1. Immigration
  2. Information for Relocating Employees

Information for Relocating Employees

For Staff, Faculty, Postdoctoral Fellows, and Visitors

Work Permits

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) requires most foreign workers who wish to come to Canada for work to submit a work permit application before they travel to Canada under Section R197 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations.

All applications are processed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Queen’s University cannot influence a decision, assist, or help expedite applications.

Canadian immigration laws and regulations are enforced, regardless of whether you know them or not.

It is the responsibility of the foreign national to:

  • obtain and maintain legal immigration status in Canada
  • meet the conditions of status documents
  • be compliant with the immigration regulations while working in Canada

Read the IRCC's eligibility criteria to understand your responsibility as an applicant before applying.

Queen’s University will provide you with the required employer documentation to include with your application, according to the immigration category for the position

  • Your passport must be valid for at least three years.

  • Work permits are typically issued for the duration of your job offer, but a work permit cannot be issued beyond the validity of the passport.

  • You can renew your work permit while in Canada if your passport does not cover the duration of your job offer, but this may restrict your ability to travel outside of Canada while you wait for a decision on the new work permit.

Under section R52(1), a foreign national is required by regulation to hold a passport that is valid for the period authorized for their stay, unless the applicant is exempt (such as U.S. nationals). As such, IRCC officers must first consider the passport validity when determining the validity period of a work permit. Therefore, IRCC officers cannot issue a work permit or grant status as a temporary resident beyond the validity of the passport, as doing so would be putting the temporary worker in a position of non-compliance.

Applicants between the ages of 14 and 79 years are required to provide biometrics. You only need to give your biometrics once every 10 years.  

IRCC may require you to submit medical exams and police checks. If the IRCC officer deems it necessary it will issue a request letter in your IRCC secure account.

If you are planning to work in certain jobs in which public health must be protected, you may be required to submit proof of an upfront medical exam. Applicants from certain countries may be required to submit an upfront medical exam.

Depending on the country of your citizenship you will need to apply for a TRV or an eTA.

A Visa or an eTA will allow you to travel to Canada.

A work permit is not a TRV or an eTA.

It is strongly recommended that you obtain emergency health and travel insurance for yourself and your accompanying family before you travel to Canada. 

Where to apply for a work permit

IRCC processes most applications online and recommends that all applications are made online.

How to apply for a work permit

Find the full work permit application and extension process information on the IRCC website:

You will receive a country-specific instruction guide when you select the country that you will be applying from when prompted.

IRCC processing times may be lengthy and vary by country. Processing times are subject to change. It is recommended that the application is made as soon as all the documents are ready, and the eligibility criteria are met.

Steps to applying

Register a GCKey to create an application on the IRCC secure accounts website.

Personalized documents: When you create an application, the system will generate a document checklist. Each document checklist is personalized to the individual applicant.

The personalized document checklist will list the required employer documents, which will be provided to you by Queen’s University before submitting the work permit application:

  • Signed letter of appointment / employment contract from Queen’s University
  • LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) or LMIA-exempt offer of employment number from Queen’s University

Country-specific documents: In addition to the personalized document checklist, IRCC requires that you provide country-specific documents. You may find the country-specific documents in the instruction guide.

Collect, review, and upload the documents listed in the document checklist.

Pay the relevant IRCC application fees and biometric fees.

Submit the application.

After applying

Biometrics

IRCC will issue a Biometrics Instructions letter in your IRCC secure account. You must submit your biometrics before the deadline provided in the letter to the nearest Visa Application Centre (VAC).

Visa Application Centres (VACs)

VACs are private companies working with IRCC. VACs have country-specific requirements that you must follow. Please visit the country-specific VAC website for relevant instructions.

Tracking the progress of your application

You may use IRCC’s application status tracker to get updates about your application.

Passport requests

For visa-requiring foreign nationals, you will receive a passport request letter in your IRCC secure account. You must submit your passports to the nearest VAC for visa issuance.

Port of Entry Letter of Introduction (POE LOI)

  • For visa-requiring foreign nationals – once IRCC returns your passport, IRCC will send you a POE LOI in your IRCC secure account.
  • For Visa-Exempt foreign nationals – IRCC will send you a POE LOI in your IRCC secure account. An electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is automatically issued to you.

The POE LOI is not a status document (work permit, study permit, visitor record). It is a letter confirming IRCC has reviewed your application and determined you have met the eligibility criteria.

Status document

The status document is issued at the Port of Entry (POE) when you enter Canada. Issuance of the status document at the POE is at the discretion of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer. Applicants should carry copies of the documents submitted in their applications when travelling to Canada.

Biometrics

If you already gave your biometrics within the last 10 years, IRCC will automatically attach the biometrics to your application. Check if your biometrics are still valid.

Case Processing Centre (CPC)

In-Canada applications are processed by IRCC at a CPC within Canada. 

Maintained status

If you submit your work permit extension application before the expiry of your current work permit, IRCC will issue a maintained status letter.  

Please provide this letter to your employer as proof of your eligibility to continue working in Canada.  

Should you leave Canada after your current work permit expires and before a decision is made on your application, you will no longer be on maintained status.  

  • Visa-requiring foreign nationals must have a valid temporary resident visa to leave and re-enter Canada
  • Visa-exempt foreign nationals must have a valid electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to leave and re-enter Canada

Tracking the progress of your application

You may use IRCC’s application status tracker to get updates about your application.

Work permit approval

For visa-requiring foreign nationals:

  • IRCC will issue a work permit approval letter. 
  • Work Permit document will be received in the mail within six weeks.
  • You must apply for a temporary resident visa after you receive your work permit document.  
    IRCC does not issue a temporary resident visa when you renew your work permit.

For visa-exempt foreign nationals:

  • IRCC will issue a work permit approval letter.
  • An electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) is automatically issued to you with the renewal of your work permit.
  • Work Permit document will be received in the mail within six weeks.  

Social Insurance Number (SIN)

After you receive your work permit document, you must extend your Social Insurance Number in person at a Service Canada office near you. 

After you enter Canada

Along with a valid work permit, a Social Insurance Number (SIN) is also required for you to work in Canada.

To work in Canada, anyone who is 12 years of age or older must apply for a SIN.

It is recommended that you apply for the SIN in person at a Service Canada office near you.

As a temporary resident, your SIN begins with a “9” and will be issued to the validity of your status document.

Apply for a SIN

Find health care information, including how to apply for Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) or University Health Insurance Plan (UHIP).

The rights of all workers, including temporary foreign workers, are protected by law in Canada.  

Temporary Foreign Workers with an employer-specific work permit supported by a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) have rights as outlined in Temporary foreign workers: Your rights are protected. This document explains the rights of workers hired under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. It is also available in six other languages.

Temporary Foreign Workers with an employer-specific work permit that is LMIA-exempt have rights as outlined in:

You may be eligible to apply for Permanent Residency under various immigration programs.

To learn more, please schedule an assessment with the Queen’s Immigration Consultant.

To become a Canadian citizen, most applicants must

  • be a permanent resident
  • have lived in Canada for at least 3 out of the last 5 years (1,095 days)
  • have filed their taxes, if they need to
  • pass a citizenship test
  • prove their language skills in English or French
  • take the oath of citizenship

To find out if you are eligible to apply for citizenship, please schedule an assessment with the Queen’s Immigration Consultant.