Come temporarily to Alberta

Work permits are under the jurisdiction of the federal government. To learn more about how to come to Canada as a temporary worker, visit Find out if you need a work permit.

More information on work permits can be found at Canada.ca – Work in Canada.

The TFW Program is operated by the Government of Canada and allows citizens of other countries to apply to work in Canada for a set period of time. This program is one of the commonly used programs for working temporarily. An employer may need to get a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before a work permit can be issued.

The program covers all occupations and skill levels. Canadian employers use this program to hire foreign workers to fill temporary jobs when qualified Canadians are not available. 

To learn more about how an employer can hire a temporary foreign worker with an LMIA, visit Hire a temporary foreign worker with an LMIA.

To find jobs that employers have already obtained or applied for an LMIA, visit Job Bank.

Visit the IRCC Help Centre for more information.

The IMP program allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers without an LMIA. The Government of Canada operates the IMP.

To find out how employers hire through the program, visit Hire a worker without an LMIA.

IMP eligible applicants can apply for one of the following LMIA exempt work permits:

Employer-specific work permit

This work permit means that you can only work for one specific employer. It is for people who can work temporarily in Canada under international trade agreements.

Open work permit

This type of work permit lets you work for any employer for a specific timeframe. It is open to:

• international students who have graduated from a Canadian university or college
• spouses or common-law partners of skilled foreign workers and full-time international students
• eligible foreign nationals who are already in Canada awaiting finalization of their permanent residence application
• young people who want to travel and work (Working Holiday) in Canada through the International Experience Canada program

To visit Alberta as a tourist, you may need a Canadian visa. For more information visit Find out if you need a visa to travel to Canada.

Visitor visas can be single entry or multiple entry and have a wide range of validity dates. Most visitors can stay up to 6 months. The Canadian Border Services Agency representative will inform you of the timeframe you can stay. The visa must be valid when you arrive in Canada.

If you are from a country that does not require a visa to visit Canada, you will need an eTA.

If you are a parent or a grandparent of a Canadian Citizen or a Permanent Resident, the Parent and Grandparent Super Visa is a multi-entry visa that can be issued for up to 10 years. It lets eligible parents and grandparents visit family in Canada. With this visa, you can visit as often as you want and stay in Canada for up to 5 years on each visit.

You must apply as a business visitor if you plan to visit Canada to look for ways to grow your business, invest or advance your business relationships.

Business visitors can stay for up to 6 months. If you plan to stay longer or want to work in Canada, you may need to apply for a work permit.

When you arrive in Canada, the border officer will determine how long you can stay (usually 6 months). If you want to say longer, you can apply to extend your stay in Canada as a visitor.