New to all of this, visa & job confusion- Please help!!!!!

[80slive]

Hi everyone, I'm new around here! I believe this is the right place to be posting this in, please correct me if I am wrong.

I have wanted to move up to Canada my entire life. I've been seriously looking into it for the past two years, but unfortunately have not made any headway. I have no one helping me with this, and there is so much information on the visa/application process... it's quite honestly very overwhelming. I really, really need some guidance and I figured someone here would be able to help me.

I am 18, living in the United States, and am a minimum wage food service worker. I have no legal family living in Canada, though I do have very close family-friends and a partner that live in Ontario. I would like to move to Ottawa specifically, and do have a solid living arrangement set for me.
The only issue is that I don't have a job in Canada, and I have absolutely no clue where to start on getting one.

So I have a few questions:
-If I want to work a part-time job in Canada, what kind of visa/permit do I need?
-Do I need to have a confirmed job waiting for me in Canada before applying for said visa/permit?
-Will places (presumably food-service or similar min-wage establishments) even hire me if I don't have a visa/permit prior?

It is all so conflicting and confusing, but this is the most important thing to me, and I want nothing more than to begin headway on moving up there ASAP. Any comments, answers, advice, or help is greatly appreciated!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to read

-Sans

 

[scylla]

In order to work in Canada, you must obtain a work permit. To get a work permit, you will need to secure a full time job offer in Canada (a part time job won't do it). Before you can apply for a work permit, your employer will also need to obtain something called an approved LMIA (permission to hire a foreign worker). Obtaining an LMIA is a long and expensive process that requires the employer to advertise the job to prove no Canadian could be found for the role, pay a $1000 processing fee and then wait a number of months to see if the LMIA will be approved. It tends to be very difficult to find employers willing to go through the LMIA process.

However if you are set on working in Canada, then your first step is to find an employer willing to offer you a full time job. Next the employer will need to apply for and obtain and approved LMIA. Finally you will be able to apply for a work permit and then move to Canada.

It is illegal for you to work without a work permit.