Working in Canada as a Foreigner: Permits, Pay and First Steps

Canada is still one of the most realistic places to build a working life abroad, but the rules have tightened. Employers face new limits on low-wage hiring, family work permits are narrower than they were, and scammers know how badly people want a Canadian job.

This guide walks through every main way to work in Canada legally, how to find real jobs, what you'll be paid and taxed, and what your first month will cost. The details change often, so check each rule on canada.ca before you act.

The two kinds of Canadian work permit

Almost everyone who works in Canada without being a citizen or permanent resident does so on one of two permits.

• Employer-specific work permit. This is the most common. You need a job offer, your permit names your employer, your job and where you'll work, and you can't simply switch to another employer.
• Open work permit. You don't need a job offer and can work for most employers. Only people in certain situations qualify.

Employer-specific permits and the LMIA

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a decision from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) confirming that an employer needs a foreign worker because no Canadian or permanent resident is available. Your employer applies, not you.

The employer pays a CAD 1,000 processing fee per position. ESDC is clear that employers and their representatives cannot recover this fee, or any recruitment fees, from the worker. If anyone asks you to pay for an LMIA, walk away.

Once the employer has a positive LMIA, they send you the LMIA letter and Annex A. You then apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for your work permit, usually from outside Canada.

The low-wage restriction

Since 26 September 2024, ESDC refuses to process low-wage LMIAs (jobs paid below the provincial wage threshold) in census metropolitan areas where unemployment is 6% or higher. The list is updated every quarter.

For the period from 10 July to 8 October 2026, it included Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa-Gatineau, Montréal and Saskatoon, but not Winnipeg or Halifax. Some jobs are exempt, including primary agriculture, construction, hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities.

LMIA-exempt jobs

Some jobs don't need an LMIA. Examples include intra-company transferees, professionals covered by free trade agreements, and French-speaking workers hired outside Quebec under Francophone Mobility.

For most of these, the employer submits an offer of employment through IRCC's Employer Portal and pays a CAD 230 employer compliance fee. They then give you an offer of employment number to use in your application.

Open work permits

An open work permit lets you work for almost any employer, which is valuable if you're still job hunting. The main ways to qualify are:

• International Experience Canada's Working Holiday category (see below).
• Being the spouse of certain foreign workers or students. Since 21 January 2025, this is limited to spouses of workers in TEER 0 or 1 jobs, or selected TEER 2 and 3 jobs, who have at least 16 months left on their permit. Spouses of students qualify only in certain master's, doctoral or professional programs.
• Being sponsored for permanent residence by a spouse or partner in Canada. Our Canada spousal sponsorship guide explains this route.
• Graduating from an eligible Canadian program, through the post-graduation work permit.

TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities, the skill levels used in Canada's National Occupational Classification (NOC). TEER 0 covers management jobs and TEER 1 usually needs a university degree.

International Experience Canada

International Experience Canada (IEC) lets young people from more than 30 partner countries and territories, such as the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Japan and New Zealand, work in Canada for a limited time. The age limit is usually 18 to 35, though it's 18 to 30 for some countries.

There are three categories:

1. Working Holiday, which gives an open work permit.
2. Young Professionals, for a job offer that supports your professional development.
3. International Co-op (Internship), for students doing a work placement linked to their studies.

You create an IEC profile, enter a pool and wait for an invitation in one of the rounds. The fees in September 2026 are CAD 184.75 for participation, CAD 100 for the open work permit holder fee (Working Holiday only) and CAD 85 for biometrics where required.

If your country isn't a partner, a recognized organization may be able to help, but check IRCC's own list rather than trusting an agency's claims.

Provincial and permanent routes

Many people start on a work permit and later apply for permanent residence. Provinces run their own Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), and most of the strongest streams favour people already working for a local employer.

• Manitoba looks for real ties to the province. Our live and work in Manitoba guide covers the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program in detail.
• Farm and food jobs have their own work permit streams and pilots, which we explain in Canada farming jobs for immigrants.
• Express Entry is the federal system for skilled workers. Our Express Entry guide explains points, draws and fees.

How to find a real job in Canada, step by step

1. Find your NOC code. Look up your occupation on the National Occupational Classification so you know your TEER level and the right job titles to search.
2. Check whether your job is regulated. Nurses, engineers, electricians, teachers and many others need a provincial licence. Start this early, because it can take months.
3. Search Job Bank. The Government of Canada's Job Bank has a section for foreign candidates, and jobs open to candidates outside Canada are clearly marked.
4. Look up real wages. Job Bank also publishes wage ranges by occupation and region. Use them to judge whether an offer is fair.
5. Write a Canadian-style resume. Keep it to two pages, lead with results, and leave out your photo, age and marital status.
6. Verify the employer. Search the company's registration, website and reviews, and confirm the job exists before you share passport details.
7. Let the employer handle the LMIA or offer of employment. You should never be asked to pay for either.
8. Apply for your permit yourself or through a licensed representative. Use the official IRCC website only.

Pay, taxes and deductions

Canadian pay is usually quoted per hour for hourly jobs and per year for salaried ones. There's no single national minimum wage for most workers: each province sets its own, and the federal minimum of CAD 18.15 an hour (from 1 April 2026) applies only in federally regulated sectors such as banking, airlines and telecoms.

Your employer takes income tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions and Employment Insurance (EI) premiums from your pay. In Quebec, the pension plan is the Quebec Pension Plan instead.

Federal income tax in 2026

These are the Canada Revenue Agency's 2026 rates. Provincial or territorial income tax is charged on top, so your total rate depends on where you live. You file a tax return each spring for the previous year, and you may get money back.

Your first month: SIN, bank, health cover and costs

Get your Social Insurance Number

You need a Social Insurance Number (SIN) to work and be paid. Apply online, in person at a Service Canada Centre or by mail. There's no fee. Temporary residents get a SIN starting with 9 that expires with their permit, so update it when you extend.

Open a bank account

Most major Canadian banks have newcomer accounts that you can open with your passport and work permit. Compare monthly fees and international transfer charges before you choose. For sending money home, compare the exchange rate and total fee, not just the advertised transfer fee.

Arrange health insurance

Public health cover is run by each province, and the rules for work permit holders vary. Ontario has no waiting period for eligible residents. British Columbia's Medical Services Plan starts after the rest of the month you arrive plus two months. Buy private travel health insurance to cover any gap.

Budget for your first month

Rent is usually the biggest cost. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) data for October 2025 put the average purpose-built one-bedroom rent at CAD 1,761 in Toronto and CAD 1,232 in Winnipeg. Landlords often ask for the first month's rent up front, and new tenants usually pay more than the average.

A realistic arrival budget includes:

• First month's rent and, where allowed, a deposit
• Temporary accommodation while you search
• Winter clothing, depending on the season
• A phone plan and transit pass
• Basic furniture and kitchen items
• Private health insurance until provincial cover starts
• Groceries and a buffer for delays before your first paycheque

Scams and red flags

IRCC warns that it never asks for payment by money transfer or gift card, and that fraudsters create fake websites and impersonate officials. Job scams aimed at foreign workers follow a familiar pattern.

• Paying for a job offer or LMIA. It's not allowed. Employers pay LMIA and compliance fees.
• "Guaranteed" work permits or visas. Only IRCC decides.
• Offers that arrive without an interview, or with pay far above Job Bank's wage range for that job.
• Unlicensed consultants. A paid immigration representative must be a licensed consultant, a lawyer or, in Quebec, a notary. Check their licence on the regulator's register yourself.
• Requests to lie about your experience or relationship. Misrepresentation can lead to refusal and a ban on applying again for a period.

Your next steps

• Find your NOC code and TEER level.
• Check if your job is regulated in the province you want.
• Decide which permit you might qualify for: employer-specific, IEC or open.
• Search Job Bank and compare offers against official wage data.
• Check the current low-wage LMIA list if your offer is in a large city.
• Budget for IRCC fees, biometrics, your flight and your first month.
• Apply for your SIN, a bank account and health cover as soon as you arrive.
• Never pay anyone for a job offer, LMIA or guaranteed permit.

Working in Canada is still possible for many people, but only through official routes and genuine employers. Start with the permit you actually qualify for, and build from there.