Most foreign nationals wishing to work in Canada require a work permit, which is a legal document authorizing a foreign national to engage in employment and receive compensation from a Canadian employer. However, in certain unique circumstances, a foreign national may work in Canada without a work permit.
Types of Jobs in Canada that Don’t Require a Work Permit:
The following types of jobs may not require a work permit for foreign nationals to engage in Canadian employment. It should be noted simple inclusion on this list does not mean that a person will be eligible for a work permit exemption. In order to qualify for a work permit exemption, a person’s job must be on this list and they must meet the additional exemption criteria for their specific job as outlined on the International Mobility Program webpage.
- Athlete or coach
- Aviation accident or incident investigator
- Business visitor
- Civil aviation inspector
- Clergy
- Convention organizer
- Crew member
- Emergency service provider
- Examiner and evaluator
- Expert witness or investigator
- Family member of foreign representative
- Foreign government officer or representative
- Health care student
- Judge, referee or similar official
- Military personnel
- News reporter or film and media crew
- Producer or staff member working on advertisements
- Performing artist
- Public speaker
- Short-term highly-skilled worker
- Short-term researcher
- Student working off-campus
- Student working on-campus
If a foreign national is employed in one of the positions or scenarios listed above, they may be eligible for a work permit exemption.
