Get a Canadian Work Permit from India

Canada has issued over 33,000 work permits under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The countries that have secured the most permits to be issued are Mexico, Jamaica, India, Guatemala, and the Philippines. Over 76,000 work permits were granted under the International Mobility Program with 27,000 going to Indian Nationals. The first step is an application for a Canadian work permit from India. The applications can take from 2- weeks to a few months to process depending on the program through which you apply.

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The International Mobility Program (IMP)

Most Canadian work permits have been issued under the IMP. Its popularity is because of the fact that applicants are exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment requirement- a document that’s difficult to obtain. The IMP has been designed to cater to Canada’s broader economic and cultural interests through international agreements and youth exchange programs.

Under the IMP, the LMIA is not required, closed or open work permits both can be provided. The purpose of the work permits under the IMP is to advance Canada’s broader economic and cultural interests and the processing times are fixed at a two-week work permit processing standard.

Popular programs under the IMP for Indians below are:

1. Post-Graduate Work Permit- the Post Graduate Work Permit is considered as the leading stream of work permits obtained under the IMP. 35% of all IMP work permits issued at the start of 2020 were accounted for by PGWP. Indians are the leading PGWP holders in the country and it is no surprise that this is the case, because Indians make up the largest number of international students in Canada. The PGWP assists international students to stay in the country indefinitely because of the open work permit system that allows students to gain professional work experience in Canada. To qualify for a PGWP, you have to enroll for a course of at least 8 months in length from a Designated Learning Institution in one of Canada’s 13 provinces and territories.
2. Intra-Company Transfers- The Intra- Company Transfer Program allows for a Canadian work permit if the company has a parent company, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate in Canada. There are few Canadian companies with offices in India such as Air Canada, McCain food, etc. The transfers from within the company should provide significant economic benefit to Canada through skills transfer. The validity of a work permit under this category is for 12 months with the possibility of renewal.
3. Significant Benefit Work Permit- If a person is an artist, entrepreneur, or investor or these types of workers, then the visa officers can decide if the worker’s presence in Canada is crucial to an upcoming event or adds to the country in a cultural, social and economic manner. However, this is unlike the other work permit programs under the IMP which have clearly defined work requirements.

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