27 EU Countries Get Easy Canadian Work Permits Without LMIA

People from 27 European Union countries now have a faster way to get a Canadian work permit. If you're from one of these nations, you might be able to apply under a special agreement called CETA.

This agreement between Canada and the EU allows citizens to work in Canada without needing a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). That means no need to prove a Canadian can't do the job. It saves time and makes things easier.

Who Can Apply?

If you’re a citizen of these EU countries, you may qualify:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and Sweden.

But you must also fall under one of these four categories:

• Intra-company transferee
  
• Investor
  
• Professional
  
• Technologist
  

Intra-Company Transfers

You qualify if you work for a company in the EU and want to move to a branch or partner company in Canada. You must have worked with your company for at least one year. Positions like executives, managers, or specialists are allowed.

Graduate trainees can also apply if they have a professional degree and come for training or career development. They must have worked with the company for at least a year.

Investors

You can apply if you are investing in a business in Canada. You must have a major role in managing the business. To qualify, you need to own at least 50% of the business. The employer must be from an EU country. Ownership, not location, matters.

Professionals

There are two kinds here:

1. Contractual service suppliers – working for an EU company with a Canadian service deal.
   
2. Independent professionals – self-employed with a signed contract from a Canadian client.
   

You need a degree, relevant licenses, and work experience. Suppliers need three years; independents need six years. The work stay is up to 12 months.

Technologists

If you're a technologist in science or engineering, you can apply. You must have at least three years of work experience and a three-year post-secondary degree. You need a valid service contract in Canada. The maximum stay is 12 months.

How to Apply

You must apply from outside Canada. The Canadian employer needs to submit a job offer and pay a $230 fee. You will get an offer number to use in your application.

You must:

• Confirm you’re eligible
  
• Fill out the forms
  
• Provide documents like degrees and licenses
  
• Pay a $150 fee
  
• Submit your application to Canada’s immigration office
  

You might also need to give biometrics, which costs $85.

Processing takes one week to three months, depending on your country.

Can My Spouse Work?

Spouses of intra-company transferees may qualify for an open work permit (OWP). It lasts as long as the transferee’s permit. Other categories don’t allow this under CETA, but there might be other ways to qualify.

You must work in a high or mid-level job and stay in Canada during your work. Your spouse must have valid status or qualify to restore it. The relationship must be real.