Work Without A Work Permit | Nest Abroad Immigration

Work in Canada without a Work Permit

The following types of jobs may not require a work permit for foreign nationals to engage in Canadian employment. It should be noted simple inclusion on this list does not mean that a person will be eligible for a work permit exemption. In order to qualify for a work permit exemption, a person’s job must be on this list and they must meet the additional exemption criteria for their specific job as outlined on the International Mobility Program webpage.

Athlete or coach
Aviation accident or incident investigator
Business visitor
Civil aviation inspector
Clergy
Convention organizer
Crew member
Emergency service provider
Examiner and evaluator
Expert witness or investigator
A family member of foreign representative
Foreign government officer or representative
Health care student
Judge, referee or similar official
Military personnel
News reporter or film and media crew
Producer or staff member working on advertisements
Performing artist
Public speaker
Short-term highly-skilled worker
Short-term researcher
Student working off-campus
Student working on-campus

Business Visitors

Business Visitors are foreign nationals who travel to Canada to undertake business activities but do not enter the Canadian labor market. If you meet the definition of a business visitor, you may be exempt from requiring a Canadian work permit.

Note: There is a significant difference between a business visitor and a business person, ensure that you meet the definition to qualify for the exemption

Visa immigration services and consultants

Convention Organizers

If you organize or run international conventions or international meetings you may qualify for a work permit exemption. Please note that this exemption only applies to organizers, those providing hands-on services (audio-visual services, for example) during such conventions must have the appropriate work authorization

Foreign Representatives and their Family Members

Foreign delegates, just as their staff and relatives, may work in Canada without a work license. Foreign workers ought to be authorized by the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT). Strategic delegates to United Nations workplaces in Canada are likewise secured by this exemption.

Relatives of foreign workers must get a ‘no complaint letter’ by the Protocol Department of DFAIT to work without a work license.

Employees of Short-Term Temporary Residents

High-skilled workers may be eligible to work in Canada for short-term periods provided that a certain amount of time passes between each exemption. Under the terms for the short-term work permit exemption, foreign nationals working at NOC Skill Level 0 or A may be exempt from requiring a work permit for a short period of work in Canada. Under the conditions for the short-term work permit exemption, the worker must be coming:

To perform work for 15 consecutive calendar days or less and six months have passed since the first day of work under the previous use of this exemption; or
To perform work for 30 calendar days or less and 12 months have passed since the first day of work under the previous use of this exemption

As the short-term work permit exemption is designed to facilitate the work of foreign nationals residing outside of Canada, those residing within Canada are not eligible to apply for this exemption.

Military Personnel

If you are a member of the armed forces of another country you may be eligible for a work permit exemption in Canada. To qualify for this exemption, you must have movement orders stating that you are entering Canada under the Visiting Forces Act.

Foreign Government Officers

You may qualify for a work permit exemption if you meet any of the three following conditions:

You are an employee of a foreign government working under an exchange agreement which allows officials to work in governments in your country and in Canada.
You are a foreign diplomat or official representative of another country.
You are a foreign diplomat or official representative of the United Nations.

Employees of other governments must obtain an official letter if they will be employed in Canada for longer than 3 months.

On-Campus Employment

Student working off-campus

Full-time international students do not require a work permit to work off-campus during their studies. Full-time international students are eligible to work up to 20 hours per week during study periods and to work full-time during regularly scheduled academic holidays and breaks.

Student working on-campus

If you are a full-time international student in Canada, you do not require a work permit to work on-campus where you study. Full-time international students are eligible to work up to 20 hours per week during study periods and to work full-time during regularly scheduled academic holidays and breaks.

Athletes and Team Members

If you are a foreign national who is a member of a foreign athletic team who is competing in Canada, you may be exempt from requiring a work permit. This provision covers athletes, coaches, and other members of foreign teams. If you are a part of a Canadian team, you will require a work permit.

News Reporters, Media Crews

If you are a foreign national working in Canada as a news reporter or on a film and media crew, you may qualify for a work permit exemption. To qualify you must meet one of the following conditions:

You must be a news reporter or a member of a news reporter’s crew.
You must be a member of a film or media crew who will not enter the Canadian labour market.
You must be a journalist who works for a print, radio, television or web-based publication which is not Canadian.
You must be a resident correspondent.
You must be a manager or clerical staff member of an event of less than 6 months duration.

Public Speakers

If you are a foreign national who is a guest speaker, a commercial speaker, or a seminar leader you may qualify for a work permit exemption. Only speakers at events lasting no longer than 5 days are eligible for this exemption.

Clergy

If you are a foreign national who is an ordained minister, a lay person, or a member of a religious order, you may qualify for a work permit exemption to undertake religious work in Canada. Your duties in Canada may include the following: preaching doctrine, leading worship, and/or giving spiritual counselling.

Health Care Students

If you are a foreign national who is studying in a healthcare field in Canada and wishes to undertake employment as part of a training program, you may be eligible for a work permit exemption. In order to qualify for the exemption, you must meet the four following conditions:

You must be participating in clinical clerkships.
The main goal of your employment is for training purposes.
You must have written approval from the provincial regulatory body which regulates your profession (please note that not all provinces require this).
Your training must last less than 4 months.

If you do not meet all of these conditions, you will require a work permit.