Employer-Specific (Closed) Work Permit Canada

Closed Work Permits | SAAB Immigration Services, RCIC R536007

Introduction to Closed Work Permits

What this page covers

If you stop working for the named employer you have not lost your status. You simply cannot work for anyone else until you hold a permit that allows it. That distinction matters more than almost anything else on this page.

Closed work permits, also known as employer-specific work permits, are a type of work permit that ties a foreign worker to a specific employer and job position in Canada. This means that the permit holder can only work for the employer named on their work permit and under the conditions specified, such as location and duration of employment.

What Does an Employer Specific Permit Actually Restrict?

A closed permit, properly called an employer-specific work permit, names your employer, your work location and your occupation, and lists numbered conditions on the document itself. You may work only within those terms until it expires. Understanding the boundary matters, because stepping outside it is a status problem, not an administrative one.

What Is Fixed on the Permit:

The named employer, and you cannot work for another without a new permit
The work location, where one is specified
The occupation, and materially different duties can fall outside it
The expiry date, after which you must have applied to extend or you lose authorization
Any additional numbered conditions, including medical or occupational restrictions

Changing employer, and in many cases changing role with the same employer, requires a new work permit. You may begin the new work only once it is issued, not when the application is submitted.

How Does the Employer Obtain One?

The route depends on whether the job requires a Labour Market Impact Assessment or falls under an LMIA-exempt category of the International Mobility Program.

The LMIA Route:

The employer applies to ESDC and pays the $1,000 fee per position requested
A positive assessment is valid for a maximum of six months, reduced from twelve on 1 May 2024
Low-wage positions support employment of up to one year, high-wage up to three years
Since 1 April 2026 low-wage advertising runs eight consecutive weeks and must include youth recruitment

The LMIA-Exempt Route:

The employer submits an Offer of Employment through the Employer Portal
A $230 employer compliance fee applies
Common categories include intra-company transfers, free trade agreement professionals and significant benefit cases
No advertising or recruitment is required, but the exemption must genuinely apply

Where Do Employers and Workers Get Caught?

Enforcement has intensified sharply. In the 2025 to 2026 fiscal year ESDC conducted 1,488 inspections, found roughly twelve per cent non-compliance, banned thirty employers and issued $10.2 million in penalties, more than double the previous year. Penalties reach $1 million per employer per year and bans run from two years to permanent.

Points Worth Knowing Before You Sign:

Low-wage applications are refused outright in census metropolitan areas with unemployment at or above six per cent, which currently includes Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo
Check the public list of non-compliant employers before accepting an offer
A worker on a closed permit is exposed if their employer is found non-compliant
A visitor in Canada can no longer apply for an employer-specific work permit inland, as that public policy ended on 28 August 2024
Flagpoling to obtain a work permit at the border ended on 23 December 2024, with limited exemptions

If your circumstances have changed, or the job is not what was described, an open work permit may be available to you instead. Where the issue is abuse or the risk of abuse, see our page on the open work permit for vulnerable workers.

Would a Considered View on Your Closed Work Permits Options Help?

Most applicants have more than one route available and rarely the same one they arrived expecting. SAAB Immigration Services Inc. offers a complimentary ten minute consultation to set out the options that genuinely apply to your situation. There is no obligation.

Ask us to take a look

Why Would You Accept a Closed Permit?

Employer-Specific Opportunities

Closed work permits are essential for employers who need to hire foreign nationals to fill specific job roles that require specialized skills not readily available in the local labor market. This arrangement ensures that employers can meet their operational needs while adhering to Canadian immigration regulations.
Structured Employment

For employees, closed work permits provide a structured pathway to work in Canada, with a clear understanding of their job role, employer, and location. This can help with job security and stability during their stay.
Compliance with Canadian Laws

Closed work permits ensure that both employers and employees comply with Canadian labor laws and immigration regulations. Employers must obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) or qualify under specific LMIA exemptions, proving that the employment of a foreign worker will not negatively impact the Canadian job market.
Pathways to Permanent Residency

Certain closed work permits can also serve as stepping stones toward permanent residency in Canada. For example, job roles supported by an LMIA can provide additional points in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) under the Express Entry system, enhancing the chances of obtaining permanent residency.

Closed work permits may require one or more of the following

Labour Market Impact Assessment

Most closed work permits require an LMIA, which is a document that an employer in Canada may need to obtain before hiring a foreign worker.

Provincial Nominee Program Support Letter

Some closed work permits can be issued based on a support letter from a Provincial Nominee Program, although not all PNPs support this.

Employer-Specific Criteria

Depending on the job and the province, additional criteria or documentation may be needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change employers on a closed work permit?

Not without a new work permit. The permit names your employer, and in many cases your work location and occupation. You may begin working for a new employer only once the new permit is issued, not when the application is submitted.

How long is an LMIA valid?

Six months. It was cut from twelve months on 1 May 2024, so any source telling you twelve months is out of date. Low-wage positions support employment of up to one year and high-wage positions up to three years.

My employer is in Toronto. Can they get a low-wage LMIA?

Generally no. Low-wage applications are refused outright in census metropolitan areas with unemployment at or above six per cent, and the current table covering 10 July to 8 October 2026 includes Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal and Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo. Exemptions apply for primary agriculture, construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, nursing and residential care, and positions of 120 days or less.

What happens if my employer is found non-compliant?

It affects you, not only them. Penalties reach one million dollars per employer per year and bans run from two years to permanent. Check the public list of non-compliant employers before you accept an offer.

Can I flagpole to get my work permit at the border?

No. Flagpoling for work and study permits ended on 23 December 2024. Exemptions remain for United States citizens and lawful permanent residents, certain free trade agreement professionals and their spouses, international truck drivers renewing after a required departure, and anyone with a pre-booked CBSA appointment.

What is the difference between a closed and an open work permit?

A closed permit, properly called employer-specific, names your employer and limits you to that job. An open permit lets you work for almost any employer. Open permits belong to defined categories such as post-graduation, spousal or bridging, and are not available on request.

Plan Your Closed Work Permits Application Properly, the First Time

A refused application follows an applicant into everything that comes after it, which is why the preparation matters more than the submission. We will review your circumstances and documents together, address the risks before they reach an officer, and set out exactly what is required.

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Our Team

Dikshit Soni

Founder and Principal Consultant

Dr. Pallavi Kataria

Barrister and Solicitor, Pallavi Law Office

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Closed Work Permits