Requirements and processes to obtain a work visa in Canada

Canada It is considered one of the most developed countries in the world, so there are many people who consider emigrating to start a new life there. The excellent quality of life it offers is added to the good opportunities generated for foreign professionals and well-paid jobs in many areas, without forgetting that at an educational level it is interesting, as it is an ideal country to learn both English and French.

The most in-demand jobs in Canada vary between its different territories, but there are certain professions that are in high demand, such as nurses, physiotherapists, IT specialists, doctors or engineers specialized in different fields.

However, before heading to maple country, you need have a work visa with which you receive authorization to be able to work professionally in the country.

First of all, you must ensure that you meet a series of general requirements, including: being over 18 years of age, speaking English or French fluently, having a valid passport, having a degree and verifiable work experience, having a bank account and processing a Social Security Number (SIN). In addition, the curriculum vitae must be adapted to the Canadian standard.

How to obtain a work visa in Canada

Beyond these general requirements, there are other specific ones that depend on the type of work visa whichever one opts for, but in any case the first thing of all is to get a job, since the authorities ask to present a contract when requesting one of these permits.

From that moment on, we can find two different types of permits granted by the Canadian government, in both cases allowing us to look for jobs in the country with no limit on hours, but with their own particularities.

The first of them is the Working Holiday visathat allows you to work in Canada for one yearbut it can be renewed a second time, in addition to allowing you to study in the country for four months while you work. To do this you have to be between 18 and 35 years old, be a citizen of Spain, Mexico, Costa Rica or Chile, have international health insurance and have at least 2,500 Canadian dollars as financial funds.

Likewise, you must have a plane ticket to return to the country of origin and travel without other economically dependent companions, and this visa cannot have been previously obtained.

From there, you have to go to the Canadian government website and register on its list of candidates where they are selected randomly. If you are selected, you will receive an invitation that you have 10 days to accept, sending the documentation and having to, in some cases, provide your biometric data.

Another possibility is the so-called Employer-specific work permitwhich is the traditional work visa and which gives permission for as long as you have a work contract in Canadarequiring a job offer from a Canadian employee, who must obtain a labor market impact assessment (LMIA). In your case, you will have to have an advanced level of English or French, a valid passport and a criminal record certificate.

The process to follow begins with a job offer from an employer in the country, who will request the aforementioned LMIA. Subsequently, the work visa will be requested with all the necessary documents, including the latter. If required, it may be necessary to present biometric data and undergo medical tests, in addition to demonstrating that financial funds are available to cover the expenses.

From that moment on, you just have to wait for the approval of the visa, which will expire at the moment the employment relationship for which it was granted ends.