Citizens of specific countries with a bilateral youth mobility arrangement with Canada who are between 18 and 35 years old can get an Open Work Permit to work in Canada. See the list of countries here

The IEC program is composed of three categories:

Working Holiday
Young Professionals
International Co-op

A). Working Holiday

Participants in this program can receive an open work permit, valid for one to two years. Open work permits allow participants to work anywhere in Canada for almost any Canadian employer. Nationals of some countries may be allowed to stay in Canada for more or less than one year.

B). Young Professionals

Under this program, citizens of participating countries can gain valuable international experience by working for a Canadian company. A signed job offers letter or contract of employment with a Canadian employer related to the applicant’s professional development is required before applying. The job offered must be classified as a National Occupation Code (NOC) Skill Type Level 0, A, or B.

C). International Co-op

This program allows citizens of participating countries who are enrolled at a post-secondary institution in their country of citizenship to spend a period interning for Canadian companies. Participants must arrange co-op placements with Canadian employers before applying. Applicants must be registered students for the duration of the internship.

Eligibility requirements for the IEC program

Be a citizen (passport holder) of one of the 33 countries that have a bilateral youth mobility agreement with Canada;
Have a valid passport for the duration of their stay in Canada (the work permit issued will not be longer than the validity of the passport),
Be between the ages of 18 and 30 or 35 at the time of application (the upper age limit depends on the applicant’s country of citizenship);
Have the equivalent of $2,500 CAN upon landing to help cover initial expenses;
Be able to take out health insurance for the duration of their stay (participants may have to present evidence of this insurance at the point of entry in Canada);
Be admissible to Canada;
Have, prior to departure, a round-trip ticket or the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket for the end of their authorized stay in Canada,
Not be accompanied by dependents; and
Pay the appropriate fees.

Please note that specific age and eligibility requirements may vary by country.

Application Process

Eligible candidates must submit an IEC profile to express interest in the IEC program under one (or more) of the three categories, if they are eligible. All profiles are placed into the appropriate category pool(s) and candidates are randomly selected during scheduled “Rounds” of invitations. Each country has a specific schedule of when Invitation Rounds are being held.

Invitations to Apply (ITA) are issued in the following order of priority:

International Internship (Co-op)
Young Professionals
Working Holiday

When a candidate is selected, they are given an Invitation to Apply (ITA) at which point they have 10 days to accept the invitation. Once a candidate accepts an ITA, they have 20 days to apply for a work permit. It is important to submit a duly completed application with all accompanying evidence as required. Failure to do so will result in refusal, and you must start the whole process over again. When an application is refused, you will have to wait to the following year to be selected again. Retain our firm to ensure your application is prepared properly and not refused. We help candidates in 90+ countries with their immigration applications.

If the application is successful, a letter of introduction (LOI) will be issued. This letter is to be presented upon arrival at a Port of Entry (such as an international airport) in Canada, whereupon a work permit will be issued.
Although no work permit extensions are authorized under the IEC program, there are certain scenarios that allow participants to increase the validity of an IEC work permit.

Citizens from these countries are eligible for the IEC program. Specific conditions for each country are outlined in the table below:

Bridging Open Working Permits

he is bridging open work permit (BOWP) is a way to keep a worker in Canada working while his or her application for permanent residence is being processed.

In-Canada applicants who have made an application to immigrate to Canada under either the Federal Skilled Worker (FSW) Class, the Federal Skilled Trades (FST) Class, the Canadian Experience Class (CEC) or one of the Provincial Nominee Programs (PNP) may be considered for a bridging open work permit if their current work permit is due to expire (within four months). A foreign worker legally working in Canada who has made, or will soon make, an application for permanent residence under one of these immigration programs may then continue to work until a decision is made on his or her application for permanent residence.

This is beneficial for the federal government, Canadian communities and employers, as well as applicants and their families, because otherwise applicants and their dependants (spouse and children) would have to either leave Canada temporarily, stay in Canada under visitor status, or find an employer willing to go through the process of applying for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

An open work permit, which allows its bearer to work for any employer in Canada, is preferable as it provides applicants with better flexibility to integrate and navigate the Canadian labour market, given that they have already been found eligible for permanent residence and are currently working in Canada.

Bridging Open Work Permits and Express Entry

When an applicant for a federal economic immigration program that is processed through the Express Entry immigration selection system submits an electronic application for permanent residence, he or she receives an Acknowledgment of Receipt letter. This letter is automatically generated in the My CIC account following the submission of the electronic application for permanent residence (e-APR). Applicants who are eligible to apply for a BOWP may apply immediately after receipt of this Acknowledgment of Receipt letter, instead of having to wait for a second Acknowledgment of Receipt letter issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

However, the application for a BOWP will not be processed until the completeness check has been performed at the Centralized Intake Office. BOWP applications received before the completeness checks have been performed will be held until they are ready to be processed. If an e-APR is found to be incomplete, the applicant is no longer eligible for a BOWP. In these cases, the application for a BOWP will be refused.

To be eligible for a bridging open work permit, the following parameters must be met:

The foreign national is currently in Canada
He or she has valid status on a work permit that is due to expire within four months
He or she is the principal applicant on an application for permanent residence under the FSWP, the CEC, the PNP or the FSTP
He or she received a positive eligibility assessment on his or her application
He or she has made an application for an open work permit

Please note that a foreign national does not qualify for a bridging work permit if:

He or she is in Canada under section 186 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (work permit exempt) situations
He or she has let his or her status expire
His or her work permit is valid for longer than four months and/or he or she has a new LMIA that can be used as the basis for a new work permit application
He or she is applying for a bridging work permit at the port of entry
He or she is the spouse or dependant of the principal permanent resident applicant
He or she is a provincial nominee who has not submitted a copy of his or her nomination letter with the application for a bridging work permit, or whose nomination letter specifically indicates employment restrictions

Spouse or Common-law Partner and Dependants

Certain conditions are required to be met by the holder of a bridging work permit in order for his or her spouse to also be eligible for an open work permit:

In all cases, the bridging work permit must be valid for longer than six months
For spouses of FSW applicants, the bridging work permit holder must be performing work that is at a level that falls within National Occupational Classification (NOC) Skill Levels 0, A or B
For spouses of PNP applicants, the spouse is eligible for an open work permit for the duration of the work permit held by the principal PNP applicant, irrespective of the skill level of the principal PNP applicant’s occupation
For spouses of FST applicants, the bridging work permit holder must be performing work that is within one of the qualifying occupations in NOC Skill Level B
For spouses of CEC applicants, there are no set preconditions to be met by the principal CEC applicant

Dependent children of an applicant in any of these economic classes must obtain an LMIA or have LMIA exemption based on their specific situation in order to apply for a work permit.

PNP

When issuing a bridging open work permit to an applicant for permanent residence under a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the employment location on the work permit must be restricted to the nominating province. Therefore, the province of destination must be selected and then the city of destination value should be selected to show the province/territory.

FSW, FST, CEC

For a bridging open work permit issued to applicants for the Federal Skilled Worker Class, Federal Skilled Trades Class or Canadian Experience Class, there are no restrictions to employment location.