How to Apply for a Canadian Work Visa from Chile

Are you from Chile? Do you want to work in Canada? Well, the good news is that you can! Canada has several work visa options that you may be eligible to apply for. Not only does Canada have over 100 visa and immigration options available but the country currently has over 800,000 jobs available in several different occupations.

If you’d like to start working in the Canadian market, continue reading to learn how to apply for a Canadian work visa from Chile.

How Can I Work in Canada?

Well, that all depends on the type of occupation you’ll be working in. The first thing you’ll need to know about the Canadian work visa is that there are two types:

1. Open work permit
2. Employer-Specific work permit

Knowing the differences between the above-mentioned visas is important as your occupation can ultimately determine whether you’re eligible or not. So, which work permit do you qualify for? Let’s have a look.

1. The open work permit

If you obtain an open work permit then you’re able to work anywhere in Canada and in any province in Canada. This would make finding a job or receiving a job offer much easier as there are no limitations to your visa.

Another perk of the open work visa is that you aren’t required to provide a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Again this makes your journey to working in Canada a much simpler one. Now, what is an LMIA?

A Labour Market Impact Assessment is a document proving that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is willing or able to fill a specific position in Canada, allowing the employee to hire a foreign worker.

One of the main reasons your Canadian work visa can be denied is if the employer you plan to work for in Canada is found ineligible on the list of Canadian employers. This is why it’s important to check that the company you’ll be working for is listed as eligible in order to increase your chances of success.

2. The Employer-specific permit

Through an employer-specific work permit, you’re able to legally work and live in Canada. However, there are certain conditions and limitations that you would need to adhere to. These limitations can include restrictions such as:

• Name of the employer you can work for;
• How long you can work for this employer; and
• The location where you can work (if applicable).

Even though the visa has limitations and you will be required to obtain an LMIA, it’s still a good option. In fact, most foreign nationals actually obtain an employer-specific work visa as it’s a lot simpler.

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Programs for Chileans to Obtain a Canadian Work Visa

There are many ways to apply for a Canadian work visa from Chile, below we mention just a few Canadian programs.

Post-Graduation Work Permit

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) is for foreign national students who want to work and live in Canada. There are a few requirements that you’ll have to meet in order to get this type of open work permit. They are as follows:

• Your study permit needs to still be valid;
• You have a valid visitor record;
• You’ve maintained full-time student status in Canada;
• You submitted an application to extend your study permit before it expired and no decision has been made on your application;
• You studied a program at a Designated Learning Institution (DLI) that was at least 8 months long.

Now the good news, your work permit can be valid for up to three years! This all depends on how long your study program was. This permit is great to gain work experience in the field you’ve studied and you could then go on to apply for Canadian permanent residency through programs like the Canadian Experience Class (CEC).

Global Talent Stream

The Global Talent Stream (GTS) is part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) which allows Canadian employers to hire immigrants to fill Canadian labour shortages and help the economy grow.

The GTS is a great way to obtain an employer-specific work visa if you have a unique or specialized talent. The stream allows Canadian employers to access highly skilled global talent and expand the workforce in Canada.

The Global Talent Stream has two categories. They are as follows:

Category A

This category is for employers who have been referred to the Global Talent Stream by one of the stream’s designated partners. Employers also need to hire individuals with unique or specialized talent.

Category B

This category is for employers seeking to hire highly skilled foreign workers to fill positions for in-demand jobs in Canada found on the Global Talent Occupations List.

One of the best advantages of the Global Talent Stream is the fact that you can have your permit within two weeks!

The Working Holiday Visa

The Working Holiday Visa (WHV) falls under the International Experience Canada (IEC) and is available to 34 countries of which one is Chile. The WHV is a great way to obtain a temporary open work permit and gain Canadian work experience.

As a Chilean citizen, you can travel all around Canada while working for a period of 12 months via the WHV. This would be a great way to fund your Canadian trip as well. What’s great is that WHV applicants won’t have to submit a job offer to receive an Invitation to Apply (ITA).

Chilean citizens may participate in the IEC twice, under any category. To be eligible for the Working Holiday category, you must:

• Be a Chilean citizen;
• Have a valid Chilean passport for the duration of your stay in Canada;
• Your work permit in Canada can’t be valid longer than your passport;
• Be between the ages of 18 and 35;
• Have a minimum of $2,500 to help cover your expenses in Canada;
• Have health insurance for the duration of your stay;
• You may have to present evidence of this insurance when you enter Canada;
• Not be inadmissible to Canada;
• Have a round-trip ticket or demonstrate that you’ll have the financial resources to purchase a departure ticket at the end of your authorized stay in Canada;
• Not be accompanied by dependents; and
• Pay the fees.

Working Holiday Visa Fees

Working Holiday Visa Fees
Fee	Amount
Participation Fee	$156
Biometrics	$85 per person
Open Work Permit Holder Fee	$100
Compliance Fee (paid by employer)	$230

Chileans Living In Canada

There are over 45,190 Chileans living and working in Canada, of that number a total of around 38,100 live in the city of Toronto. The region houses the greatest concentration of food and beverage manufacturers in Canada. A food and beverage runner can earn $30,000 - $38,000 a year while a food and beverage operations manager can earn around $41,000 - $59,000 a year.

Toronto also has one of the fastest-growing technology markets and is the financial capital of Canada. This makes for several job opportunities within various industries. So start your process today by learning how to apply for a Canadian work visa from Chile.

Do You Qualify? Check Now