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Canada Work Permit Jobs — How Online Apply Actually Works
"Canada work permit jobs — online apply" searches suggest there is one portal where a foreign worker uploads a resume and receives a permit. There isn't. The Canadian system splits the process across three different doors, and knowing which door is yours is the difference between applying and being scammed.
Door 1 — Job Bank (where you apply for the job)
Job Bank is the Government of Canada's job board, and it is where the worker's side starts. Employers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program must advertise on Job Bank, so its temporary foreign workers section is the closest thing to an official "LMIA jobs" board: postings from employers who have obtained or applied for an LMIA. You create a free Job Bank account, build a resume with its tools, and apply to postings like any Canadian applicant. Job Bank never charges job seekers.
Door 2 — LMIA Online (employers only)
LMIA Online is Service Canada's portal where employers submit LMIA applications — the worker never touches it. The employer signs in with their Job Bank for Employers account, files the application, uploads documents and pays the $1,000-per-position fee where it applies. If anyone asks you, the worker, to "register on LMIA Online" or pay a fee there, you are being misled.
Door 3 — IRCC (where you apply for the work permit)
After the employer holds a positive LMIA, the worker applies for the work permit through IRCC's online system, attaching the LMIA decision letter and the signed employment contract. IRCC assesses the worker — identity, admissibility, genuineness of the offer — and issues an employer-specific permit naming the employer, occupation and location. For LMIA-exempt (IMP) hires the sequence differs: the employer submits the offer through IRCC's Employer Portal first, and the worker applies with the offer-of-employment number.
The order that keeps you safe
Find the job on Job Bank → confirm the employer on the approved companies register → the employer runs the LMIA → you apply to IRCC. Every paid shortcut reverses that order — money first, documents later — and that reversal is the tell. Use the Eligibility Checker to see which door your situation uses before you spend anything.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a Canadian work permit online myself?
Yes — the work permit application itself is filed online with IRCC. But for an LMIA-based job it comes after the employer's positive LMIA; you cannot start the sequence from the worker side.
What is LMIA Online and do I need an account?
LMIA Online is Service Canada's portal for employers to submit LMIA applications. Workers do not use it and should never be asked to pay anything through it.
Where do I actually apply for LMIA jobs?
On Job Bank — its temporary foreign workers section lists jobs from employers who have obtained or applied for an LMIA. Applications go to the employer through the posting, like any Canadian job application.
How long does the whole online process take?
It varies by stream and country. The Global Talent Stream carries a 10-business-day LMIA service standard; standard streams take longer, and IRCC work-permit processing varies by visa office. Official processing-time tools on canada.ca are the reliable source.
A website wants a registration fee to 'apply online' for me. Is that normal?
No. Job Bank accounts are free, IRCC charges its own published application fees only at the application stage, and the LMIA fee belongs to the employer. Third-party 'registration' or 'file opening' fees for job placement are the classic scam pattern in this market.