There are several situations where foreign workers can take up jobs in Canada without a Canadian employer having to demonstrate that they have made a good-faith effort to hire or train Canadian citizens or permanent residents: 

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• Post Graduate Work Permit / Open Work Permit 
  The Post Graduate Work Permit allows students who have graduated from eligible Canadian designated learning institutes to obtain an open work permit to gain valuable Canadian work experience. Canadian work experience in the national occupational code that falls under Skill type 0, skill level A, or skill level B that is obtained through the Post Graduate Work Permit helps graduates to qualify for Permanent Residence in Canada through the Canadian Experience Class, within Express Entry. You can apply for Post Graduate Work Permit within 180 days of when you receive your final marks from an institute and your study permit was valid at some point during these 180 days of PGWP application. 

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• Spousal Open Work Permit of International Students / Workers
  Spouse of a skilled worker or international student may apply for an Open Work permit. This gives an opportunity for the applicant to gain international work experience and live together while working temporarily in Canada on a valid work permit. An open work permit is a work permit that is not job-specific. It allows the international student’s spouse or common-law partner to accept any job with any employer. 

 

• French Speaking Skilled Workers
  Nationals of French-speaking nations who have a job offer in a skilled occupation from a Canadian employer located outside Quebec may be eligible for an LMIA exempt work permit. The foreign national’s habitual language must be French and they must have an advanced level of French ability. 

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• Intra-Company Transfers (ICT)
  Multi-national companies with a presence in Canada to transfer staff to their Canadian location. The staff being transferred must be executives, senior managers or employees with specialized knowledge of the company’s products or services. The proposed employee must have been working for the company in a similar capacity for at least one year and must be offered a salary in Canada that meets or exceeds the “prevailing wage” for their occupation. The Canadian business will have to demonstrate a qualifying relationship with its foreign counterpart – e.g. parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate. 

 

• International Experience Canada (IEC)/Working Holiday Visa
  Enables citizens of certain countries including Australia, France, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Spain, and the UK, aged between 18 and 35 (in some countries the age limit is 29 or 30) to stay in Canada and work legally for up to two years. You do not need to have a pre-arranged job in order to participate in this program. Each country receives a set quota for the number of visas that will be issued.