Every year thousands of trained professionals relocate to Canada to pursue new and better opportunities to work in Canada.
It is a fact that Canada has many job opportunities and in 2022 it set a new record.
Most will immigrate through cheap immigration programs and systems like the Express Entry System and their popularity seems to be growing year on year. But did you know that having a certain occupation will allow you to work in Canada without a work permit?
In fact, there are more than 20 jobs in Canada and multiple cases where a visa holder is not required to have a Canadian work permit.
There is no shortage of employment for foreigners in Canada, but see the list of professions that do not require work permit.
Some of these occupations are in the aviation, religion, sports, transportation, emergency response, event, and media sectors, to name a few.
Other cases, such as traveling to Canada for business for a short stay or studying in Canada also do not require a work visa.
There are also several ways to move to Canada permanently that do not require having to apply for a temporary work permit, which may be a better option for you depending on your personal circumstances.
There are more than 1 million job opportunities in Canada currently available, so choosing the country to live and work as an immigrant can be an excellent decision.
The opportunities to live and work in Canada are endless, but finding the best way to get there is often not that simple, so in this article we’ve outlined whether or not you need a work visa, as well as some of the main ways to get there. Keep reading, if you need it.
Jobs you can do without a work permit in Canada
Although many professions and jobs for foreigners in Canada require qualifications, many jobs in the country require work permit, check what they are:
So, you are not quite sure if you are ready to immigrate to Canada just yet or if you may just be interested in finding a job in Canada without the hassle of obtaining a Canadian work permit. Whatever your reasons, it makes sense to check if your occupation or visa status is on this list before applying for a Canadian work permit.
Below are some of the types of jobs in Canada that don’t need a work permit:
Occupations that do not require a work permit Athlete or trainer A foreign athlete, trainer or member of a foreign team competing in Canada Aircraft accident or incident investigator An accredited agent or consultant working in a A business professional coming to Canada to conduct commercial activities (will not be part of the Canadian labor market) Civil Aviation Inspector Civil Aviation Inspector Check flight operations or cabin safety of commercial airlines during international flights Clergy Help their congregations achieve spiritual activity goals
- Preach the doctrine
- Lead worship, or
- Provide spiritual counseling
Example: missionaries, monks, pastoral animators, archbishops, bishops Convention organizer Organize or conduct international meetings or conventions Crew member Truck driver, bus driver, or transportation or airline worker who:
- works on foreign-owned and registered vehicles that are primarily used to transport cargo and passengers internationally, and
- the job is related to vehicle operation or passenger service
Emergency Service Provider Coming to Canada to help in an emergency, preserve life or property. Emergencies that has to do with natural disasters, such as floods or earthquakes, or industrial accidents that threaten the environment.
Examiner and evaluator A professor or academic teacher who evaluates academic projects, research proposals or university theses. May work for Canadian research groups or schools Expert witness or investigator Come to Canada to testify before a regulatory body, tribunal or court of law Family member or foreign representative If you:
- You are the spouse or child of a foreign representative;
- You are accredited (with a matrix in your passport) by Global Affairs Canada (GAC), or
- You have a letter of no objection from the GAC (normally issued only if there is a reciprocal employment agreement with your home country).
Official Or Representative Of A Foreign Government
- an employee of another government working under an exchange agreement that allows officials to work in government departments in Canada and their country;
- an official representative of another country;
- a diplomat of the United Nations and their staff
Health Care Student
- Clinical internships;
- The main objective of their work is training;
- You have the written approval of the board that regulates your work (note that certain provinces do not need written approval);
- Your training will last less than four months
Judge, referee, or similar official An official in an international amateur competition who will judge or be an official for an artistic or cultural event, such as:
- A festival of music and dance,
- An animal show or
- An agricultural contest
Military personnel
Military personnel who are members of an armed force of another country. You have movement orders indicating that you are entering Canada under the terms of the Visiting Forces Act.
News Reporter Or Film Crew And Media
- A news reporter or member of the reporting team;
- A member of a film or media crew who will not be entering the Canadian job market;
- A journalist who works for a print, broadcast or internet news service (newspaper, newspaper, magazine, TV show, etc.) and their company is not Canadian;
- A resident correspondent;
- A manager or administrative staff member, as long as the event is short-term (six months or less).
Producer or staff member working in advertising You work on a foreign-funded commercial/advertising shoot for television, magazines or other media and you are:
- film producer,
- an actor,
- a director,
- a technician, or
- other essential personnel
Performance Artist
- You are a foreign artist or the artist’s key support personnel (persons vital to the performance)
- Artist will perform for a fixed period of time
- You are not being hired for continued employment by the Canadian group that has hired you, and is not involved in the making of a film, television, or radio broadcast.
Public Speaker An invited speaker, business speaker, or seminar leader who is speaking at specific events, as long as the event is no longer a five-day event Short-Term.
- High-Skilled Worker Coming to Canada as a High-Skilled Worker and your job is under skill type NOC 0 (managerial) or A (professional)
- You will only work up to 15 consecutive days once every six months or up to 30 consecutive days once a year
Short Term Researcher Come to Canada as a Researcher:
At a public degree-granting institution or affiliated research institution that you will work for 120 consecutive days or less that you have not worked in Canada under this exemption in the last 12 month.
Student who works off campus You can work up to 20 hours per week during the semester and full time during scheduled breaks Student who works on campus If you work on the campus of the university or college where you study in Canada.
