Document checklist
Portugal → Canada: Work permit (employer-specific)
What you need before you submit, checked against official requirements, not guesswork.
Checked by our automated verification on 20 Oct 2026: every source on this page resolves and the data is structurally complete. This does not confirm a person re-read the source text for accuracy.
Required documents
10 itemsIdentity
Completed application forms
RequiredThe Application for Work Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1295), the completed IMM 5488 document checklist, and the Family Information form (IMM 5707).
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Passport-style photos
RequiredOne photo meeting the visa photo specifications, unless you're providing biometrics instead.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Valid passport or travel document
RequiredYour valid passport or travel document, plus a photocopy.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Purpose of travel
Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) letter
If your job offer needed one, a copy of the positive LMIA letter from Employment and Social Development Canada, along with your employment contract.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Offer of employment number (LMIA-exempt offers)
If your job offer is exempt from needing an LMIA, the offer of employment number your employer got by submitting the offer through the Employer Portal, it starts with the letter "A" followed by seven digits.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Other
Documents for family members joining you
RequiredMarriage certificates and birth certificates for any accompanying dependants, and a Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409) if you're applying with a common-law partner.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Medical exam results
Needed if you'll be in Canada for more than 6 months and have lived in a country IRCC designates for 6 months or more in the year before you travel, or if you'll work in a field such as health care, childcare, primary or secondary education, or on a farm. A medical exam can add over 3 months to processing, so arrange it early if it applies to you.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Police clearance certificate
A police certificate if the visa office handling your application asks for one, to show your criminal record (if any) from a country you've lived in.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Proof you're qualified for the job
RequiredEvidence you can do the job you've been offered, for example a valid provincial or territorial trade certificate, proof of the required education, or a resume showing relevant past work experience.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ)
If you'll be working in Quebec, an attestation from the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) confirming your Quebec Acceptance Certificate.
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada
Why applications on this route get refused
Missing or invalid LMIA or offer of employment
Your application must be backed by either a positive LMIA (where one is required) or a valid LMIA-exempt offer of employment number, without one of these, the job offer underlying your work permit isn't established.
How to avoid it: Confirm with your employer which route applies to your job and that the LMIA or offer of employment number is in place before you apply.
Incomplete supporting documents
The IMM 5488 checklist lists the documents your application needs; missing items can delay or prevent a decision.
How to avoid it: Work through the IMM 5488 checklist for your visa office and include every document it lists, in the order shown.
Not shown to be qualified for the job
You need to show you can perform the work in the job offer, through relevant certification, education, or work experience.
How to avoid it: Include clear evidence, certificates, transcripts, or a detailed resume, connecting your background to the job's requirements.
Sources
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Work in Canada: Apply for a work permit · checked 21 Sept 2026
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Guide 5487: Applying for a Work Permit outside Canada · checked 21 Sept 2026
- Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Document Checklist: Work Permit (Applied outside Canada) [IMM 5488] · checked 21 Sept 2026
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