Employer-specific work permit

An employer-specific work permit lets a foreign national work only for the employer, job and location named on it, under the conditions set by IRCC.

Also called: closed work permit, tied work permit, employer-tied work permit

What employer-specific work permit means

An employer-specific work permit is a permit from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) that lets a foreign national work in Canada only under the conditions printed on it. Those conditions can include the name of the employer, the type of work and the place of work, as well as how long the person can work.

It is the opposite of an open work permit, which lets the holder work for almost any employer. Most permits based on a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) are employer-specific, and so are many permits under the International Mobility Program.

For an employer, the key point is that the permit belongs to the worker but is tied to your job. If the job changes in a way that breaks the conditions, the worker may need a new permit before doing the new work.

How it works

Before the worker starts, look at the permit itself. Check the name of the employer, the occupation, the location and the expiry date. For an LMIA-based hire, the permit should match the employer, occupation and location in the LMIA. A Social Insurance Number that starts with 9 does not by itself allow someone to work; the permit does.

While the person works for you, keep to the offer: the wage, the duties and the working conditions you promised. Give the worker a signed employment agreement that sets these out. Do not hold the worker's passport or permit. Keep track of the permit's expiry date so the worker can apply to extend it in time; IRCC advises applying at least 30 days before status expires.

If the worker wants to change employers, occupations or locations, they generally need to get authorization from IRCC first. The new employer usually needs a new job offer and, for some jobs, a new LMIA. Moving a worker to a different job title or another branch without checking can put both of you out of compliance.

If a business is sold or merged, a worker may not need a new permit if the new business runs the same type of business and none of the permit conditions change. Get advice if that applies to you.

Workers on employer-specific permits who face abuse, or who are at risk of it, can apply for an open work permit for vulnerable workers. Abuse includes physical, sexual, psychological and financial abuse, and reprisals.

Is it the same in every province?

Work permits are issued by IRCC and the rules are the same across Canada. Employment standards in the province or territory where the work is done still apply to the worker's pay, hours and leave.

Example: A restaurant wants to move a cook

Sunita owns two restaurants, one in Regina and one in Saskatoon, with 22 staff in total. One of her cooks has an employer-specific permit listing her company, the cook job and the Regina location.

When the Saskatoon kitchen gets busy, she wants to send him there for the summer. She checks his permit first, sees that the location is a condition, and holds off until they confirm with IRCC what is needed. Meanwhile she covers Saskatoon with local hires.

Hollis tracks the dates

Hollis, part of the Staffkin HR Suite, can track dates such as certification expiries for each employee. You can use it to keep a work permit's expiry date in view.

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Questions about employer-specific work permit

Can a worker on an employer-specific permit work for a second employer?

Generally not, unless they get a permit or authorization that covers the other job. The permit's conditions limit who they can work for.

What should I check on a work permit before hiring?

Check the employer name, occupation, location and expiry date, and make sure they match your job. A SIN starting with 9 is not enough on its own.

Can I keep the worker's passport for safekeeping?

No. Employers are not allowed to take a foreign worker's identification documents, such as their passport or work permit.

What if a worker on a tied permit is being mistreated?

They can apply to IRCC for an open work permit for vulnerable workers, which lets them leave and work for another employer.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.