How to get a Canada work visa from Nigeria, check the application requirements here.
As a Nigerian who desires or has plans to work in Canada, you usually need a work permit. In certain cases, you can work in Canada without a visa or job offer.
Also: Canada Opens Doors To 1.45m Migrants To Fill Labor Gap
Newsonline reports that Nigeria is one of the main contributors of Canadian immigrants, with over 15,000 Nigerians immigrating to Canada in 2021 alone.
Canada Work Visa
If you want to work while in Canada, you will need a Work Permit, also known as a Canada Work Visa.
Unfortunately, the language study programs that gave you a work permit have been suspended, and in order to get your work visa, you now need to fulfill a few different basic requirements:
If you are coming at the invitation of a company, you will need to obtain an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment): a formal document issued by Human Resources Canada (a federal public body similar to the Ministry of Labor in Brazil).
This document allows the Canadian company to hire a foreigner due to a professional shortage, which has not been able to – demonstrably – hire a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident and needs to seek people in other countries. This process is complex and expensive.
The period for evaluating your documentation is 45-90 days.
If you are traveling to Canada to accompany your spouse, you can apply for a Work Permit upon arrival in the country while your spouse is studying.
To get a Canadian temporary work visa, follow these four steps:
Step 1: Take a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)
A temporary tourist visa does not entitle you to work in Canada. So you have to apply for Canada work visa. In most cases, you must first qualify for a Labor Market Impact Assessment before applying for a temporary Canadian Work Visa.
Who doesn’t need to apply for LMIA?
- Skilled Workers covered by the NAFTA Agreement
- Intra-Company Transfer
- Canadian International Experience participants (also known as Working Holiday Pass holders)
- Holders of temporary post-graduate work permits
Step 2: Employer Extends Temporary Job Offer
Employers must provide foreign skilled workers with a copy of the successful LMIA along with certain “job offer records”.
CIC requires Canadian businesses to prepare a formal employment contract, also known as an “Employment Offer Letter”. Once the LMIA is approved, Canadian employers will make temporary job offers to foreign skilled workers.
Step 3: Foreign Skilled Workers Apply for Work Permits
Once you have completed your LMIA and received your “Job Offer Letter”, you will apply for a Canadian Temporary Work Permit. If your prospective employer is located in Quebec, you will be required to obtain a Certificate d’acceptation du Québec (CAQ) to work there temporarily.
When applying for a temporary foreign worker permit, you may be asked to meet with a visa officer for an interview. A Canadian Work Permit will be granted if the visa officer believes that the foreign worker’s employment will not adversely affect Canadian employment and that the foreign worker is suitable for the role.
Step 4. Get a Canadian Temporary Work Permit
Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) officers will issue a Canadian Temporary Work Permit at the point of entry when skilled foreign workers arrive in Canada.
Who is eligible for a work permit in Canada?
You must, wherever you apply:
Prove to the officer that when your work permit expires, you can leave Canada.
Show that you have enough money to support yourself and your family while in Canada and when you return home.
- You must follow the rules and have no criminal history.
- Does not pose a security threat to Canada.
- Be healthy and, if appropriate, have a medical check-up.
- Not intending to work for an employer who has been designated as “ineligible” on the list of employers who fail to meet the requirements.
Getting a Job in Canada If you are on a student visa:
Since June 2014, eligible Canadian Study Permit holders can work on or off campus without requiring a separate work permit. The following are requirements to be able to work up to 20 hours per week:
- A valid Canadian Study Permit is required.
- You must be registered as a full-time student.
- You must be enrolled in a recognized design program in Canada.
- Must be pursuing post-secondary education in Canada, or in Quebec, must be pursuing a technical or post-secondary level degree.
- You must be enrolled in a program leading to a degree, diploma, or certificate.
- You must be enrolled in a program lasting at least six months.
- How much money do you need for a Canadian work visa?
- To qualify for permanent residency, single applicants without a spouse or common law partner and minors must have a minimum of CAD $12 in savings. To immigrate to Canada, spouses must have a total of CAD$16 in settlement funds.
How long does it take to get a Canada work visa?
Work permit processing times in Canada have the widest time span. The processing time for a Work Permit is entirely dependent on the completion of your application and the office you are applying for. Canadian Work Permits can take anywhere from one to twenty-seven weeks to process.
Can I apply for a Canadian work permit without a job offer?
To apply to be part of the Express Entry scheme, you do not need to have a job offer. If so, you will need to apply to the Canadian Employment and Social Development job bank in order to be associated with a Canadian employer.
