Question : What are the basic requirements to apply for a work visa in Canada?

The starting point is that the employer needs to seek a Labour Market Impact Assessment (“LMIA”). This process requires the employer to advertise and then seek approval for hiring a foreign worker if no Canadian was found. If the LMIA is approved, the applicant can then seek a work permit.
However, there are various exceptions to the need for an LMIA, which allow a person to apply directly for a work permit. Such examples include:
- Intra-company Transfers
- Professionals, as specified by specific multinational agreements (e.g. NAFTA, GATS, etc.)
- ‘Reciprocal Benefit’ – which means that the company shows that it sends Canadians abroad, so that it should allow some foreign workers to come to Canada, as a recognition of no net labour loss in Canada.
In some cases, the law permits people to carry out functions in Canada without a work permit at all. There are some such categories, including:
- Entertainers (depending on certain conditions)
- Journalists
- Business Visitors – this is the broadest and most difficult category, but also the most used.