Jobs That Don’t Need Work Permit In Canada
Whether you’re looking for something seasonal, or want to work in a particular area of the country, alternatively, you may already be living in Canada and are happy with your current job but would like to earn a second income stream because who doesn’t need one of those? Whatever your reason for looking into jobs that don’t need a work permit in Canada, I have put together some useful information that I hope will answer all your questions.
A lot of people want to make their lives better, to spread wings and fly. In this desire they often send an application in foreign countries reaching the top positions in companies. But there is a problem — work permit can sometimes be a real difficulty. This is exactly why we are putting together a list of jobs that do not require a work permit in Canada. Working without a permit can hit your pocket hard so it’s ideal to know which jobs don’t need one
There are so many jobs that you can do without a work permit in Canada. On the other hand, there are also a lot of jobs which don’t need work permit either but which you may be barred from if you have pleaded guilty or convicted of a crime.
Jobs That Don’t Need Work Permit In Canada
There are many companies that accept foreign workers to work in their companies. There are few jobs that do not require work permit in order to be able to work in Canada if you are an immigrant or foreigner. Some of these jobs include – reseller, commission-only job or work from home jobs that allow you to make money without a permit. Reseller businesses will allow you to sell their products for them in your own way and get paid for it. You can also find email processing, survey and survey panels jobs along with other job opportunities are out there.
Military Personnel:
All military personnel who have been given orders to come to Canada do not need a work permit as long as they are serving a country that is designated under the Visiting Forces Act. For a list of these countries, click here.
Note: this work permit exemption applies to military personnel and not “military attachés”, who are employed by diplomatic missions.
Foreign-born professional or amateur athletes may participate individually or as a team in Canadian sporting events without having to get a work permit. Coaches, trainers and other important team members are also exempt from the work permit requirement.
Spouses of professional athletes working in Canada must have a work permit but are exempt from the LMIA requirement.
Public Speakers
This category includes: guest speakers for specific events, commercial speakers and seminar leaders. The speaking engagements for all of the above must not last for more than 5 days. The following public speakers, however, must get a work permit and LMIA before entering Canada:
- Commercial speakers who are hired by a Canadian business to provide training services.
- Guest athletics instructors coming to teach weekend seminars.
Individuals, committees and support staff who are organizing a convention or conference do not need a work permit to work in Canada. Events covered by this exemption include:
- Association meetings
- Corporate meetings
- Trade shows or exhibitions
- Consumer shows or exhibitions
Note: This exemption does not apply to “hands-on” workers such as those who provide audio-visual services, installation and dismantling services, show decorating services, or exhibit building services.
Further, a convention organizer will have to obtain a work permit if he/she is organizing an event for an organization that:
- Is actively doing business in Canada
- Is centered in Canada
- Has a subsidiary branch in Canada
A person will be exempt from the work permit requirement if his/her work consists mainly of: preaching doctrine, presiding at religious events or providing spiritual guidance.
Peoples who do not perform the work above but are engaged in religiously based community service activities must have a work permit but do not need to get a LMIA.
Persons seeking entry to Canada under this category must be able to provide evidence concerning:
- The genuineness of their offer of religious employment
- The genuineness of the religious group that is offering the job
- The ability of the clergyman to perform clerical duties for a congregation of the relevant religious group
Note: In some cases, visa officers may require further evidence in order to assess the genuineness of the religious job being offered.
Judges, Referees and Similar Officials
Judges, referees and similar officials may work in Canada without a work permit if they are involved in:
- An international amateur sports contest
- The contest should be organized by an international amateur sporting association and hosted by a Canadian organization.
- An international cultural or artistic event or contest
- An animal or agricultural contest
Note: Referees for professional sporting leagues are normally required to obtain a work permit and a LMIA. However, referees in certain professional sports leagues such as the NHL, MLB and NBA are exempt from this requirement due to specific reciprocal agreements between Canada and the USA.
Under this category, successful academics that guide students and review their work will be allowed to enter Canada without a work permit in order to review their students’ theses and papers. This group also includes professors and researchers who are entering Canada in order to evaluate academic university programs or research proposals.
Expert Witnesses or Investigators
A worker does not need to obtain a work permit to enter Canada if he/she:
- Is entering Canada to conduct surveys or analyses that will be used as evidence before a regulatory body, tribunal or court of law
- Is entering Canada to serve as an expert witness before a regulatory body, tribunal or court of law
Flight operations inspectors and cabin safety inspectors who enter Canada temporarily while inspecting the safety procedures on commercial international flights are exempt from the work permit requirement. Workers under this group must be employed by a recognized aeronautics safety authority and must have valid documentation establishing that they are aviation inspectors.
Aviation Accident or Incident Inspectors
Accredited representatives or advisors that aid in the investigation of aviation accidents or incidents under the authority of the Canadian Transportation Accident Investigation and Safety Board Act are exempt from the work permit requirement.
Persons who come to Canada for the purpose of rendering services in times of emergency are exempt from the work permit requirement. These persons may be:
- Doctors
- Medical teams
- Appraisers
- Provincially licensed insurance adjusters
The emergencies may be medical, industrial, environmental or the result of a natural disaster.
Foreign insurance adjusters must be able to prove that they meet all relevant provincial regulatory requirements in order to be admitted to Canada without a work permit.
Workers may continue working in Canada under the conditions of an expired work permit as long as they have applied for a new permit before the initial work permit expired and still live in Canada. If the new application for a work permit is rejected, the worker will have to leave Canada.
A person may work on a farm without a work permit as long as:
- The farm work is on a volunteer basis
- The person’s primary reason for coming to Canada was something other than the farm work (such as tourism or visiting family/friends)00
- The farm is non-commercial. Non-commercial farms are generally defined as: farms where the owner provides much of the capital and labour for the farm and where the farm produce is used to provide for the basic needs of the owner’s family, with little extra to sell for profit.
Interested employers: Kindly contact us here to receive further information.
Interested candidates: Find out whether you qualify to Canada by completing our free on-line evaluation. We will provide you with our evaluation within 1-2 business days.