Additional information for foreign workers

Biometrics consist of fingerprints and a photo.

Residents of all countries except the United States and a few others must now provide their biometrics to obtain a visa, study permit, or work permit.

Please note: this procedure does not apply to those needing only an eTA (those exempt of both a visa and a permit).

Biometrics currently cost $ 85.

Those who are required to provide their biometrics and who apply for a permit or visa online will receive an “instruction letter” in their My CIC account within hours of submitting their application. They must bring the letter with them to the nearest collection point. Please note: certain collection points require you to make an appointment.

Permit and visa applications will not be processed until your biometrics have been collected.

See here for more information.

To check whether you need to take the medical exam, click this link and see below.

You have to take the exam for any job where protecting public health is essential, especially if the job involves close contact with physical or mental health patients, the elderly or children. Close contact includes physical contact, being in the same room, or devising a healthcare treatment plan.

In the case of health research that does not require contact with the patient and for which the foreign worker does not wish to take a medical exam (at their own risk), the invitation letter must clearly state that the research will not involve contact with patients.

A medical exam may also be necessary for stays of more than 6 months and for agricultural work, depending on the country(ies) of residence during the previous year.

The medical exam fees are borne by the foreign worker (about $ 200) and the processing times can take up to 2 months.

The final decision on entry to Canada is at the discretion of the customs officer.

For work permit exemptions requiring an electronic travel authorization, wait for the successful results of the medical exam before purchasing your plane ticket. To check whether they are in your immigration file, apply for a facilitation letter by sending an email to the Canadian visa office serving your country of residence. The email must include the following information:

• Copy of the identity page(s) from your passport
• Copy of the medical exam form (eMedical information sheet or the first page of the “Upfront Medical Report, Client Biodata and Summary (Copy to Client)” form [IMM 1017B-UPFRONT]
• Copy of the invitation letter
• In the email, write your full name as it appears in your passport, your date of birth, and your contact information, including your telephone number and mailing address

Work permits and visas will not be issued before the results of a successful medical exam appear in your immigration file.

The results are valid for 1 year. To extend a work permit, you may have to take another medical exam.

The need to obtain permission from a professional order depends on the order. The invitation letter indicates whether this permission is required.

In the healthcare field, it could be either a written approval or a letter declaring that the order in question has no objections.

Collège des médecins du Québec requires permission, except for observation or research internships, for which the following passage and its source must be presented at all stages of the immigration process:

“Quebec requires a letter from Collège des médecins. The Collège des médecins du Québec has advised that a foreign student coming to Canada for a short clinical internship must obtain a “lettre d'admissibilité” (admissibility letter) from the Collège des médecins du Québec. The issuance of a letter from a university is not sufficient to authorize the student to perform a short internship. Medical students coming to Canada for observation or research internships are not required to obtain this admissibility letter.”

a) Meet the criteria for this exemption and know its limits

• You must be outside Canada when applying
• The length of the research stay must be 120 consecutive days or less from the time the exemption is granted (initial entry into Canada)
  • If you wish to arrive a few days early to settle in, that time counts against your 120-day total. As you will see in the instructions on going through Canadian customs, you will need a visitor record to get a social insurance number, which you must have in order to receive a salary or grant from Université Laval.
  • The visitor record will limit the length of your stay in Canada.
  • If you need a visitor record and you want to stay longer than the period indicated on your invitation or the 120-day maximum, you will have to explain this to the customs officer, using supporting documents (e.g., return plane ticket if you already have it).
  • The officer makes the final decision.
  • If you don’t require a visitor record, you can stay in Canada up to 6 months, unless the customs officer decides otherwise, but you must complete your research within 120 days of your date of entry.
• At least 12 months have passed since the beginning of the previous use of this exemption
• The main reason for your stay is research in a Canadian university, which excludes teaching
• You have a significant role to play or value to add to a research project
• This role or value are justified by your academic excellence or expertise
• This role is proportional to your experience or expertise
• Undergraduate and graduate students can benefit from this exemption if they meet all the criteria
• You must have received an invitation letter to this effect (length, description of the research work, and justification that the exemption criteria are met)
• The exemption cannot be extended: if the stay may last longer than 120 days, a work permit is required from the beginning.

Read the official description of this work permit exemption, as it takes precedence over any other description.

b) If required, take the Canadian immigration medical exam.

c) If required, obtain permission from the professional order concerned.

d) Determine which document is required to enter Canada (an electronic travel authorization or a visa) and follow the corresponding steps

1. Procedure for an electronic travel authorization (eTA)
   
   Apply for an eTA
   
   Get an opinion from the International Mobility Workers Unit (IMWU). An opinion is not required for guest speakers invited for 5 days or less, university program evaluators, or thesis examiners. If for any reason you are unable to obtain an opinion in time and cannot wait for it, be prepared to justify to the custom’s officer why you meet the work permit exemption criteria.
   
   If the faculty resource person thinks it may be helpful, they will send a request to IMWU
2. Procedure when a visa is required

• The application is done online.
• It costs $ 7 and the processing time usually takes a few minutes
• The validity of an eTA can be checked online
• An eTA expires with the passport. If a new passport is issued, a new eTA is needed.
• A new eTA is usually issued with a new work permit.

Cost: $ 100 plus related fees e.g., for biometrics or the medical exam if required. These fees are borne by the foreign worker.

Biometrics: $ 85. For more information, see here.

Processing times: they depend on the country where the application is made, the biometrics, the medical exam and the time it takes to receive the passport with the visa.

Decision: at the discretion of the immigration officer who processes the application.

Updates on the online application are sent by email (check your spam folder) and to your My CIC account.

It is strongly recommended to apply online by following the steps below. You will need an accepted payment card and the means to scan documents.

For a paper application, follow this link.

Steps for an online visa application

1. Create a My CIC account.

2. Select “Check your eligibility and apply online” and then “Visitor’s visa, study permit and/or work permit.”

3. Answer the series of questions as indicated below, providing the necessary information:

• “What would you like to do in Canada?” Answer: “Work”
• “Family member” means your spouse and dependent children and their dependent children.
• “Do you have a written offer from an employer in Canada?” Answer “Yes.” It’s your invitation letter.
• “Do you plan to work in one of the following categories?” Answer: “Yes” if you have a work permit exemption, including:
  • “health-care students” for 4 months or less of practical internship for healthcare students
  • “highly skilled workers and researcher (Global Skills Strategy)” which is the case for 120 days of university research or for 30 or 15 days or less of high skilled work, with or without teaching
  • “public speakers” for one presentation OR a seminar of five consecutive days or less
  • “examiners and evaluators” for evaluating a university program or reviewing a thesis
• Unless you are eligible for and want an open work permit, answer “no” to the next three questions about accompanying your foreign student or worker spouse, being a dependent of a foreign student or worker, and having obtained a post-secondary degree in Canada
• This will transform the application into a visa application
• If the medical exam is required, answer accordingly
• The questions allow you to add family members that will accompany you to Canada. Your visa application centre can support you with this step.
• Your answers will generate the list of forms and documents to submit, including your biometrics and medical exam.

4. Read all the instructions carefully.

5. Complete the most recent forms, i.e. those provided by My CIC.

• Refer to this guide to help you fill them out.
• If there’s not enough space in the form or you need to provide more details, put them in “client information” (formerly “explanation letter”).
• Upload the IMM5257 PDF form in its original PDF format, duly completed, with bar codes. Do not print the form to sign it: you will sign it electronically when you submit it and pay the application fee.

6. Upload the required documents

• Each document comes with instructions. Below is additional information:
• Upload a single file per required document (maximum size: 4 MB): if the document contains more than one page, all pages must be in the same file
• For the “offer of employment”, upload the immigration invitation letter from Université Laval and the official description of the exemption
• For the “proof of work permit exemption”, upload an explanatory note referring to the invitation letter and a link to the webpage describing the exemption (the list of exemptions is here)
• For the “passport”, scan the identity page(s) and all other marked pages
• For the “proof that you meet the requirements of the job being offered” upload the permission from the professional order or a note explaining that it’s not required, and in both cases, refer to the invitation letter, the relevant degrees and your CV, which you should add to the note
• For the “medical exam” submit a copy of the eMedical information sheet or the first page of the “Upfront Medical Report, Client Biodata and Summary (Copy to Client)” form [IMM 1017B-UPFRONT]
• The “client information” (formerly “explanation letter”) can be used to complete responses to forms, provide explanations or documents that are not requested, but are relevant, etc. Interns exempted from work permits, e.g., healthcare students, must include the letter from their home institution confirming their enrolment, the fact that the internship is part of their program, and the duration of the internship.
• Please note that it is strongly recommended to include proof of the following elements in your application, including in the “client information” (formerly “explanation letter”) if needed, to demonstrate your reasons for leaving Canada after your stay
• Family ties in your country of origin, such as your spouse or children
• Economic ties with your country of origin, such a stable job or property
• Previous trips to Canada or other Western countries
• Financial means to travel, such as a bank statement

7. Submit your application once you’ve completed and uploaded all the required forms and documents. An incomplete application may be rejected.

8. Keep copies of all the forms and documents you submit.

9. Give your biometrics.

10. The embassy will ask for your passport to put your visa in it.

Please note: this section applies to foreign workers needing an LMIA-exempt work permit, except for the International Co-op Internship work permits of International Experience Canada, which has its own instructions.

Cost: $ 155, plus related fees, e.g., for biometrics or the medical exam if required. These fees are borne by the foreign worker. The electronic travel authorization or visa required to enter Canada is included free of charge.

Biometrics: $ 85. For more information, see here.

Processing time: Two weeks if the criteria are met; if not, it will depend on the country where the application is made, the biometrics, the medical exam and the time it takes to receive the passport with the visa.

Decision: at the discretion of the immigration officer who processes the application.

Updates on the online application are sent by email (check your spam folder) and to your My CIC account.

It is strongly recommended to apply online by following the steps below. You will need an accepted payment card and the means to scan documents.

For a paper application, follow this link.

Steps for an online work permit application

1. Create a My CIC account.

2. Select “Check your eligibility and apply online,” then “Visitor visa, study permit, and/or work permit.”

3. Answer the series of questions as indicated below, providing the necessary information:

• “What would you like to do in Canada?” Answer “Work”
• “Family member” means your spouse and dependent children and their dependent children
• Question “Do you have a written offer from an employer in Canada?” Answer “Yes.” It’s your invitation letter
• “Do you plan to work in one of the following categories?” Answer “No.”
• Unless you are eligible for and want an open work permit, answer “no” to the next three questions about accompanying your foreign student or worker spouse, being a dependent of a foreign student or worker, and having obtained a post-secondary degree in Canada
• Those who require an electronic travel authorization must get the option to apply for a work permit through “Foreign Worker - International Mobility Program (No Visitor's Visa required, Quebec ” and those who require a visa, the option to apply for a “Work Permit (Quebec)”
• “What type of work permit do you want to apply for?”
  • If you are a postdoctoral fellow or training or research intern (with a university research grant or scholarship) or a visiting professor or researcher, answer “A work permit for academic exchange, research or training”
  • If you are a medical fellow, answer “A work permit for a medical or dental resident or fellow”
• If a medical exam is required, answer accordingly
• The questions allow you to add family members that will accompany you to Canada. Your Visa application centre can support you with this step
• Your answers will generate the list of forms and documents to submit, including your biometrics and medical exam

4. Read all the instructions carefully

5. Complete the most recent forms, i.e. those provided by My CIC.

• Refer to this guide to help you fill them out.
• If there’s not enough space on the form or you need to provide more details, put them in “client information” (formerly “explanation letter”).
• In the IMM 1295 form, in the “Details of intended work in Canada” section, here’s how to answer the following questions:
  • What type of work permit are you applying for? Answer: “Exemption from Labour Market Impact Assessment”
  • Name of employer: Université Laval
  • Complete address of employer: 2345 allée des Bibliothèques (Pavillon Jean-Charles-Bonenfant), Room 5600, Québec City, Québec G1V 0A6
  • Intended location of employment in Canada: unless the invitation letter indicates otherwise, it will be in the province of Québec, in the city of Québec, and the address of the job location will be the one indicated in the invitation letter. 
  • Job title: enter the status indicated in the invitation letter (e.g., visiting professor, visiting researcher, postdoctoral fellow, medical fellow, or training or research intern).
  • Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) No. or Offer of Employment No.: put the number of your LMIA-exempt job offer.
• If there’s not enough space in the form or you need to provide more details, put them in “client information” (formerly “explanation letter”).
• Upload the IMM1295 PDF form in its original PDF format, duly completed, with bar codes. Do not print the form to sign it: you will sign it electronically when you submit it and pay the application fee.

6. Upload the required documents

• Each document comes with instructions. Below is additional information:
• Upload a single file per required document (maximum size: 4 MB): if the document contains more than one page, all pages must be in the same file
• For the “offer of employment” or “employment contract”, upload the immigration invitation letter from Université Laval
• For the “passport”, scan the identity page(s) and all other marked pages
• The “letter from current employer”, “employment reference letter” and “employment records” can be repetitive and in many cases, the same information will be submitted. They show whether your work record is consistent with your answers on the IMM 1295 form, the offer of employment, and your financial resources. If you are a student who has never worked, you can submit the same document three times with a note explaining that you have never had a job, along with relevant transcripts and/or proof of enrolment in a study program and proof of your financial resources. The latter can be a personal bank statement or a bank statement from your responsible parent(s) with a letter of support from them
• The “letter from current employer” can be replaced by pay slips
• The “employment reference letter” can be the letter from your current employer or previous employers and, to the extent possible, it must contain the information listed in the instructions
• The “employment records” can be a combination of letters from your current employer, letters from previous employers, and pay slips
• For the “research proposal” (will not be asked for the medical fellows), a few lines based on the invitation letter are sufficient
• For the “proof that you meet the requirements of the job being offered” upload the permission from the professional order or a note explaining that it’s not required, and in both cases, refer to the invitation letter, the relevant degrees and your CV, which are also in the list of documents to upload. Postdoctoral fellows (LMIA exemption C44) must upload a copy of their PhD diploma.
• For the “medical exam” submit a copy of the eMedical information sheet or the first page of the “Upfront Medical Report, Client Biodata and Summary (Copy to Client)” form [IMM 1017B-UPFRONT]
• The IMM5802 form is an optional document because you have already received an LMIA-exempt offer of employment number.
• The “client information” (formerly “explanation letter”) is used to complete responses on forms, provide explanations or documents that are not requested, but are relevant, etc. Foreign workers exempted from the LMIA as visiting professors or visiting researchers (C22) must provide proof of their affiliation with their home institution. Training or research interns exempted from the LMIA as research award recipients (C52) must provide proof of their award, their internship agreement, proof of their enrollment in a university outside Quebec and if they have not provided them elsewhere, copies of their relevant diplomas and their CV.
• Please note that if a visa is required, it is strongly recommended to include proof of the following elements in your application, including in “client information” (formerly “explanation letter”) if needed, to demonstrate your reasons for leaving Canada after your stay:
  • Family ties in your country of origin, such as your spouse or children
  • Economic ties with your country of origin, such a stable job or property
  • Previous trips to Canada or other Western countries
  • Financial means to travel, such as a bank statement

7. Submit your application once you’ve completed and uploaded all the required forms and documents. An incomplete application may be rejected.

8. Keep copies of all the forms and documents you submit.

9. Give your biometrics.

10. If your work permit is approved, you will receive an introduction letter. Pay attention: the validity date in that letter will normally be the expiry date of you work permit. Make sure that it corresponds to the length of your invitation: if not, get in touch with your faculty respondent.

11. For your travel document (visa or Electronic Travel Authorization):

• If a visa is required, the embassy will ask you to send your passport in order for them to provide your visa and send the letter approving your work permit
• if an Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA) is required, its number will be in the letter approving your work permit

PLEASE NOTE

Work permit exemptions cannot be extended. This section covers the extension of LMIA-exempt work permits only, but does not include International Co-op Internship work permits of International Experience Canada, which has its own instructions.

To extend a work permit, either because the invitation is extended or because the working conditions have changed, the foreign worker must hold a passport that is still valid and must also check that they are still eligible for status at Université Laval and for an LMIA exemption. The foreign worker must start the extension procedure at least four months in advance to allow for immigration processing times.

If the invitation is renewable, the host professor must provide the foreign worker with a new invitation letter, containing a new LMIA-exempt job offer number, and then the foreign worker must apply for a new work permit online.

If a Canadian immigration medical exam is required (results expire after 1 year) or if the permission from a professional order must be extended, it should be done before applying for the work permit extension.

When the foreign worker receives their new work permit, they must extend the validity of their Social Insurance Number if required, as well as their health insurance coverage, and, depending on their status, their enrolment at the Registrar’s Office. If they required a visa to enter Canada, the visa can be extended after obtaining the new work permit. If an eTA was initially required and is no longer valid because it has expired or the passport has expired, a new eTA can be requested.

IMPORTANT

• You must have received a new invitation letter containing a new LMIA exempt job offer number : otherwise, your application for an extension will be refused.
• You must apply for the extension before your current work permit expires.
• If your current work permit expires, the extension was requested before it expired, and your working conditions have not changed (i.e., your position, employer, workplace, or income), you retain your right to work because you are considered to have implied status: please note that to maintain this right, you must not leave Canada until you obtain your new work permit.
• If your working conditions change, you must wait for your new permit before starting work under the new conditions.
• if you cannot wait the processing time of about 4 months for the extension of your work permit, you should contact your faculty resource person.

To extend your work permit, follow the same steps as for an initial LMIA-exempt work permit, with the following differences:

• To the question “What is your current country/territory of residence? If you are presently in Canada, you should select Canada.” Answer “Canada”.
• To the question “What is your current immigration status in Canada?” Answer “Worker”.
• You will have the option to extend your work permit and, if applicable, to apply for a visa: choose to extend your work permit.
• To the question: “What situation best describes your work situation?”
  • Answer: “I am on an academic exchange, conducting research or taking training”
  • Unless the extension is based on a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) under the A-75 LMIA exemption, in which case you answer “I’m eligible for a work permit through an active pilot project”
• For help completing the forms, refer to the following guide. Please note that the main form is IMM 5710. In the section « Details of intended work in Canada », remember to enter your LMIA exempt job offer number in box number 6. If you have not received a new LMIA exempt job offer number in your new invitation letter, your application for an extension will be refused.

Extending your work permit during COVID-19

After you have submitted your application for the work permit extension, if your work conditions are changing with the new LMIA exempt job offer, we recommend that you follow the steps under “If you change jobs or employers” on this page. This will allow you to get your new work permit faster.

• Your new work permit will be sent by mail. Check that all the information on the permit is correct, including your identity, your employer (Université Laval), the city (Québec), your occupation, the expiry date (same length as the invitation unless your passport expires first), and the LMIA-exempt job offer number.

It is up to you to maintain valid immigration status to work at Université Laval, whether it is through a work permit or permanent residence.

Obtaining permanent residence to stay in Québec

Permanent residence to stay in Québec is acquired through two main steps:

1. You must obtain a Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ) from the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Diversité et de l’Inclusion.

• Processing time: depends on the CSQ program selected. Processing time for the Québec Experience Program (see below) is 6 months.
• Cost: starting from $ 812 for one person as of January 1st, 2020. Your spouse or common-law partner as well as the children can be included.

2. You must obtain permanent residence from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

• Processing time: variable, see the processing time for the Economic immigration category – Skilled Workers (Québec). It should take at least 2 years.
• Cost: from $ 1,325 for one person as of May 1, 2020, plus the cost of police certificates, medical exams and biometrics. Your spouse or common-law partner as well as the children who have obtained a CSQ can be included.

Certificat de sélection du Québec (CSQ)

The following programs lead to a CSQ.

The Québec Experience Program (PEQ) was set up for specialized temporary foreign workers.

The program may apply to some visiting postdoctoral fellows, research professionals and visiting professors. 

Before preparing your application, make sure you meet all the eligibility criteria for the program.

The following criteria are common to both versions of the CSQ-PEQ:

• be 18 years of age and over
• still work in Québec
• obtain an attestation of learning about democratic values and the Québec values expressed by the Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms

Those who held a valid work permit on July 21, 2020 benefit from the older version of the CSQ-PEQ for workers, whose main criteria are:

• in the last 24 months, having accumulated 12 months of full-time legal paid employment (minimum of 30 hours per week), performed in Québec
• having an advanced intermediate level of oral French
• the spouse or de facto spouse who held a valid work permit on July 21, 2020, does not have to demonstrate proficiency in spoken French, regardless of the date the application was submitted

Those who obtained their work permit after on July 22, 2020 or after must meet these criteria:

• in the last 36 months, having accumulated 24 months of full-time legal paid employment (minimum of 30 hours per week), performed in Québec, in a profession at level 0, A or B of the National Occupational Classification (NOC)
• demonstrate minimum proficiency in spoken French, which corresponds to level 7 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes
• the spouse or de facto spouse must have proficiency in spoken French of level 4 on the Échelle québécoise des niveaux de compétence en français des personnes immigrantes adultes or its equivalent

Before sending in your application, make sure that the forms are up to date and signed and that you have paid in full. Keep a copy of everything you send and submit it by mail with a tracking option. An incomplete application will be returned, which will delay your permanent immigration procedures. The payment of the CSQ-PEQ is taken within a few weeks, and indicates that the application was received by the MIFI. If after a month, the payment is still not taken, follow up with MIFI or check your mail in case the application is returned.

Upon receiving your CSQs, review the information, especially relating to your identity. If there are errors, get in touch the MIFI to correct them.

Permanent residence

Once you’ve obtained your CSQ, you can apply for permanent residence under the “Quebec-selected skilled workers” program. The criteria to be met include having a valid CSQ and no criminal record, security problems, or health issues. For this reason, you must submit police certificates for each country other than Canada where you have spent more than six months after the age of 18 and, when required by IRCC, you must take the medical exam.

This guide will help you apply for permanent residence.

Before sending in your application, make sure that the forms are up to date and signed and that you have paid in full. Keep a copy of everything you send and submit it by mail with a tracking option. An incomplete application will be returned, which will delay your permanent immigration procedures.

Extending a work permit

If you obtain a CSQ before your work permit expires, you can generally extend it for up to two years with an LMIA-exempt job offer under A-75, which allows you to stay in Québec while waiting for the permanent residence.

The main criteria for this exemption are to hold a valid work permit, a valid CSQ in one of the categories listed under A-75 (includes the PEQ-CSQ for workers, “IZ – PEQ Travailleurs”), to reside in Québec, and to have a job offer from a Québec employer.

This LMIA exemption can be used for an extra year if the application for permanent residence has been submitted.

Each LMIA exemption requires a new invitation letter containing a new LMIA exempt job offer number, before applying for the work permit extension.

Postdoctoral fellows do not need to use the A-75 LMIA exemption since they can always benefit from the LMIA exemption C-44.

The A-75 LMIA exemption is useful for foreign workers wishing to hold a research professional or professor position at Université Laval, based on their CSQ. Then, they are exempt of both the LMIA and CAQ.

Here’s how to extend your work permit online.
 

Permanent resident card and travels

Your main proof of permanent residence will be your Confirmation of Permanent Residence document signed with you by an IRCC or customs officer after your application is approved. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the procedure of permanent residence confirmation may change.

You will receive your permanent resident card a few weeks after signing the Confirmation. Processing times vary (check those for “Permanent resident cards”, “No, I am waiting for my first card”).

Before traveling outside Canada after you’ve obtained your permanent residence (Confirmation of permanent residence), you have to wait for your permanent resident card. Processing times can vary. To travel without this card, you will need to apply for a special visa called a “Permanent Resident Travel Document” from outside Canada.

For more information on this subject and on the obligations of permanent residents, go to https://www.canada.ca/fr/immigration-refugies-citoyennete/services/nouveaux-immigrants/carte- rp/comprendre-statut-rp.html.

Residency obligation for permanent residents

If you have been a permanent resident for less than five (5) years: you must prove that you will be able to meet the residency obligation of at least 730 days of physical presence in Canada within the five (5) years of the date you became a permanent resident.

If you have been a permanent resident for five (5) years or more: you must have been physically present in Canada for at least 730 days over the past five (5) years.

Citizenship

Applying for citizenship is optional.

For more information, click this link.