How To Activate Your Canadian Work Permit

This page focuses on activating a Canadian work permit through any of the available application methods: online, by paper, or at the border itself, with further distinctions on whether you are applying from within Canada or outside Canada.

Key Takeaways

• There are limited situations where a person can apply for and activate a work permit on paper at a border. Almost all work permit applications must now be completed online.
• You can’t activate your Canadian work permit at every border. Most international airports will have the resources for it, but there are many land and water borders that cannot activate your permit or can only activate it during certain hours.
• ‘Flagpoling’ is where a person exits Canada at a border (typically a land border to the US) and then immediately re-enters Canada to update or renew their immigration status.

Activate Your Canadian Work Permit: Online Applications

The activation process for your online work permit looks different depending on whether you applied from within Canada or outside Canada, as well as which program your temporary work permit is through.

Applying From Inside Canada

If you applied for your Canadian work permit online from within Canada, you will receive an email from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) informing you that your Canadian work permit application has been approved.

Then it’s a short waiting game to receive the actual, physical work permit to your mailing address. It is activated when you receive it, so you have nothing left to do (except enjoy working in Canada, of course).

Applying From Outside Canada

If you applied for your Canadian work permit online and from outside Canada, you will, if approved, receive an approval letter (the POE letter of introduction) by email. This contains instructions about how to obtain your actual, physical work permit at a Canadian port of entry.

IEC Activation

Although flagpoling is no longer allowed, according to the IRCC website, if you are in Canada when you receive your IEC port of entry letter of introduction, you must leave the country and re-enter at any port of entry to activate your work permit.

Activate Your Canadian Work Permit: Paper Applications

Submitting a paper application at the border used to be popular, but most (almost all) temporary work permits must now be submitted online. The situations where a paper application is available are extremely limited, with one exception being if the applicant has a disability preventing them from applying online.

But that’s about the application stage; our focus here is on activating your Canadian work permit having submitted by paper.

If you applied for your Canadian work permit by paper and from within Canada, you will, if approved, received a letter in the mail from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) informing you that your Canadian work permit application has been approved. Thereafter it’s simply a short waiting game to receive the actual, physical work permit to your mailing address. When you receive it, you can consider it activated. You have nothing left to do (except enjoy working in Canada, of course).

If you applied for your Canadian work permit by paper and from outside Canada, you will, if approved, receive an approval letter (the letter of introduction) with instructions on how to obtain your actual, physical work permit upon presentation of this letter and other key documentation at a Canadian port of entry.

Applying At The Border

You may be eligible to apply for a work permit at a Canadian border in very limited circumstances, and you must be from one of the visa exempt countries listed on the table below. If this applies to you, you will need to bring all the supporting documents showing that you are eligible for the permit. This is risky compared to an online application.

Online applications undergo a completeness check quite quickly, and many applications fail these checks. Applicants then need to go and get the missed documents and reapply. If you’re applying at the border, you’re likely a long way from home if you need any additional documents or information.

That being said, if you are eligible and you apply at the border, you will likely receive your work permit on the spot and you can start work immediately once you enter Canada.

Note- As of December 24, 2024 in Canada applicants who hold a valid work permit can no longer apply for a work permit at the port of entry, even if they are otherwise eligible to do so. In this case, applicants must apply online as an in- Canada applicant.

Practical Steps: Tips For Crossing The Canadian Border

When you enter Canada, tell the Canadian border services officer that you have come here to work.

If you have received a Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction indicating that you are approved to work in Canada, bring it with you. This letter is not a travel document or a work permit, but you must show it when you arrive in Canada.

If you’re coming into Canada on an employer-specific (closed) work permit, you should also have supporting documents, such as:

• proof that you meet requirements of the job, such as proof of work experience and education, and
• a copy of your employer’s positive Labour Market Impact Assessment.

Once the Canadian border services officer has checked your documents and confirms that you can enter Canada, the officer will print the actual Canadian work permit for you.

LMIA-exempt, employer-specific Canadian work permit

When you enter Canada, tell the Canadian border services officer that you have come here to work.

If you have received a Port of Entry (POE) Letter of Introduction indicating that you are approved to work in Canada, bring it with you. This letter is not a travel document or a work permit, but you must show it when you arrive in Canada.

You should also have supporting documents, such as:

• proof that you meet requirements of the job, such as proof of work experience and education, and
• the offer of employment number your employer received when they submitted the offer of employment through the Employer Portal.

Once the Canadian border services officer has checked your documents and confirms that you can enter Canada, the officer will print the actual Canadian work permit for you.

IEC Working Holiday

When your International Experience Canada (IEC) working holiday application is approved, you’ll receive a port of entry (POE) letter of introduction in your account. You’ll need this letter of introduction to receive an IEC work permit when you enter Canada.

The letter does not guarantee entry into Canada or guarantee a work permit. You’ll need to bring this letter with you to Canada and show it to a border services officer at the port of entry (airport or land border).

Your letter of introduction will have a clearly marked expiry date. You must show your letter at a Canadian port of entry on or before this date to get your work permit. The expiry date of the letter of introduction cannot be changed or extended under any circumstance. You cannot transfer your letter to any other person or name.

In addition to your letter of introduction, you will also need to be able to produce proof of at least $2,500 CAD in funds and insurance to cover the entirety of your planned stay in Canada. See our IEC FAQ sheet for more.