Acquiring work permits in Canada is possible for athletes, but they have specific requirements. The rules for attaining a work permit will largely depend upon whether their team resides in Canada or outside it.
Work permits in Canada
There are two categories determining whether the athlete or staff member would require a work permit or not. They’re as follows:
Athletes and staff under a foreign employer
Even though athletes and coaches from foreign countries fall under the category of technical foreign workers, several Temporary Foreign Worker Program obligations won’t apply to them. Therefore, it is best not to attach these foreign workers to the various regulations of this program. As a result, they will get a chance to participate in various international sports events.
They won’t require a work permit if they’re a part of a team based in a foreign country. Also, if they represent a foreign country as an athlete. However, the same rule applies to those team members from a foreign country or even an athlete’s support staff.
Athletes and staff members under a Canadian employer
Athletes or staff members from a foreign country seeking collaboration with a sports team in Canada will require a work permit. Besides this, individual athletes aspiring to represent Canada must also show a work permit.
However, in this process, too, most of the hassle gets eliminated concerning acquiring a work permit. These athletes won’t need to present an LMIA, the most tedious process for obtaining a work permit.
The Labour Market Impact Assessment is generally a requirement to prove the labor shortage crisis prevalent in the country, due to which Canadian employer requires foreign workers. He needs to show his efforts to search for an appropriate Canadian citizen or permanent resident as an employee. The LMIA isn’t the most complicated procedure without reason. Officers closely verify the LMIA, and even a single mistake can lead to application rejection.
Work permits exempt from LMIA won’t require any such proof of labor shortage from the employer. On the other hand, athletes must ensure that they are eligible for the specific work permit and must also prepare a complete and proper work permit application.
