Check if you can apply

Requirements to apply from outside Canada

To apply for a work permit from outside Canada, you must:

• show that you have enough money to take care of yourself and your family members during your stay in Canada and to return home
  • The amount of money you need can depend on:
    • your family size,
    • the community you plan to settle in and
    • the work permit program you apply for
  • To help you estimate the minimum amount you should bring, check the low income cut-offs.
    • These amounts are provided as general reference only (2023 data).
• include all the required documents in your application
  • go to list of forms and documents
• give any other documents that we ask for to prove you can enter the country
• show that you will leave Canada before your work permit expires

Reasons your application may be refused

Your application may be refused if you:

• are medically inadmissible
• have a record of criminal activity (we may ask for a police certificate)
• are a danger to Canada’s security
• have misrepresented information on your application
• plan to work for:
  • an employer listed with the status “ineligible” on the list of employers who failed to comply with the conditions
  • an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages
• are inadmissible for any other reasons

Your application could also be refused for reasons other than those listed above.

Requirements based on types of work permits

There are 2 types of work permits:

• employer-specific (closed) work permits
• open work permits

Each work permit type has different eligibility requirements. You can’t choose which type of work permit you need.