How to Get a Work Visa in Canada Without a Job Offer
Do you want to know what the different options are to obtain a work visa in Canada? Would you like to embark on the adventure of working around the world in this North American destination? This is one of the destinations with the most options for expatriates who want to live an international experience.
Through this article we will review the best visa programs to work in Canada , in order to guarantee your access to all job offers in this country, which makes it one of the preferred destinations for many young students and professionals eager for new opportunities.
As it is such an attractive destination, with exemplary quality of life indexes and well-paid job opportunities , obtaining a work visa in Canada sounds like an excellent idea to open the way to the professional development you have always dreamed of.
Without further introduction, let us know more details about how to get a work visa in Canada.
General requirements to obtain a work visa in Canada
First of all, it is essential to know what are the general requirements requested by the Canadian immigration department to all foreigners who wish to move to this country to fulfill work purposes and apply to their work visa programs.
Obviously, all the requirements are subject to change according to the type of visa you choose. However, some conditions are the same for all visas.
These are some of the main requirements that you cannot lose sight of before applying for a work visa in Canada :
- Be over 18 years of age
- Valid passport
- Stay insurance with a good limit of medical coverage, accident management and repatriation ( Travel Insurance )
- Have financial means to cover your arrival in Canada
- Contribution of biometric data (fingerprints, photo…)
- Curriculum Vitae in English and under Canadian standards
- Validation of certifications
- No criminal record
- Fill out application forms
- Payment of the corresponding fees and charges for the management of the visa
- Ability to communicate in English , at least at an intermediate level. Knowledge of French will also be highly valued.
List of visas and work programs in Canada
As we mentioned at the beginning, Canada makes available to foreign citizens a series of visas and programs to facilitate the migration process under regular conditions to work in the country.
Next, we will review the most convenient types of visas to live a work experience in Canadian territory:
International Experience Canada (“Working Holiday Visa”)
The International Experience Canada , better known by its acronym, IEC , is an international program promoted by the Government of Canada. Its purpose is to allow young people between 18 and 35 years of age the opportunity to travel, live, work and even study in Canada for a year, in order to promote a unique cultural exchange experience.
The visa authorization to travel and participate in work and study experiences after being admitted to this program is popularly known as a Working Holiday Visa , that is, a work and vacation visa.
This program also permits internships in Canada or temporary residencies for young professionals. However, the most popular is still the Working Holiday.
Every year, the Canadian Government, thanks to various agreements with Spain, opens the call for around 800 – 1000 places with work and vacation visas aimed at young Spaniards looking for this type of experience.
Open Work Permit
This open work permit for employment in Canada opens the possibility for a foreign national to work for any Canadian employer who wants to hire their professional services for a specific period of time.
Professionals can apply for this work permit both outside of Canada and at the time of entry into the country. Keep in mind that this visa may restrict the type of work or the place where the foreigner can work.
Post-Graduation Work Permit
The Post-Graduation Work Permit , translated into Spanish as “post-graduation work permit”, gives international students the opportunity to work for up to three years in Canada , after graduating from a higher education cycle.
Applicants must have continuously studied full-time in Canada in a program of at least eight months’ duration and apply for a visa within 180 days of completion of the program.
Canadian Express Entry
Although Canada Express Entry is not a visa program as such, but rather a system created by the Canadian government in order to better handle foreign immigration applications, you can benefit from this initiative to obtain a work permit in this destination.
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In turn, there are three federal programs administered through Express Entry to grant work permits in Canada to foreigners. These programs are known as:
- Federal Skilled Worker Program: Aimed at skilled workers with work experience abroad who wish to immigrate to Canada permanently.
- Federal Skilled Trades Program: aimed at qualified workers who wish to become permanent residents in Canada thanks to their ability to fill a highly demanded role in the country.
- Canadian Experience Class: aimed at qualified workers, with work experience in Canadian territory and who wish to become permanent residents.
Other ways to get permission to work in Canada
One of the most common doubts among people who want to emigrate to Canada and find a job is “Are there other ways of regularization that allow them to work in the country?”, in addition to the visa programs that we have already seen.
The reality is that another way to work regularly in Canada is to enter the country as a student ; however, obtaining a work permit depends a lot on the type of studies you are doing in that country.
If you are pursuing a university degree, baccalaureate or doctorate at an academic institution in Canada or you are studying through a technical course, you can opt for a work permit after fulfilling several conditions.
To finalize on how to get a work visa in Canada
Now that you know what the main requirements and programs for accessing visas to work in Canada are , we hope you can decide which of the options is more convenient to apply for based on your objective.
If you want to reside working legally in Canada, make sure you apply to one of these programs during the application opening period, fulfilling without exception all the requirements to live your next work experience in this incredible North American country.
Necessary requirements to travel to Canada from Spain
If you are a Spanish citizen and you are thinking of traveling to Canada , the first step is to inform yourself about the necessary requirements to enter Canada as a tourist and what documents you must present to the immigration authorities in this North American country.
Do not panic!
Although the immigration bureaucracy processes are usually a bit tedious , here you will find out what are the main requirements to travel to Canada from Spain and enjoy sightseeing without getting any surprises when you enter the airport.
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Do you want to know all the permits, visas and the necessary documentation to travel to Canada? Then we will answer all your questions.
Do you need a visa to travel to Canada from Spain?
Despite the fact that the Spanish passport is one of the best when it comes to authorizing tourist stays in more than 150 countries , before traveling to a country for tourism reasons, it is very important to make sure if you will need any type of visa that authorizes the stay. during the travel period.
In case of intending to travel to Canada from Spain, Spanish citizens do not require a visa to allow their access and stay in the country for a maximum period of 6 months .
However, they do need to present an electronic travel authorization , known in English as Electronic Travel Authorization and popular under its acronym eTA .
Note: If you are planning to travel to Canada for a period longer than the 6 months authorized by the permit, or for reasons other than tourism, it is very important to consult the existing visa options for the purposes of the transfer, in addition to gathering the corresponding documentation to successfully process the application.
eTA Canada authorization for Spaniards
Since the end of 2016, Spanish citizens must present the Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to enter Canadian territory. This authorization allows you to enter Canada by air or make stopovers at one of its airports without presenting any migratory problem or having to apply for an official visa.
If you do not travel from Spain , your transfer to Canada does not happen by air and you will use some other means of transport (for example, train, car, bus or boat), it will not be necessary to present the eTA , although the other requirements and documents for enter Canada as a tourist if you are Spanish.
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The eTA permit is valid for 5 years or at least until the traveler’s passport is no longer valid. Keep in mind that the eTA application is personal, so the inclusion of several members is not accepted, even if they are related.
Necessary documents to request the eTA authorization and travel to Canada from Spain
Unlike visa application processes, requesting an eTA permit from the Canadian immigration authorities is not a very bureaucratic or extensive process . In fact, the eTA permit can be requested 100% online by filling out a form available on the Canadian Immigration Ministry page and the approval resolution usually takes a short time.
These are the requirements and documents necessary to request the Electronic Travel Authorization to travel to Canada if you are Spanish:
- Have a valid Spanish passport .
- Fill in the application form for the electronic travel authorization (only available in English or French). It is possible to view and complete the form on the web portal of the Ministry of Immigration Canada by clicking here .
- Payment of a fee of 7 Canadian dollars to process the application.
- Provide the documents requested by mail by the Canadian Ministry of Immigration within 72 hours after filling out the form, if the situation warrants it.
Other requirements and documents to travel to Canada from Spain
Despite the fact that the eTA permit is one of the essential documents for Spanish citizens to be able to travel safely to Canada from Spain, there are other necessary requirements for tourist entry and stay to be authorized .
Other documents that you must gather before traveling to Canada, along with the eTA permit, are:
- Valid passport .
- Travel insurance with a good limit of medical coverage, accident management and repatriation.
- International driving license , in case you plan to rent a car during your stay.
- Not have a criminal record related to immigration crimes.
- Demonstrate economic solvency to cover expenses of the stay for the delimited tourist time.
And that’s it! Now you can pack your bags and enjoy your trip to the Canadian destination. Remember, to the extent possible, to ensure that you comply with all these requirements and documents required to travel as a tourist to Canada before buying your outbound air ticket, so that you can save any type of expense due to reasons of denial of permission.
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