Canada Releases 25 Categories of Foreigners Who Can Work Without a Work Permit

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada published guidance listing 25 categories of foreign nationals who may be exempt from obtaining a work permit
• The categories span six broad areas, including academics, business visitors, military personnel, athletes, students, and religious leaders
• Canada noted that even work-permit-exempt workers may still require a visitor visa or electronic travel authorisation before entering the country

The Canadian government has published a list of 25 categories of foreign nationals who may be eligible to work in Canada without a formal work permit, according to guidance released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

However, qualifying under one of the listed categories does not automatically guarantee an exemption. Workers may still need to satisfy specific eligibility conditions depending on their role and individual circumstances.

Canada's full List of work-permit-exempt categories

The 25 categories are organised under six broad areas.

Under academics and skilled workers, the exempt categories include examiners and evaluators, public speakers, short-term researchers, and short-term high-skilled workers.

Read also

Thailand changes visa-free stay rules from September 15: What Ghanaians need to know

For business people, the guidance covers business visitors, convention organisers, and public speakers.

The emergency and transportation group includes aviation accident or incident investigators, civil aviation inspectors, crew members, and emergency service providers.

Military, foreign organisations, and law covers expert witnesses and investigators, foreign government representatives, diplomats and United Nations representatives, family members of foreign government representatives, and military personnel.

Sports, media, and arts encompass advertising or commercial crews, athletes and coaches, judges and referees, news reporters and film or media crews, and short-term performing artists.

Finally, under students, the list includes healthcare students on short-term placements, recent graduates from a Canadian designated learning institution who have already applied for a work permit, full-time study permit holders working off campus, and full-time study permit holders working on campus. Religious leaders form the 25th and final category.

Visa requirements still apply for most foreigners

Even where a work permit is not required, the Canadian government clarified that the majority of foreign nationals will still need either a visitor visa or an electronic travel authorisation (eTA) before entering the country. The specific travel document required depends on the applicant's nationality and their country of departure.

Read also

Germany gives international graduates 18 months to find work after their studies

Full details of each category, including the precise conditions attached to every exemption, are available on the official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada website.

Source: YEN.com.gh