You don’t need a work permit
You don’t need a work permit if you’re coming to Canada as a researcher who
- is at a public degree-granting institution or affiliated research institution
- will work for 120 or fewer consecutive days
- has not worked in Canada under this exemption in the last 12 months
If you’re eligible, you may need a visitor visa or electronic travel authorization to come to Canada.
You need a visitor record to get a social insurance number
You must get a visitor record as soon as you arrive in Canada. If you don’t have a visitor record, you can’t
- get a social insurance number (SIN) from Service Canada
- be paid by your employer
How to get your visitor record
When you arrive in Canada, you’ll either go to
- a primary inspection kiosk or
- a border services officer
When asked about your purpose of travel to Canada, say
- you’re here to work and
- you fall under the GSS Work Permit exemption but you need a visitor record
You’ll then be referred to immigration for processing. Your visitor record must list the condition “authorized to work” in the remarks section.
Wait times to get your visitor record
Wait times at busy ports of entry may be long. Don’t leave until you get your visitor record with “authorized to work” listed in the remarks section.
If you arrive by air
Make sure you have enough layover time if you have a connecting flight after you enter Canada. You must request your visitor record as soon as you arrive in Canada. Wait times can be long at busy airports.
If you’re a researcher but you don’t meet the conditions above, you need a work permit with a labour market impact assessment.