Work permit: when you start working

From Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

On this page:

• Understand the conditions of your permit
• Get a social insurance number
• Understand your rights as a foreign worker
  • Canada’s labour laws
  • Employment agreements
  • If you lose your job
  • Housing
  • Health and safety
  • Is your work safe?
  • Refusing dangerous work
  • If you get sick or hurt at work
  • Farm workers’ rights
  • Report abuse
• Labour standards in Canada

Understand the conditions on your permit

Read your work permit carefully. It sets out all the conditions for working in Canada. If you don’t meet those conditions, you could be asked to leave Canada.

You can also apply to change the conditions of your work permit or apply to extend the permit.

If you choose to study while you work

You may be eligible to study without a study permit while you work.

To be eligible, you must

• be authorized to work in Canada with either
  • a valid work permit that was issued on or before June 7, 2023, or
  • a letter authorizing you to work while we process your work permit extension application
    • The letter must have been issued on or before June 7, 2023.
• satisfy the terms and conditions of your work permit—except any conditions related to studying

Find out if you’re eligible for this measure.

Get a social insurance number

The social insurance number (SIN) is a 9-digit number that you will need to work in Canada and to access government programs and benefits. You should apply for a SIN as soon as possible after you arrive in Canada.

To apply for your SIN, contact the nearest Service Canada office.

Understand your rights as a foreign worker

The laws on hours of work and overtime (extra time or time worked after regular hours) depend on the province or territory you are working in.

Your agreement may also have details about any money coming out of your pay for programs like the Canada Pension Plan and Employment Insurance.

Always keep a copy of your agreement for your records. You and your employer must always follow the agreement. If you disagree about work details in the future, having a copy may help you.

Contact your local employment or labour standards office to learn more about employment contracts.

If you lose your job

In most cases, your employer needs to give you written notice before your last day of work or pay you for that time instead. This is called termination pay.

Your employer does not have to warn you when you are being let go for a “just cause.” For example, you can be let go for serious misconduct or missing work without a good reason.

If you have a contract for a specific period or a specific job, your employer does not have to give you notice when your contract ends.

The rules about notice of termination are also set by each province and territory.

If your employer does not follow the law when they dismiss you, you can complain to the local employment or labour standards office. If you are covered by a union contract, you may have to make a formal complaint through the union instead.

Housing

Your employer does not have to give you a place to live unless you are a temporary farm worker in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.

If you are given room and board, your employer may take part of the cost from your pay. In most provinces, the amount they can charge for meals and board is limited. All pay deductions must be noted in your contract.

Health and safety

All workers in Canada have the right to a safe and healthy workplace. There are laws to protect workers from danger.

Provincial, territorial and federal governments each have their own laws and ways of looking into health and safety matters.

Is your work safe?

To help you decide if your workplace is safe, ask yourself:

• Have I been properly trained for the job I am doing?
• Have I been given the right safety equipment to do the job?
• Do I feel unsafe when doing my job?
• Do I work close to dangerous materials?

To report an unsafe workplace, contact your local employment or labour standards office.

Refusing dangerous work

Your employer cannot force you to do work that’s dangerous. Your employer must look into any danger that’s reported in the workplace. You have the right to refuse to do the work until

• you and your employer agree that the danger is removed
• you feel the problem no longer exists
• a government official tells you that it is safe to do the work

If you get sick or hurt at work

Tell your supervisor as soon as possible and get medical attention. Your employer must give you access to a health care provider (like a doctor, nurse or pharmacist) by, for example

• giving you time off to seek medical attention
• making a phone available to call emergency services (ambulance)
• giving you information on how to get health care
• helping you get to the health care provider

You can speak privately with a health care provider, without your employer.

Most provinces and territories provide workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation plans give you help (medical or wage benefits) if you are hurt on the job or if your job causes you to get sick. Your employer is not allowed to take any money from your pay for these plans.

In some provinces and territories, employers don’t need to offer you workers’ compensation benefits. If so, this must be clearly written in your employment contract.

Contact your local employment or labour standards office to learn more about workers’ compensation benefits.

Farm workers’ rights

Some farm workers in Canada have special rights under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program.

Report abuse

If you suspect that your employer has not been respecting your rights as a temporary foreign worker or has been misusing the program, report it to us.

If you think you’re being abused or at risk of being abused, you may be able to apply for an open work permit for vulnerable workers to help you leave an abusive work situation.

Employment standards in Canada

Contact the employment standards branch in the province or territory where you work unless you work for a federally regulated businesses or industry. In that case, you should contact the Federal Labour Program.