Working visa: Portugal

[PolinaB]

Hi everyone,

I'm a 21 year recent graduate from Portugal looking for a job/internship in Canada in business area and I'm a little confused with the working visas and which one to get.
I already checked Open Work Permits but apparently Portugal does not have bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangement with Canada until 2019 (EIC season). So my only possibility is to apply for a working visa? I've read that I should get first a job offer and then the employer has to go through the LMO process in order to be able to formally offer to a foreigner, and it might take while since they hire Canadians first.

Does anyone have any advice on how to facilitate this process?
Any help would be appreciated, thank you!

 

[scylla]

Hi everyone,

I'm a 21 year recent graduate from Portugal looking for a job/internship in Canada in business area and I'm a little confused with the working visas and which one to get.
I already checked Open Work Permits but apparently Portugal does not have bilateral Youth Mobility Arrangement with Canada until 2019 (EIC season). So my only possibility is to apply for a working visa? I've read that I should get first a job offer and then the employer has to go through the LMO process in order to be able to formally offer to a foreigner, and it might take while since they hire Canadians first.

Does anyone have any advice on how to facilitate this process?
Any help would be appreciated, thank you!

Your best option is to wait for the IEC program to reopen in 2019.

Otherwise to get a work permit, you need a job offer and your employer needs to obtain an approved LMIA. The LMIA typically takes 4-6 months to complete and most employers aren't willing to go through the process. Given how long it takes to obtain an approved LMIA, you are better off just waiting for the IEC program to reopen next year since this will give you an open work permit - and there will be no need to secure a job offer or LMIA before coming to Canada.

 

[PolinaB]

Your best option is to wait for the IEC program to reopen in 2019.

Otherwise to get a work permit, you need a job offer and your employer needs to obtain an approved LMIA. The LMIA typically takes 4-6 months to complete and most employers aren't willing to go through the process. Given how long it takes to obtain an approved LMIA, you are better off just waiting for the IEC program to reopen next year since this will give you an open work permit - and there will be no need to secure a job offer or LMIA before coming to Canada.

Wow 4-6 months..you're right, it's better to wait then. And do you have any idea when IEC will open? Beginning of 2019 or more in the end? Thank you for the answer!

 

[scylla]

Wow 4-6 months..you're right, it's better to wait then. And do you have any idea when IEC will open? Beginning of 2019 or more in the end? Thank you for the answer!

Should be at the start of 2019 (January). Sometimes the programs may even reopen in December (i.e. December of 2018).

 

[PolinaB]

Should be at the start of 2019 (January). Sometimes the programs may even reopen in December (i.e. December of 2018).

Okay, thanks! So when I get this Open Work Permit and apply for a job, the probability of being hired is higher since the employer won't go through the whole LMIA process, right?

 

[canuck78]

Yes. You can also change jobs when most people foreign workers are limited to a closed work permit with one employer.

 

[PolinaB]

Yes. You can also change jobs when most people foreign workers are limited to a closed work permit with one employer.

Alright, great. Also, should I apply for the open permit before looking for a job, or only after I get a job offer like with the closed permit one? And how long does it usually take to get the permit?

 

[vensak]

Alright, great. Also, should I apply for the open permit before looking for a job, or only after I get a job offer like with the closed permit one? And how long does it usually take to get the permit?

To explain,
There is a very limited list when you can get an opened work permit:
1. With inland spousal sponsorship (that one is more or less granted, it just takes some time).
2. For accompanying spouse when the other person has a study permit, closed work permit or PGWP. (They like to reject a lot there.)
3. A PGWP - you can get it only once in the whole life and that is after finishing your post secondary studies in Canada (a bit more rules applies here, but for simplification).
4. IEC permit - there are 2 types of it and they are limited to certain nationalities only. However both cannot be extented, you need to be less than 35 years old and you can get each of them only once per life. And yes only the first type - working holiday is an opened permit. The other one is a closed permit, but there is no LMIA request there.

So from what you have mentioned you can only get working holiday program and nothing else.
Other than that you do not have chance for any other opened work permits.
So check more about it, prepare your profile and then wait if you will be invited to apply during 2019.

Good luck

 

[scylla]

Alright, great. Also, should I apply for the open permit before looking for a job, or only after I get a job offer like with the closed permit one? And how long does it usually take to get the permit?

You should wait until you have the IEC visa approved before looking for a job. IEC typically take 4-6 weeks to process after you have been selected and submitted your complete application.