A foreign national who wants to work in Canada needs a work permit or an authorization to work without a permit. Canada offers several immigration options.
If you are a professional or technician, or a Canadian company looking to employ a skilled foreign worker, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) may be an option for you.
The CPTPP makes it simpler to get a temporary work permit for certain foreign professionals and technicians. The length of stay is up to one year, with the potential to apply to extend the work permit if needed. The spouse of a qualifying professional or technician can accompany them, and the spouse may also be eligible for their own open work permit.
What is the CPTPP?
The CPTPP is a free-trade agreement between Canada and 10 other countries in the Asia-Pacific: Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Goals of the trade agreement are to create jobs, strengthen economic relations, and boost trade among member countries. The CPTPP promotes the trade in services and labour mobility by making it easier to temporarily send personnel and key talent to work in partner countries.
General CPTPP requirements for foreign workers
You are eligible for a Canadian work permit under the CPTPP if you meet these general requirements:
- You will be paid at a level comparable to other similarly qualified professionals and technicians in the industry in the province or territory of Canada where the work is to be performed.
- You meet language requirements for the purposes of the job you intend to perform in Canada.
- You present documents to show the occupation for which entry to Canada is sought, your destination province or territory, details of the position (job description, duration of employment, arrangements regarding payment), and your educational qualification or alternative credentials required to discharge your job duties in Canada (such as licensing or certification).
- If your occupation is regulated in Canada, you must provide evidence from the applicable Canadian or foreign regulatory body that you are licensed or certified in that occupation.
- If your occupation is not regulated in Canada, or if licensing/certification is not required to fulfill your offer of employment, you must provide evidence of study in a field of study related to the specialty occupation (theoretical) and evidence of paid work experience in the specialty occupation (practical).
Your employer will also be required to submit an offer of employment to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Specific criteria for professionals and technicians
The CPTPP includes a list of specific occupations permitted to work in Canada under the professionals and technicians category, on a country-by-country basis (Australia, Japan, and Mexico).
If you are applying as a professional, you must have:
- a post-secondary degree of 4 or more years of study (unless it states otherwise in the country-specific occupation list) and any additional requirements defined in the National Occupational Classification (NOC), and
- paid work experience for a length of 2 years in the sector of activity of the contract.
If you are applying as a technician, you must have:
- a post-secondary or technical degree requiring 2 or more years of study as a minimum for entry into the occupation (unless other criteria are provided in the program delivery instructions) as well as any other minimum requirements for entry defined in the NOC, and
- paid work experience for a length of 4 years in the sector of activity of the contract.
If you are a foreign professional or technician or a Canadian company seeking to employ a skilled foreign worker, contact Invicta Law Corporation today. We can provide you with practical advice and clear guidance on applying under the immigration provisions of the CPTPP.
