A permit tied to one named employer, and usually one role and location.
An employer-specific work permit — often called a closed permit — authorises you to work for one named employer, and usually in one named role at one named location. Those details are printed on the permit itself, and they are the boundary of what you are authorised to do.
Most of these permits sit on top of a Labour Market Impact Assessment, which the employer obtains from Employment and Social Development Canada before you can apply. Some do not: the International Mobility Program exempts a number of categories, including certain intra-company transfers and categories arising from trade agreements. Establishing whether an exemption applies is worth doing before anyone starts an LMIA, because it can remove months from the process.
The practical consequence people underestimate is mobility. Changing employer, and in some cases changing role or location with the same employer, takes you outside what the permit authorises. That change generally requires a new or amended permit first — not afterwards.
| Tied to | One named employer, usually one role and location |
|---|---|
| Usually requires | A positive LMIA obtained by the employer |
| LMIA-exempt routes | International Mobility Program categories |
| Who obtains the LMIA | The employer, from ESDC — not the worker |
| Changing jobs | Generally needs a new or amended permit first |
What an application on this route usually involves. Not a checklist that guarantees anything — IRCC sets the requirements, and they change.
Whether it fits you is what a consultation is for. This page cannot answer that and does not try to.
Even a short overlap is unauthorised work, and the consequences reach well beyond the current application.
A merger, a rebrand, or a change of legal employer can take you outside what the permit names, even though nothing changed about your day-to-day job.
Many occupations are regulated provincially. Being authorised to work is not the same as being authorised to practise.
Applying before expiry is what preserves your ability to keep working while a decision is pending.
Not freely. The permit names an employer, and changing generally requires a new or amended permit before you start the new job. Starting first and applying afterwards is unauthorised work.
The employer, to Employment and Social Development Canada. Only once it is positive can you apply to IRCC for the permit.
Yes — the International Mobility Program covers a number of exempt categories. Checking for an exemption before starting an LMIA can save considerable time.
Not automatically, but the Canadian skilled work experience it produces is central to several permanent residence programs, particularly the Canadian Experience Class.
That is the one question this page cannot answer. Start with the free assessment, then bring your situation to a consultation with the RCIC-IRB.
Start Your AssessmentBook a paid consultationThis page is general information. It is not an assessment of your eligibility, and nothing on it is immigration advice for consideration. Employer-Specific Work Permit matters at ZIMMR are advised on directly by Irshad Osman, RCIC-IRB.
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