Canada Work Permit Document Checklist

Canada does not have one document list for every work permit. The correct form and evidence depend on where you apply and whether the permit is employer-specific or open.

Answer the IRCC online questionnaire first. Its personalised document checklist controls over a generic article.

Most applicants should prepare:

• valid passport/travel document and copies of requested pages;
• current application form or validated online answers;
• digital photo only if the personalised checklist requests it;
• proof of current immigration status where applying from Canada or another country of residence;
• marriage, birth or name-change documents where relevant;
• résumé and proof of qualifications/work experience when needed for the job or exemption;
• translations for every non-English/French document following IRCC translator rules; and
• fee receipt/online payment.

IRCC cannot issue a work permit beyond passport validity. Renew a passport that would cut the intended work period short.

Online applicants upload scans; they do not automatically need certified copies of every original. Follow the upload field and local visa-office instructions.

For an LMIA-based permit, include:

• the positive LMIA copy and 7-digit number supplied by the employer;
• signed employment contract/letter with employer, address, title, duties, salary, hours and location; and
• evidence you can perform the work, such as education, experience, trade certification or licensing.

For most LMIA-exempt employer-specific permits under the International Mobility Program, the employer first submits the offer through the Employer Portal, pays the compliance fee and gives you an offer number beginning with A followed by 7 digits. Enter that number exactly.

Some LMIA-exempt categories are also Employer Portal-exempt. Use the category-specific instructions rather than inventing an A-number.

The NOC, duties, wage, dates and work location should agree across the LMIA/offer, contract and application.

An open work permit is available only under a specific policy or program; it is not a default alternative when an employer cannot obtain an LMIA.

Examples include eligible spouses/partners, post-graduation applicants, vulnerable workers, bridging open work permit applicants and certain permanent-residence classes. Each has its own evidence.

For IMM 1295, choose “Open Work Permit” and follow the form instructions for employer fields. For IMM 5710, choose the exact open-work category and leave employer-detail questions blank where instructed.

Upload the document that proves eligibility—such as spouse/student/worker status and relationship evidence, completion records for PGWP, an Acknowledgment of Receipt for a bridging category, or abuse-risk evidence for vulnerable workers. Do not substitute a generic letter.

Spousal open-work eligibility was narrowed in 2025 and depends on the principal person’s current student program or worker occupation/permit duration. Check the live spouse category before filing.

Outside Canada: use Guide 5487 and IMM 1295. Check visa-office instructions for the country/region and whether a temporary resident visa or eTA will be issued alongside approval.

Inside Canada: only people in an eligible in-Canada class can apply using IMM 5710. Apply before current status expires. A timely extension application can create maintained status under the existing conditions while IRCC decides, but changing employers or occupations may require separate authorisation before starting the new work.

Port of entry: only eligible visa-exempt applicants and categories can apply at a port of entry. A border application is not available to everyone and cannot be used to bypass online requirements.

The application location changes the form, evidence and status consequences—do not mix IMM 1295 and IMM 5710 checklists.

A medical exam is not universal for every work permit. It can be required because of:

• countries/territories where the applicant lived or travelled for the relevant period;
• intended work in health care, child care, primary/secondary education or another occupation protecting public health; or
• individual medical history.

Use an IRCC panel physician. An upfront exam is permitted for some applicants; otherwise follow IRCC’s instructions.

Biometrics are required only when the nationality, age, application history and exemption rules say so. Pay the biometrics fee and wait for the biometric instruction letter before attending a collection point.

Police certificates are not a universal initial work-permit upload. IRCC may require them based on the application and history. Follow the personalised checklist or request letter.

There is no single six-month-bank-statement rule or fixed settlement-funds amount for all Canadian work permits.

An officer must be satisfied you can support yourself and accompanying family and leave Canada when required. Evidence can include account records, income, employer-paid travel/accommodation, and family support. The amount depends on the job start, location, family size and arrangements.

Use legitimate accessible funds and explain unusual deposits if relevant. You do not need a Canadian bank; official statements from a verifiable foreign institution can be used. Never present Express Entry settlement-fund figures as a universal temporary work-permit threshold.

An LMIA-based temporary job in Quebec often requires the employer to obtain both a federal LMIA and a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for temporary work, subject to exemptions. Not every person working in Quebec needs a CAQ—for example, categories exempt from an LMIA can follow different rules.

Applicants outside Canada must also review the responsible visa office’s local instructions. A local checklist may request country-specific civil, military, employment or education records.

Provincial nomination is not a generic work-permit requirement. A nominee may use a provincial support letter for a particular LMIA-exempt work-permit route, but only where the federal exemption criteria are met.

Employer compliance and LMIA fees are employer-side charges and should not be confused with the applicant’s permit fee. Other costs can include medical exams, police records, translations and visa application centre services.

Pay through the IRCC account or official payment portal. Fees and exemptions change; verify the live fee list before submitting.

Before submission, verify:

• correct location/form: IMM 1295 outside or IMM 5710 inside;
• exact permit type selected;
• LMIA number or Employer Portal A-number where required;
• contract details match the employer submission;
• open-work eligibility evidence is current;
• passport validity covers the requested period;
• local visa-office and Quebec documents are included where applicable;
• translations contain the required certification/affidavit;
• medical/biometrics steps follow IRCC instructions; and
• every personalised checklist upload has the right document or a clear explanation where IRCC permits one.

Do not rely on closed caregiver pilots, an outdated PDF checklist, or another applicant’s upload list.