Who doesn’t need a work permit
In general, crew members don’t need work permits to work on a maritime vessel.
Who’s considered a crew member
Foreign workers who work on a vessel are considered crew members if they meet 2 requirements:
- they’re performing duties during an international trip (travelling into Canada and out again), or while in port (at dock), and
- their duties are related to 1 of the following:
- operating the vessel
- providing services to passengers
- providing services to other members of the crew
When crew members don’t need a work permit
Crew members don’t need a work permit if they’re working on a marine vessel that meets the following 3 requirements:
- foreign-owned
- not registered in Canada
- engaged primarily in international transportation
Jobs crew members can do during travel
Below are some examples of foreign workers who can work without a work permit:
| Type of vessel or ship | Crew members include |
|---|---|
| Cargo ship |
|
| Cruise ship |
|
| Fishing vessel |
|
| Research vessel |
|
Examples of situations where foreign workers don’t need a work permit:
Crew members working in the following scenarios don’t need a work permit:
- a cruise ship
- embarks passengers in Halifax, and
- ends their cruise and disembarks passengers in Boston
- a US-based company wants to use a foreign-registered vessel to deliver cargo from the US to somewhere in Canada
Dockside jobs crew members can do without a work permit
Foreign workers usually need a work permit to work off a vessel (dockside jobs). Examples of this work normally include
- securing a ship to the dock
- loading or unloading cargo
But there are some dockside jobs that crew members are authorized to do without a work permit depending on the situation.
For example, a crew member can
- use equipment related to the operation of a vessel, such as a cargo ship’s crane
- serve passengers or other crew members by
- operating a vessel’s tender boat to transfer passengers or luggage, or
- tying the lines of the foreign tender boats to the dockside when transporting passengers or luggage
The Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations only cover who can legally work in Canada and when they need to get a work permit. Contracts or other legislation, such as agreements with port authorities, may govern who actually works in a particular port.
What your foreign workers need to enter Canada
The documents your crew members need to enter Canada depend on
- their citizenship
- how they’ll enter Canada
If they arrive on a vessel
Crew members who arrive on a vessel must be listed on the crew list given to a Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer before arriving at the port of entry.
If they’re listed on a crew list, they
- don’t need a visa or an eTA
- don’t need a passport or travel document if they have a seafarer’s identity document issued under International Labour Organization conventions
If they travel to Canada to join a vessel
Crew members who travel to Canada by air or land to join a vessel as a crew member need
- a passport or travel document
- either a visa or an eTA, if applicable