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Canada · Employer-specific work permit

Canada Employer-Specific Work Permit from Pakistan

An employer-specific work permit lets you work in Canada for one named employer, under the conditions printed on the permit. For most jobs the employer first needs a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA); for LMIA-exempt jobs it submits an offer in the IRCC Employer Portal instead. You then apply online from Pakistan.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026

At a glance

Job offer
Required, from a Canadian employer
Employer step
Positive LMIA, or an offer of employment number if LMIA-exempt
How you apply
Online with IRCC, then biometrics at a visa application centre
Tied to
The employer named on the permit
Visitor visa
Issued with the work permit approval if you need one

Who this is for

  • Skilled and semi-skilled workers with a genuine job offer from a Canadian employer that holds a positive LMIA.
  • Workers in LMIA-exempt categories, such as some intra-company transferees, whose employer has submitted an offer in the Employer Portal.
  • People who can prove the qualifications, licences and experience the job requires.
  • Those who may later use Canadian work experience towards permanent residence.

When another route fits better

  • Short business trips with no Canadian employer: a visitor visa as a business visitor fits instead.
  • Planning to settle permanently from the start: Express Entry or a Provincial Nominee Program may suit you better than a temporary permit.
  • No job offer yet: there is no general job-seeker permit, so a study permit may be the more realistic first step.

Documents to prepare

Everyone

  • Copy of your passport information page
  • Photo meeting IRCC specifications
  • Job offer letter and employment contract
  • Copy of the positive LMIA and its number, or the offer of employment number for LMIA-exempt jobs
  • CV (résumé)
  • Proof you meet the job requirements, such as degrees, licences or trade certificates
  • Letters from current and past employers, with payslips as proof of experience
  • Family Information Form (IMM 5707)

If asked or if it applies

  • Immigration medical exam with an IRCC panel physician
  • Police certificates
  • Marriage and birth certificates if family members apply with you
  • Certified translations of documents not in English or French
  • Proof of funds to support yourself until your first pay

Step by step

  1. 1

    Employer gets an LMIA or submits an offer

    For most jobs the employer applies to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for an LMIA. For LMIA-exempt jobs it submits your offer in the Employer Portal and pays the employer compliance fee.

  2. 2

    Gather your documents

    Collect your contract, the LMIA copy or offer number, and evidence of your qualifications and experience. Use the personalised checklist in your IRCC account.

  3. 3

    Apply online

    Create an IRCC secure account, complete the application, upload your documents and pay the fees.

  4. 4

    Give your biometrics

    After you apply, IRCC sends a letter asking for fingerprints and a photo. Book an appointment at a visa application centre in Pakistan.

  5. 5

    Medical and police checks

    If instructed, take an immigration medical exam with a panel physician and send police certificates.

  6. 6

    Receive your approval

    If approved, you get a port of entry letter, and a visitor visa is placed in your passport.

  7. 7

    Get the permit at the border

    A border officer issues your work permit when you arrive. Check the employer, job and dates are correct before you leave the counter.

Costs to plan for

  • The work permit processing fee and the biometrics fee, paid to IRCC.
  • The employer's LMIA fee or employer compliance fee. The employer must not recover the LMIA fee from you.
  • An immigration medical exam with a panel physician, if required.
  • Police certificates, translations and attested copies of your degrees.
  • Flights, first rent and living costs until your first pay.

Why applications get refused

  • The officer is not satisfied you will leave Canada at the end of your authorised stay.
  • Weak proof that you can do the job, such as missing licences or experience letters without detail.
  • Doubts about whether the job offer or the employer is genuine.
  • Information that does not match across your forms, CV and the LMIA.
  • Medical or criminal inadmissibility, or a past refusal you did not disclose.
  • Documents missing from your personalised checklist.

Tips before you apply

  • Ask for a copy of the LMIA decision letter and check the employer, job title and work location match your offer.
  • Canada's rules bar employers from charging you for an LMIA or letting recruiters charge you recruitment fees. Treat any demand for an 'LMIA fee' as a warning sign.
  • Low-wage LMIA applications are not processed in some cities with high unemployment, so check where the job is based.
  • If you pay for help, use an authorised representative, such as a licensed immigration consultant or lawyer, and name them on your application.

Questions people ask

No. An employer-specific permit only lets you work for the employer named on it. To work for someone else you normally need a new permit, based on a new LMIA or offer.

Pakistani citizens need one to travel to Canada. If your work permit is approved from outside Canada, IRCC issues the visitor visa at the same time.

No. IRCC still assesses you separately, including your qualifications, your background and whether you will leave at the end of your stay.

Spouses can get an open work permit only in some cases, depending on your job and permit. Check the current IRCC rules before you make plans.

Skilled work experience in Canada can count towards Express Entry or provincial programmes, but each has its own rules and there is no automatic route.

Official sources

Fees, fund requirements and processing times change. Check the current figures on the official site before you apply.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. VisaWala is not affiliated with any embassy or government, and only the issuing authority decides a visa application.