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Employee Work Permits & Immigration

Employee Work Permits & Immigration

All foreign workers hired as employees at TRIUMF require a work authorization from IRCC.  Below you will find information on:

New Employee Temporary Work Permits

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW), as defined by IRCC, helps employers fill labour shortages on a temporary basis when no qualified Canadian citizen or permanent residents are available. TRIUMF can hire foreign workers through two different programs, and the program used depends on whether TRIUMF is required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).  As TRIUMF benefits from a number of LMIA exemptions, allowing us to access IRCC’s International Mobility Program (IMP) without the requirement for a LMIA, we seek temporary work permits under two categories:

In each category, TRIUMF will provide the worker with an Offer Letter and Job Description which will be used to support their work permit application.  TRIUMF HR works in conjunction with Bastin & Willets Immigration to provide basic support and services to the worker for their work permit application.  It is ultimately the workers responsibility to apply for and secure the necessary authorizations to work in Canada, and if they feel they require further application support then what TRIUMF provides they can hire Bastin & Willets Immigration at a discounted rate.

It is important to consider timelines for processing LMIAs, LMIA-exempt Offers of Employment, and individual work permit applications. Depending on the timelines issued by IRCC, it may take anywhere from a few weeks to several months for a foreign worker to arrive at TRIUMF.

LMIA Category

In most cases, the following position types fall under the LMIA Category:

  • Board Appointed Employees (BAE)
  • Senior Leadership Roles
  • Staff Scientists - Physicist, Chemist, etc.
  • Engineers
  • Professional Roles

TRIUMF will apply for an LMIA through either the Stream for High-Wage Positions or the Global Talent Stream, dependent on the details of the position. Once a positive LMIA is granted by IRCC, TRIUMF will provide the worker with the necessary LMIA information to apply for their temporary work permit.

Foreign workers from visa-exempt countries are encouraged to apply for their work permit upon arrival at their POE. Foreign workers coming from visa-required countries will need to apply for their work permit online and obtain the document before entering Canada.

IMP (LMIA-exempt) category

In most cases, the following position types fall under the IMP (LMIA-exempt) category:

  • Postdoctoral Researchers and Research Associates
  • Graduate Students, Masters and PhD
  • Undergraduate Students

For visa-exempt foreign workers, TRIUMF will submit a request to the International Mobility Workers Unit (IMWU) for an opinion on whether or not a negative or neutral impact on the Canadian labour market will be created by the hiring of a foreign worker.

In the case of a positive IMWU opinion, and for all visa-required workers, TRIUMF will submit an LMIA-exempt Offer of Employment to IRCC, who in return provide a LMIA Exemption Number (A Number) which the worker will use as part of their temporary work permit application.

Foreign workers from visa-exempt countries are encouraged to apply for their work permit upon arrival at their POE. Foreign workers coming from visa-required countries will need to apply for their work permit online and obtain the document before entering Canada.

Extending or Changing the Conditions of Your Temporary Work Permit

While there are various reason why a temporary work permit may need to be extended or changed, the most common are:

  • An extension of temporary employment
  • Changes to duties and responsibilites in the same role
  • A passport expiry
  • A name change

In most cases, applications to extend/change a temporary work permit must be done online. The work permit extension/change process is the same for work permits in both the LMIA Category and the IMP (LMIA-Exempt) Category.

TRIUMF will provide the worker with a letter detailing the extension or change, and a LMIA Number or LMIA Exemption Number (A Number) to use in their application.  A meeting will take place between the worker and the HRBP to discuss extension application process and timeliness.  The online application can be done through your IRCC secure account, and further information is here.  In certain situations it may be necessary for the worker to consider an alternate method of application through a process called 'flagpoling' which is done at a border crossing between Canada and the USA.  Flagpoling should not be undertaken without review and discussion from the HRBP and Immigration Consultant.

Workers do not automatically get a new visa as part of their work permit extension/change application, and must also apply to extend this. Further information on this process is here.

Applications must be submitted prior to the expiry of the current work permit, and IRCC recommends submitting this at least thirty (30) days before the current permit expires.  If you have submitted your application before your current permit expires, and do not receive the new permit before the current permit expiry, you can remain in Canada and continue to work under the same conditions of the expired permit through 'maintained status' as long as you remain in Canada.

Online Applications

Individuals not from visa-exempt countries, or individuals who simply prefer to do so, may make an application for a work permit online in their IRCC secure account.


IRCC issues a checklist of documents based on the answers given by the candidates at the front end of the work permit process. Applicants should not provide more requirements than the following:

  • Employer letter with offer of employment LMIA “A number” well identified
  • Digital photo as per IRCC work permit photo specification
  • Signed offer of employment and job description
  • IMWU opinion and explanation letter (if applicable)
  • IMM1295 (work permit application)
  • Evidence of qualification
  • Degree
  • Letter from home institution
  • Recommendation letters

Port of Entry Applications

Certain foreign nationals coming from visa-exempt countries have the option to apply for a work permit at the Port Of Entry (POE) to Canada.  This applies whether they are LMIA-exempt candidates with an Offer of Employment (A Number) or they have a positive LMIA decision.

Candidates who qualify for POE work permits need to be prepared and arrive with:

  • Their original job offer
  • A copy of the LMIA or IMWU LMIA exemption opinion
  • A LMIA Exemption Number (A Number)
  • Proof that they meet the qualifications and experience for the job
  • Education certificates generally meet/satisfy this requirement

Applicants will set a meeting with HR and immigration support to ensure that the POE process is smooth.  TRIUMF HR will also provide a recently dated POE letter, explaining to the officer that the job is still valid and reflective of either the LMIA number or LMIA exemption number associated with the particular candidate

Permanent Residency

For those foreign workers hired in to continuing roles, their employment will be contingent on their ability to obtain the necessary work authorizations to work in Canada permanently through Permanent Residency (PR).  TRIUMF will facilitate the process and provide basic support and service in conjunction with Batin & Willets Immigration.  If the feels they require further PR application support then what TRIUMF provides they can hire Bastin & Willets Immigration at a discounted rate.

TRIUMF will review and recommend a path to PR through either Express Entry or the BC Provincial Nominee Program (BCPNP).  All efforts should be made by  the worker to secure PR status before the expiry of their temporary work permit, but in the cases where this is not possible TRIUMF will facilitate the extension of the current permit or application for a new temporary permit.

Those TRIUMF employees who are not in continuing roles but who are interested in getting PR status in Canada may pursue this of their own volition.  In general, most TRIUMF staff should satisfy the eligibility requirements for Express Entry.  Your HRBP is available to answer basic questions on the PR process, and all TRIUMF staff can take advantage of the Bastin & Willets Immigration discounted rate.

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