Surrey employers in trucking, construction, food processing, farming, and health care hire workers from abroad every month, and many international graduates here move straight onto open work permits. Brightlight Immigration helps you choose the right permit, file it, and extend it before it expires. A licensed RCIC reviews every file before it goes to IRCC.
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What a Work Permit Does
A work permit is the document Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issues to let a foreign national work in Canada for a set period. Canadian citizens and permanent residents do not need one. Almost everyone else working for a Surrey employer does, including international students who work beyond their study permit conditions.
People often search for a Canada work visa, but Canada does not issue one. If your passport requires it, you also receive a Temporary Resident Visa or an eTA to travel. That document lets you enter. The work permit is what lets you work.
There are two kinds of permit. A closed, or employer-specific, permit ties you to one employer, one job, and one location. An open work permit lets you work for almost any employer. Most closed permits fall under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment, or the International Mobility Program, which does not. Our overview of work permit options in Canada covers every category in more depth. In Surrey, the right choice depends on your job offer, your occupation, and your current status.
Quick Facts
The short version for Surrey workers and employers:
| Topic | What applies |
|---|---|
| Who needs one | Most foreign nationals working in Canada temporarily, including students working past their permit conditions |
| Two kinds | Closed (employer-specific) or open |
| Two programs | Temporary Foreign Worker Program (LMIA) or International Mobility Program (LMIA-exempt) |
| Closed permit fee | $155 |
| Open permit fee | $255, which is $155 plus the $100 open work permit holder fee |
| Biometrics | $85 for most applicants |
| Extensions | Apply before your permit expires; IRCC suggests at least 30 days ahead |
| Spouse | Open work permit for spouses of workers in eligible jobs |
| Medical exam | Needed for some jobs and some countries of residence |
| Processing time | Varies by permit and country; check IRCC's tool |
| Path to PR | Skilled Canadian work can count toward Express Entry and the BC PNP |
Government Fees
Fees are split between you and your employer. We list them in writing before any application, together with our professional fee, so nobody pays twice or pays the wrong office.
| Fee | Paid by | Amount (CAD) |
|---|---|---|
| Closed work permit | Worker | $155 |
| Open work permit, total | Worker | $255 |
| Open work permit holder fee (part of the total) | Worker | $100 |
| Biometrics | Worker | $85 |
| LMIA application | Employer, to ESDC | $1,000 |
| Employer compliance fee for LMIA-exempt offers | Employer, to IRCC | $230 |
| Restoration of status, if your permit has expired | Worker | $246.25 plus the permit fee |
The $100 holder fee is refunded if an open work permit is refused, but the $155 fee is not. Vulnerable worker applicants pay no fee. An employer may not recover the LMIA fee from you, so a request to pay it is a warning sign. Fees change from time to time, so we confirm each amount on the day you file.
Two Kinds of Permit
Every permit falls into one of two groups, and the choice decides everything that follows.
A closed permit names one employer, one job title, and one work location. You cannot change employers, add a second job, or move to another position without a new permit. Most closed permits need either a positive LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), or an LMIA-exempt offer your employer submits through the IRCC Employer Portal. A real job offer from a Canadian employer is required in both cases. Changing the job on paper without a new permit or an updated offer is one of the most common problems we fix. Our guide to the closed work permit explains each route.
In Surrey, closed permits are common for long-haul truck drivers, construction trades, farm workers in Cloverdale and the Fraser Valley, cooks, and caregivers. Many Surrey employers have hired this way before, but each new offer still needs checking.
An open permit lets you work for almost any employer in Canada without a job offer attached. It is only available in set situations, such as recent graduates eligible for a Post-Graduation Work Permit, spouses of certain workers and students, and permanent residence applicants waiting for a decision. No LMIA is needed.
Many Surrey residents hold an open permit after graduating from a local college or university, or while a spouse works or studies here. If your situation changes, for example a new job offer or a PR application, the best permit can change too. We check both options against your plans before you file. An open permit can still carry conditions, such as a ban on health care or childcare work until a medical exam is done, so read yours carefully.
LMIA or Exempt
Whether a job needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment depends on the job offer and the program behind it. Picking the wrong route can cost months, so this is the first thing we settle with both worker and employer.
The employer applies to ESDC for a positive LMIA showing that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available for the role. The application costs the employer $1,000 and often takes several months. Once it is approved, the worker applies for the permit using the LMIA number. High-wage, low-wage, agricultural, and Global Talent Stream jobs fall under this program. ESDC has at times refused to process low-wage LMIAs in metropolitan areas with high unemployment, and Surrey sits inside the Vancouver area, so check the current list before your employer applies. Quebec has extra steps, but they do not apply to BC jobs. Our LMIA work permit guide covers employer duties in detail.
Some permits need no LMIA because they serve Canada’s economic, cultural, or social interests, or follow a trade agreement. The employer submits the offer through the IRCC Employer Portal and pays a $230 compliance fee. These include CUSMA permits for US and Mexican citizens, intra-company transfers, Francophone Mobility, CETA permits for EU citizens, and significant benefit permits. Most open work permits also sit under this program. If your employer has never used the Employer Portal, we walk them through the offer before you apply, since one wrong field can lead to a refusal.
We settle LMIA or exempt first, check the offer against the application, and walk your employer through the Employer Portal.
Open Work Permits
An open permit lets you work for almost any employer without a job offer attached. These are the situations we see most often in Surrey. Our guide to the open work permit covers each one in full.
For graduates of eligible programs at Canadian DLIs, including Surrey campuses. The permit can last up to three years, depending on program length, and you can only get one in your lifetime. Language results and, for most college programs, a field of study on IRCC's list are now required. Apply before your study permit expires if you want to keep working while you wait.
For the spouse or common-law partner of certain workers or students. Since January 2025, a worker's spouse qualifies only if the worker is in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or a selected TEER 2 or 3 job, with at least 16 months left on the permit.
For permanent residence applicants already in Canada whose work permit is close to expiring. It lets you keep working while IRCC decides your PR application. You usually need an acknowledgment of receipt for the PR application, and your permit must be within four months of expiring.
For workers on a closed permit who face abuse, or the risk of abuse, from their employer. It allows work for another employer while the situation is addressed, and there is no fee.
International Experience Canada participants, some PR applicants, temporary resident permit holders, and people under specific public policies. We confirm which one fits at your first review.
Eligibility
Rules differ by permit, but five factors apply to most files. A weak point in any of them can lead to a refusal, so we check them together before a form is filled in.
The offer must come from a Canadian employer and rest on a positive LMIA or a confirmed exemption. It must state the occupation, wage, hours, and work address. If you will work at a Surrey site but the company is registered elsewhere, the location on the offer must match where you actually work. For LMIA jobs, the wage must meet the prevailing wage for the job and region. Open permit applicants need no offer, but must fit a specific category.
You must meet the education, training, or licensing the job requires. That may mean a degree, a trade certificate, a professional licence, or detailed reference letters. Foreign credentials may need an assessment or a certified translation. Some trades in BC need certification through SkilledTradesBC before you can work.
IRCC checks whether you have ties that make it likely you will leave when your authorization ends: family, property, work history, or community. Weak ties are a common refusal reason for applicants abroad, and they must be addressed directly. If you also plan to apply for PR, say so. Canadian law allows dual intent when the temporary plan is genuine.
You need funds to live until your first paycheque and to travel home at the end. A signed employment contract usually covers most of this, but it must be clearly documented. Applicants bringing family members need more.
You must have no serious criminal record or security concern. A medical exam is required for jobs in health care, childcare, or primary school teaching, for some agricultural work, and for anyone who lived in certain countries for six months or more in the past year. An IRCC panel physician must do it, and the results are valid for 12 months.
The Process
The process depends on the permit, the program, and where you apply from. These six steps follow the most common route, a closed permit applied for from outside Canada. Open permits and applications from inside Canada differ at several points, and we map the right route at your first meeting.
We confirm whether you need a closed or open permit, which program applies, and whether your offer qualifies for an LMIA exemption. Choosing the wrong category is the most common avoidable mistake, and it can delay your start date by months. We also check whether you are already in Canada, since that changes where and how you apply.
For an LMIA job, your employer applies to ESDC. For an exempt job, the employer submits the offer through the IRCC Employer Portal and pays the $230 fee. We work with Surrey employers on both and check the offer before you apply, since a faulty offer leads to a refused permit. Surrey's trucking and farming employers often use the low-wage or agricultural streams, which carry extra employer duties, such as transport or housing.
You need a valid passport, the job offer or LMIA number, proof of qualifications, proof of funds, and any documents your visa office asks for. We review the full package before anything is submitted. Missing or mismatched documents are the most common cause of delay. Reference letters should show duties, hours, dates, and pay, signed by a manager with contact details.
Most applicants apply online through an IRCC account. US citizens and certain other applicants may apply at a port of entry. We confirm current fees, submit the file, and watch for any IRCC request or Procedural Fairness Letter. Answer every question on the forms, including past refusals in any country, since an omission can look like misrepresentation.
IRCC sends biometrics instructions after you submit, and you have 30 days to attend a Visa Application Centre. The fee is $85. If a medical exam is needed, an IRCC panel physician must do it. An upfront exam can shorten processing. Applicants already in Canada give biometrics at a Service Canada office that offers them, unless earlier biometrics are still valid.
Applicants from abroad receive the permit at the port of entry. Applicants inside Canada receive it by mail or through their account. Start work only once the permit is in hand and shows the correct employer, job, and location, or open conditions. Check the printed details at the counter before you leave, since fixing an error later takes longer.
Every step is prepared and reviewed by our licensed RCIC team at our Surrey immigration office. Book a consultation to start with step one.
Extensions
An expiry date is the most stressful moment for many of the workers who call our Surrey office. It is also one of the most manageable situations when the timing is right.
You apply from inside Canada through your IRCC account, before your current permit expires. IRCC suggests applying at least 30 days ahead. The fee is the same as a new permit, $155 for a closed permit. In-Canada processing often takes several months, so your permit will likely pass its expiry date before a decision arrives. That is where maintained status matters. Bring your current permit, your updated job offer or LMIA, and recent pay stubs to the review.
Maintained status, once called implied status, applies when you file a complete extension before your permit expires. You can keep working on the same conditions after the printed expiry date: same employer, same job, and same location on a closed permit.
It is not a separate permit. It ends the moment IRCC decides, whether the answer is yes or no. If you change employers during that time, or your extension is refused, the rules change quickly. If you filed late, restoration of status may still be possible within a short window, but you cannot work until it is approved. We confirm your status before you keep working under it. Do not leave Canada while you wait if you need to keep working, because leaving ends maintained status. Keep a copy of your submission receipt, since an employer may ask to see it.
Refusals
Most refused work permits we review had a cause that could have been fixed before filing. These are the ones we look for on every file.
The most common refusal for applicants abroad. Officers weigh family, property, work history, and community ties. If they think you are likely to overstay, they refuse. Address it in the application rather than leaving the officer to guess. Applicants already in Surrey face fewer questions on ties, but the officer still checks your status history.
Missing documents, names that differ across forms, unexplained gaps, or an offer that leaves out the wage, hours, or address. These cause delays at best and refusals at worst.
An LMIA that does not match the job in the permit application, or an Employer Portal entry with errors. This happens most when employers prepare the paperwork without help. We check the offer and the application against each other.
An offer to work as a cook with no kitchen experience, or a manager role with no supervisory history, raises doubts. Officers check that you can actually do the job, and your reference letters and certificates must show it.
An offer paying below the prevailing wage, or listing duties that do not match the occupation code, can lead to a refused LMIA or permit. We compare the offer with Job Bank data before you file.
An undisclosed criminal record, a past immigration violation, or a health issue that needs review. We assess a complex background before filing, not after a Procedural Fairness Letter arrives. Disclose everything, since misrepresentation carries a five-year bar.
You can apply again, but the next file has to answer the reason in the refusal letter and the officer's notes. Since July 2025, most work permit refusals include those notes, which name the exact concern. We review the refused file before recommending a reapplication, a different permit, or another route. See our visa refusal help in Surrey.
Surrey Situations
A truck driver on a closed permit in Surrey has six weeks left. His employer changed his route and duties months ago, but the offer on file still shows the old details. The extension has to wait until the offer is corrected, or the mismatch could lead to a refusal.
A recent graduate from a Surrey college holds a PGWP that ends next spring. She has an Express Entry profile but no invitation yet. The question is whether a bridging open work permit, a closed permit, or another route keeps her working without a gap.
A Surrey employer wants to hire a worker already in Canada on another permit. The first question is whether the job needs an LMIA or qualifies for an exemption, and how long each would take.
Your situation may be different. Our immigration consultant in Surrey will tell you honestly what your options are.
Real Client Stories
These are real client files prepared by our Surrey team and reviewed by Loveneet Paneswar, RCIC. Slide through to find the situation closest to yours.
Your situation may be different. Our immigration consultant in Surrey will tell you honestly what your options are.
Why Brightlight
Consultants and unregulated agents operate all over Surrey, and many carry no legal accountability if something goes wrong. This comparison matters when your right to work is at stake. Check any consultant’s licence on the CICC public register before you pay. It takes two minutes.
| What matters | Brightlight | Unregulated agent | DIY |
|---|---|---|---|
| RCIC licensed and CICC regulated | ✓ | ✕ | — |
| Refusal case experience | ✓ | Unverifiable | Risk |
| Maintained status guidance | ✓ | Variable | Risk |
| LMIA and exempt offer support for employers | ✓ | Variable | Risk |
| Named RCIC reviews your file | ✓ | Unlikely | — |
| Support from work permit to PR | ✓ | Varies | — |
Meet Your Immigration Consultants
At Brightlight, the founders handle your file themselves. It is not passed to a junior caseworker after the first call, which keeps the standard the same on every file.
Founder & RCIC Consultant
Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant with 14+ years of experience. Loveneet reviews every job offer, document package, and IRCC response before it goes out, and checks how your permit fits your PR plans.
Co-Founder · Chief Client Officer
Your first call and your ongoing contact. Sumir keeps the file moving from the first review to the day your permit is issued, works with your employer when needed, and answers the phone when you have questions. Our team works in English, Punjabi, Urdu, and Hindi.
Testimonials
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From Work Permit to PR
Skilled work in Canada is one of the most reliable routes to permanent residence. For many Surrey workers, the first permit is where the plan starts, and each stage depends on the one before it. Here is how the stages connect. We plan the route at the start, so your first permit still supports your PR plans later.
| Stage | What it is | How we help |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit | Permission to work in Canada for a set period | Application, employer support, LMIA or exempt offer |
| Extension | More time on your current job | Filing before expiry, maintained status guidance |
| Spousal open work permit | Open work for your spouse or partner | Application while your permit is valid |
| Express Entry or Canadian Experience Class | PR after one year of skilled Canadian work | CRS planning and the PR application |
| BC PNP | Provincial nomination for BC workers and graduates | Stream review and nomination filing |
| Canadian citizenship | Citizenship after meeting the PR residency rules | Citizenship application |
FAQ
Straight answers from our licensed RCIC to the work permit questions Surrey workers and employers ask most.
No. Canada does not issue a work visa. The work permit lets you work. If your country needs a visa to enter Canada, you also receive a Temporary Resident Visa or an eTA. You need both when your passport requires a visa, and each is checked at the border.
Yes. You apply through your IRCC account before your permit expires, ideally at least 30 days ahead. Processing often takes several months, so your permit may pass its expiry date first. That is normal, and maintained status covers it.
Yes, if you applied before your permit expired. Maintained status lets you keep working on the same conditions until IRCC decides. If the extension is approved, you move to the new permit. If it is refused, you must stop working.
Possibly. Your spouse may qualify for an open work permit if you work in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or a selected TEER 2 or 3 job, and your permit has at least 16 months left when your spouse applies. Lower-skilled roles usually do not qualify, so check your occupation code first.
Not without a new permit. A closed permit names one employer, job, and location. Your new employer needs an LMIA or an exempt offer, and you apply for a new permit. Some workers can start with the new employer sooner under a special measure, so ask first.
No. The employer must pay the LMIA fee and cannot recover it from the worker. A request to pay it, or to pay for a job offer, is a serious warning sign. Speak to a licensed RCIC before you pay anyone.
It varies by stream and by ESDC’s workload. Many streams take several months, and the work permit adds more time. The Global Talent Stream is the fastest, with a target of about two weeks. We give you a realistic timeline before your employer applies, based on current ESDC figures.
Usually, if your program was eligible and you apply within 180 days of completing it. You need proof of completion, language results, and, for most college programs, a field of study on IRCC’s list. Check eligibility before your final term ends.
Possibly. Restoration of status may be available within a short window after expiry, with an added fee. You cannot work while restoration is pending. Call as soon as you notice, because the deadline is short and options narrow quickly.
Read the refusal letter and the officer’s notes first. Most cases call for a new application that answers the specific concern with stronger documents. If you missed a Procedural Fairness Letter, we check whether a reconsideration request fits, or whether another permit makes more sense.
Skilled, paid work in Canada can count toward the Canadian Experience Class and BC PNP streams. Unauthorized work and most self-employment do not. Keep pay stubs, reference letters, and tax records from your first day, since IRCC asks for proof later.
It depends on the permit type, your country, and IRCC’s workload. Check IRCC’s processing times tool on the day you apply. LMIA jobs also need the employer’s LMIA first, which adds months to the plan.
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