Citizens of certain European Union (EU) member states have an advantage when seeking Canadian work permits.
If you hold citizenship in one of 27 eligible countries, you may qualify for a work permit through the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA).
CETA work permits benefit from being exempt from Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), making them quicker and easier to obtain than permits under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm
This article will cover
- Which EU citizens may be eligible for a CETA work permit;
- The eligibility requirements for each type of CETA work permit;
- How to apply for a LMIA-exempt CETA work permit; and
- How spouses of CETA work permit holders can obtain an open work permit.
Eligible nationalities
The table below shows the member countries of the CETA.
Who is eligible to apply for a CETA work permit?
You may be eligible for a CETA work permit if you are a citizen of an EU member country and fall into one of the four categories listed below:
For a high-level summary of each CETA work permit, see the table below:
Graduate trainees: Up to one year.
Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm
Intra-company transferees: Supervisors, executives, or specialized knowledge employees working for an EU-based company who wish to work temporarily under a parent, subsidiary, or affiliate company in Canada. At least one year of ongoing employment with the same employer or a related employer in an EU country is required.
Physical relocation is not required, but the employee must occupy a position with the Canadian branch of the company.
Graduate trainees are also eligible to apply under this category, provided they have a qualifying degree (bachelor’s/baccalaureate) or a license at a professional level which is aligned with the intra-company activity. Their transfer should be for career development or training purposes.
Investors: Executives, supervisors, or individuals with specialized skills who have made or are actively making a substantial investment in a new or existing Canadian business. Investors may only seek entry through this category to develop and direct the operations of the business.
To qualify, you must own at least 50% interest in the enterprise.
An offer of employment from an enterprise that has nationality in an EU member state is required. Nationality is dictated by ownership, not through the enterprise’s place of incorporation.
Professionals: Contractual service suppliers or independent (self-employed) professionals possessing a university degree or equivalent qualification, professional certifications required for the role, and related work experience—three years for contractual service suppliers; six years for independent professionals.
Further, contractual service suppliers must have worked for an EU company (which holds a service contract in Canada) for at least one year prior to applying, while independent professionals need to show they have a signed contract between themselves and the Canadian service consumer.
As a professional, you can supply services for a maximum of 12 months.
Technologists: Engineering and scientific technologists who have been employed by an EU company for at least one year prior to applying and have a service contract in Canada—which cannot exceed 12 months total in duration. You are expected to fulfill all professional licensing and/or certification requirements for your occupation.
Technologists must have a minimum of three years of professional experience in a relevant sector and a post-secondary education spanning no less than three years and culminating in a degree. For engineering technologists, the degree must be in engineering technology, whereas scientific technologists may have a degree in one of 10 qualifying fields of study.
Independent professionals and contractual service suppliers applying as engineering or scientific technologists are subject to additional requirements.
Additional entry requirements
In addition to meeting the eligibility requirements detailed above, all foreign nationals must also meet Canada’s temporary resident entry requirements—such as having financial support, satisfying an immigration officer of your intent to return home at the end of your stay, and being admissible to Canada.
If you are criminally inadmissible to Canada, you may be able to overcome your inadmissibility and obtain a CETA work permit by
Seeking advice from a qualified immigration lawyer may help clarify whether your criminal record poses a barrier to entering Canada and how best to overcome your inadmissibility.
Schedule a Free Legal Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm
How to apply for a CETA work permit
You must apply for a CETA work permit from outside Canada.
The application process for a CETA work permit consists of two distinct phases: the first is the responsibility of the employer, and the second falls to you—the foreign worker.
The steps each party must take are outlined below.
Employer steps
- Submitting the job offer through the Employer Portal.
- Paying the $230 employer compliance fee required for hiring a foreign worker through the International Mobility Program.
- Providing you with the offer of employment number necessary for you to submit a CETA permit application.
Employee steps
While the exact steps involved in applying may change depending on your method of submission—online, through a visa office, by mail, or at a port of entry—the overall process generally requires that you
- *Confirm your eligibility;
- Complete the appropriate forms;
- Gather and provide the **necessary documentation—if you are applying online, the immigration department will auto-generate a document checklist stating which documents you must submit;
- Pay the $150 work permit processing fee; and
- Submit the completed application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
*You may refer to the CETA instruction guide, which provides more detailed eligibility requirements and application information.
**Include proof of educational credentials, licenses and certifications, and/or proof of specialized knowledge, if applicable.
You may also be required to submit biometrics ($85) depending on the country in which you hold citizenship. IRCC will reach out to you and inform you if you must do so.
Work permit processing times vary by country, but you can typically expect to receive a decision on your application within one week to three months.
Can my spouse apply for an Open Work Permit?
Under CETA, spouses and common-law partners (“spouses”) of intra-company transferees may be eligible for an open work permit (OWP) with the same validity period as the intra-company transferee’s permit.
Spouses of CETA permit applicants applying under other categories are not eligible to obtain an OWP under CETA.
They may, however, be able to obtain an OWP not connected to CETA provided both of you meet the eligibility requirements listed below.
CETA permit holder
- You possess a valid work permit or have an approved work permit yet to be issued;
- Your work permit will remain valid for at least 16 months after IRCC received your spouse’s OWP application;
- You are or will be employed in a TEER* 0 or 1 occupation, or a qualifying TEER 2 or 3 occupation at the time your spouse applies for an OWP; and
- You are, or plan to be, physically present in Canada while working.
Spousal requirements
- They meet the general eligibility requirements for a work permit;
- They are in a genuine relationship with the CETA permit holder (you); and
- If they are present in Canada, they fall into one of the following three situations.
- They have valid temporary resident status;
- They are in Canada on maintained status; or
- They are eligible to have their temporary resident status restored (as a visitor, worker, or student).
*Under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC), jobs are categorized into six levels (TEER 0 to TEER 5) based on the required Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities — with TEER 0 representing the highest-skilled roles and TEER 5 the lowest.
Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm