Canada Work Permit to PR | Exploring Working Pathways into Canada
Skilled workers and professionals working in Canada’s labor market have several options to turn their temporary work permit to permanent residency (PR) of Canada. With a bridging open work permit, they can apply for a PR while they are already working in Canada. As you know, international professionals and skilled workers according to their skills may choose different programs such as Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, and Quebec Experience Class to gain Canada’s work permit.
If you want also to know how to apply for permanent residency in Canada with these temporary work permits, read the following article.
Canada Work Permit Types
International skilled workers often choose an Express Entry program for immigration to Canada. However, many immigrants also apply for Provincial Nominee Programs, Quebec Skilled Workers, Home Support Worker Pilot, Health-Care Providers, and Agri-Food Pilot to get a work permit in Canada. In general, international workers can enter Canada by one of the following permits:
– Open Work Permits: workers and students who already have working and living experience in Canada have more chances to get an open work permit. Holders can work for any employer in Canada.
– Employer Specific Permits: immigrant workers receive this work permit by working for a specific employer in Canada. Holders are not allowed to work for other employers.
Most foreign workers and professionals in their home country apply for Employer Specific Permit, while international students and others who have temporary residence status in Canada want to get a job to apply for Open Work Permits.
Canada Open Work Permit to PR
To receive an open work permit in Canada, one must meet five requirements:
– Having Canada’s Residency
– already applied for temporary residency to permanent residency
– Authorized to work in Canada
– Adequate language skill
– Having immigration status
Applicants who meet the above requirements should apply for permanent residency at least four months before their residency expiration. Open Work Permit allows international skilled workers to stay and work in Canada for five years.
Canada Employer-Specific Work Permit to PR
Foreigner professionals and skilled workers who immigrate to Canada from their home country often choose Express Entry programs to get temporary residency. After success in this task, they may also apply for an open work permit and change their residency status to permanent. In the following, you will explore several programs that international workers with a temporary residency apply for obtaining permanent residency. International workers with Employer-Specific Work Permit are allowed to stay and work in Canada for up to two years.
Federal Skilled Worker Program
Professional immigrants should find an employer in Canada who applies for LIMA to make sure their immigrant employee has a skill that cannot be found in Canada. International employees after working for a while may receive a permanent employment offer from their employers. Skilled workers with this offer can apply for Federal Skilled Worker Program to receive permanent residency. Besides arranged employment or the employer’s offer, they should meet necessary points of Foreign Skilled Worker Programs in:
– Education
– Age
– Adaptability
– Language Skills
The procedure of application is completely online. Federal Skilled Worker Program application takes up to 18 months.
Canadian Experience Class
Many skilled workers with a temporary work permit who do not meet the requirements of the Federal Skilled Worker Program, may be eligible for the Canadian Experience Class. They need to have at least two years of full-time working experience in the Canadian labor market. International students who get their degrees from Canadian post-secondary schools need to have one year of full-time work experience to become eligible for the Canadian Experience Class Program.
Provincial Nominee Programs
Provincial Nominee Programs are popular Canada immigration programs that require different factors in various provinces. PNPs Applicants must intend to settle up in the province where they apply. Each province has different requirements and options. Many applicants who cannot obtain Canada permanent residency under Express Entry, can get required points for Provincial Nominee Programs. Some provinces such as Quebec are not included in Provincial Nominee Programs. PNPs applications take 12 to 18 months to process.
Quebec Experience Class
International workers who speak the French language and meet the requirement of Express Entry can obtain Quebec residency and work permit. They should have the one-year full-time working experience to apply for Quebec Selection Certificate, which allows them to apply for Canada’s permanent residency. So if you are a French speaker with a year of working experience in Quebec, you can apply for permanent residency, which takes almost one year.
Home Child Care Provider Pilot
Home child care providers who immigrated to Canada and have two years of working experience for a Canadian employer (Quebec is not included) can be eligible for permanent residency. They should hold a valid work permit and prove they have 24 months of qualifying working experience in Canada.
Other Work Permits to PR
Immigrants who obtained work permits under Caring for Children Class and Agri-Food workers also can apply for Canada’s permanent residency with similar requirements. They should have a valid work permit, prove their working experience in Canada and meet a few requirements to be eligible for permanent residency.
Closing Thoughts
Temporary work permits provide the opportunity for many international skilled workers in various industries to easily enter Canada and work for an employer. People who obtain temporary employer-specific work permits according to their principal immigration programs have several options to grasp permanent residency. While they cannot apply for this status right from their home country, they can be eligible for it after finding one to two years of working experience in Canada.
Most immigrants and international skilled workers choose Express Entry Programs. They can apply for permanent residency under the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Canadian Experience Class, or health-care provider pilots. Many people also choose Provincial Nominee Programs that have different requirements. So if you are an international worker seeking a path to immigrate to Canada, you can find a program that matches your situation.
