Work Permit Verified 2026-04-13Work Permit
Canada Work Permit — informational guide for Indian applicants. Once you hold your own offer, sponsorship or admission, SureshotVisa prepares and files the visa application for you — we are not a recruiting agent, so the offer itself has to be yours.
No visa is ever guaranteed — the final decision always rests with the Canada visa authority. We make sure your file is presented at its strongest.
⚠️ IMPORTANT — SureshotVisa / Pro Lifeset Overseas does NOT help find work permits or Canadian employment. This page is for INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. Canada Work Permits are issued by IRCC based on a job offer from a Canadian employer (and LMIA in most cases). For other Canada visa types we CAN help with — Tourist, Business Visitor, Family Visit, Study Permit — please see the related links.
Processing
Varies
Stay Duration
Varies by permit type
Starting Fee
CAD $155
Apply At
10 VFS centres
Good to know before you apply
Rules that apply to every Canada visa type — worth a quick read so nothing trips up your file.
- 1Your passport must be valid for the entire duration of your intended stay in Canada.
- 2Biometrics (fingerprints + digital photo) are required for most applicants — valid for 10 years.
- 3Do NOT submit your passport to VAC until you receive the Passport Request Letter from IRCC.
- 4Effective Feb 24, 2026: Biometric appointments require you to upload the BIL via the new AMS system.
- 5Effective Oct 9, 2023: Only the applicant, parents (for minors), or 1 appointed family member can submit passports at VAC — not unauthorized third parties.
- 6Not accepted as identity documents: passports from Somalia, non-machine-readable Czech passports, temporary South African passports, provisional Venezuelan passports.
- 7VFS online tracking shows passport LOCATION only. For application processing status, check your IRCC online account directly.
Who Can Apply
- Applicants with a confirmed Canadian job offer + LMIA (employer-specific permit)
- Spouses of work permit holders (open work permit)
- Post-graduate students from Canadian DLIs (PGWP)
- Applicants under International Mobility Program categories (various open permits)
Not eligible under this visa:
- Applicants without a job offer (for employer-specific work permits)
- Applicants not meeting specific program eligibility
What it costs
Government & VFS fees
Paid directly to Canada / VFS — these are not our service fee, and we never mark them up.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Work Permit application fee | CAD $155 |
| Biometrics fee — individual | CAD $85 |
| VFS service charge — per package | ₹603 |
| Two-Way Courier Service | ₹1,716 |
| Premium Lounge service | ₹4,767 |
| SMS Tracking Service | ₹179 |
All IRCC government fees are in Canadian Dollars (CAD) and paid directly to IRCC online. VFS service charges are paid in INR at the VAC. Fees are subject to change — verify on IRCC (canada.ca/immigration) and VFS Global (vfsglobal.com/ind/en/can) before applying. Third-party costs (medical exam, police clearance, translation) may also apply. Additional LMIA fee (CAD $1,000) is paid by the Canadian employer, not the applicant.
Flights · Hotels · Insurance · Itinerary
What Canada actually requires — and what it does not.
Canada decides on your ties and your funds; bookings support the story but never carry it.
0 of 4 are compulsory for Canada
Flight reservation
IRCC does not require a purchased ticket. A held reservation matching your stated dates is enough, and costs you nothing if the answer is no.
Where people slip: Reservation dates that contradict the dates on your application form. Officers cross-check, and the GCMS notes record what they found.
How to hold a flight without payingHotel booking
Show accommodation for the stay, or an invitation naming the host's status in Canada. Free-cancellation bookings are accepted.
Where people slip: An invitation from a relative with no proof they are lawfully in Canada. The invitation is only as strong as the host's status document.
Refundable hotel booking, explainedTravel insurance
Not required for a visitor visa. It IS required for a Super Visa as a parent or grandparent — minimum CAD 100,000 of cover, valid one year.
Where people slip: Confusing the visitor visa with the Super Visa. Only one carries an insurance rule, and it is a large one.
What the cover must actually sayTravel itinerary
A short, specific plan. Canada refuses far more often on "purpose of visit not established" than on missing paperwork.
Where people slip: A three-week itinerary from an applicant whose employer approved ten days of leave.
The letter your itinerary attaches toWe arrange all four for your Canada file.
We are a B2B travel agency as well as a visa consultancy, working with partners including Riya Travel — so the flight, the hotel and the policy all come from us, issued the same day, and you deal with one team instead of four. Every booking is a real one under your own name.
What to gather
Documents required
Having a document isn't the same as presenting it right — that's the part we handle.
Informational — What applicants typically need
7 items- Job offer letter from Canadian employerRequired
Must include job title, salary, duration, location
- LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment)
Required for most employer-specific work permits — obtained by the Canadian employer, not the applicant
- Educational credentials and work experience proofRequired
Relevant to the job offered
- Valid passport + photographsRequired
- BiometricsRequired
- Medical exam (in certain job categories)
- Police clearance certificate
May be required
Types of Work Permits
3 items- Employer-specific Work Permit
Tied to one specific employer, job, and location. Requires LMIA in most cases.
- Open Work Permit
Not tied to a specific employer. Typically available to spouses of skilled workers, PGWP holders, and certain IMP categories.
- Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
For graduates of Canadian DLIs. Typically 1-3 years based on program length.
Required · optional / if applicable
The journey.
6 steps from intake to approval. Curved spine on the right shows the natural pace — never as linear as government sites pretend.
- 01
Secure a job offer from a Canadian employer
The employer initiates the process — most employer-specific work permits require an LMIA from Service Canada.
- 02
Employer obtains LMIA (if required)
The Canadian employer applies for a positive LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Not required for LMIA-exempt categories.
- 03
Applicant submits Work Permit application online
Via IRCC Portal with job offer + LMIA copy + supporting documents. Pay CAD $155 application fee + CAD $85 biometrics fee.
- 04
Biometrics at VAC
Book via AMS, attend VAC, complete biometrics.
- 05
Wait for decision
IRCC processes the Work Permit application.
- 06
Collect passport + receive Work Permit at port of entry
If approved, the actual Work Permit is issued when you arrive at a Canadian port of entry.
What works
5 levers that flip a borderline case.
- Work Permits require a Canadian job offer — Once you hold your own offer, sponsorship or admission, SureshotVisa prepares and files the visa application for you — we are not a recruiting agent, so the offer itself has to be yours.
- Most employer-specific work permits need an LMIA — this is the employer's responsibility, not yours.
- If you've graduated from a Canadian DLI, you may qualify for a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) — this path does NOT require an LMIA.
- Spouses of skilled workers can often get an Open Work Permit — useful for family reunification.
What kills cases
Top 3 refusal triggers we see.
- 1Missing or invalid LMIA for employer-specific permits
- 2Job offer doesn't match a valid NOC (National Occupation Classification) code
- 3Educational credentials don't meet the job requirements
Download official forms
Each link opens the official Canada page on VFS Global (we never host third-party forms): pick your visa category there and use its "Download Form" section for the current version.
Visitor Visa Application Form (IMM 5257)
Download latest version from IRCC. Required for all visitor/tourist visa applications.
Family Information Form (IMM 5645)
Mandatory for all applicants 18 years and older. Lists all family members.
Use of Representative Form (IMM 5476)
Only if using a representative to submit your application.
Authority to Release Information (IMM 5475)
Optional — authorizes someone else to receive updates about your application.
VFS application centres
Quiz not yet available for this visa type
We're actively building per-visa quizzes. For now, the best way to assess your eligibility for Work Permit is a 1-on-1 consultation with our team.
Every case here is different
Tell us your situation and we will tell you what can be done.
There is no honest standard answer for Canada work permit — the route depends on who is sponsoring you, what the employer has already started, and which region is processing it. So rather than publish generic answers that may not fit your case, we would rather read your actual situation. Send us what you have: an offer letter, an email from the employer, or just the facts as they stand. A licensed consultant will tell you straight what is possible, what is not, and what it would take.
Reviewed by Narinder Chahal, SureshotVisa — a government-licensed consultancy (Licence 849/DC/PTA/PLA/LC-3/2024). Verify us.
Other Canada Visa Types
Tourist Visa (Temporary Resident Visa)
Apply for a Canada Tourist Visa (TRV) from India. Complete guide on IRCC fees, documents, biometrics, application process through VFS Global, and 10 VAC centres across India.
View guideBusiness Visitor Visa (TRV)
Canada Business Visitor Visa for Indian professionals attending meetings, conferences, and business events in Canada. Stay less than 6 months. Not entering the Canadian labor market.
View guideStudy Permit
Canada Study Permit for Indian students enrolling at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI). Complete guide on IRCC fees, documents, PAL requirements, and 2026 updates.
View guideFamily Visit Visa (TRV)
Canada Family Visit Visa for Indian citizens visiting family who are Canadian citizens, permanent residents, temporary residents, or persons registered under the Indian Act. Up to 6 months.
View guideSpousal Visit Visa (TRV — Spouse of PR Sponsor)
Canada Spousal Visit Visa for Indian spouses whose Canadian partner has sponsored them for Permanent Residence. Faster processing available while PR application is in progress.
View guideCompassionate Visit Visa (TRV — Urgent Family)
Canada Compassionate Visit Visa for urgent visits due to critical illness, death, or other humanitarian reasons. Priority processing available with strong supporting evidence.
View guideSeafarer / Marine Crew Visa (TRV)
Canada Seafarer / Marine Crew Visa for Indian seafarers joining a vessel as crew in Canadian ports. Temporary Resident Visa for duration of contract.
View guideElectronic Travel Authorization (eTA) — For Visa-Exempt Nationals
Canada eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) — important information for Indian citizens. Most Indians need a Tourist Visa (TRV), NOT an eTA. eTA is for visa-exempt nationals.
View guideSource & Disclaimer
Data on this page is sourced from the official VFS Global Canada website and Embassy of Canada. Last verified 2026-04-13. Always verify with the official embassy before applying — fees and requirements change without notice.
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