The Open Work Permit is issued to international students who are studying in a post-secondary program in a designated educational institution in Canada or someone who has applied for a permanent residence in Canada. It can also be provided to a family member of someone who is a permanent resident in Canada. There are several other types of candidates who can apply for an open work permit.

A Closed Work Permit on the other hand for a foreign national with a job offer from a registered Canadian employer. In this case, a proper LMIA is mandatory for obtaining a work permit.

Also, international students can automatically get part-time work permits under the authorization of their study permits.

Also known as Closed Work Permits, these work permits require candidates to have a valid job offer from a Canada based employer prior to their application. these work permits are completely employer-specific. It means the candidates will not be able to work for any other employer with an LMIA based work permit. Plus, the employers need to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment or LMIA. Furthermore, they must provide a copy of the LMIA to the foreign individuals they are hiring. They must obtain a positive LMIA. It confirms the recruitment of a foreign individual for a specific role does not affect the Labour market adversely. Applicants can only apply for their work permit along with LMIA to have their visa granted.