Working in Canada requires one to have a work permit. You will not be able to secure any sort of employment in Canada without one. But there may just be a way you can work in Canada without a work permit.
A number of situations may occur when an individual can perform work in Canada without needing to secure a Temporary Work Permit. An individual who is eligible to work without a work permit may still require a Temporary Resident Visa to enter Canada on a temporary basis.
The following scenarios have been identified as instances where foreign nationals may perform work in Canada without a work permit:
Business visitors such as After Sales Service, Board of Directors Meetings, Employees of Short-Term Temporary Residents, Employees of Foreign Companies Contracting Canadian Companies etc can conveniently work in Canada without a work permit.
Other scenarios that have been identified as instances where foreign nationals may perform work in Canada without a work permit include;
- Foreign Representatives and their Family Members
- Military Personnel
- Foreign Government Officers
- American Cross-Border Maritime Law Enforcement Officers
- In-Flight Security Officers
- On-Campus Employment
- Performing Artists
- Athletes and Team Members
- News Reporters, Media Crews
- Public Speakers
- Convention Organizers
- Clergy
- Judges, Referees, and Similar Officials
- Examiners and Evaluators
- Expert Witnesses and Investigators
- Health Care Students
- Civil Aviation Inspectors
- Aviation or Accident Investigators
- Crew
- Emergency Service Providers
- Implied Status
You can work as any of the above-listed instances without a work permit in Canada.
Another instance that can allow a foreign national work in Canada without a work permit is Farm Work.
A person may work on a farm without a work permit as long as:
- The farm work is on a volunteer basis
- The person’s primary reason for coming to Canada was something other than the farm work (such as tourism or visiting family/friends)
- The farm is non-commercial. Non-commercial farms are generally defined as farms where the owner provides much of the capital and labour for the farm and where the farm produce is used to provide for the basic needs of the owner’s family, with little extra to sell for profit.