The Work Permit in Quebec: Process, Rights and Recourse

There are two broad categories of work permit:

• The closed permit — tied to a specific employer
• The open permit — tied to no employer

The open permit is only available in specific situations, which the Government of Canada lists: for example, graduates applying for a post-graduation work permit, certain spouses of workers or students (see section 4), and workers who are victims of abuse at work (see section 9).

Most closed permits require two prior authorizations:

• An LMIA — your employer applies to the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec at the same time (a joint assessment)
• A CAQ for work — issued by the Quebec government; your employer submits your application at the same time as the LMIA

Once the LMIA and the CAQ are obtained, you apply for the work permit from the federal government. If you apply from abroad, the physical permit is handed to you when you arrive in Canada. Check immediately the conditions printed on it: employer, occupation, location, dates. Any error must be reported promptly.

Two situations to know about in 2026. In Montreal and Laval, until December 31, 2026, LMIA applications for low-wage jobs are not processed: a job is low-wage if it pays less than Quebec's threshold, set at $36 an hour since July 17, 2026. The Montreal area's unemployment rate, 7.2% for applications submitted from October 9, 2026 to January 7, 2027, is also above the federal 6% threshold; it is reviewed every quarter. According to the Government of Quebec (page in French only), the measure also covers applications filed to renew the permit of a worker already in the job.

And if you were invited under the Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) and filed your permanent selection application, you can apply for a closed permit to keep working for your employer for up to 12 months, with no new LMIA or CAQ — deadline to apply: December 31, 2026 (IRCC).

Some work permits are exempt from the LMIA:

• Several international-mobility programs
• Open permits
• People who hold a CSQ, live in Quebec and have applied for permanent residence, when they extend or renew their permit

The exact programs change: confirm your situation with your employer or a regulated immigration consultant before leaving, and check the official Quebec government page on working in Quebec.

Your spouse or common-law partner can sometimes get an open work permit while you work or study in Canada. The rules were tightened on January 21, 2025. Here is who qualifies today, according to IRCC:

• Spouse of a skilled worker: you work in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or in one of the TEER 2 or 3 occupations selected by IRCC, and your permit is still valid for at least 16 months after your spouse's application is received.
• Spouse of a health professional recruited by Quebec: since May 25, 2026, the 16-month rule does not apply if you are a foreign-trained registered nurse, respiratory therapist or medical laboratory technologist recruited by Quebec; your spouse enters the code CONJOINTSANTEQC in the application.
• Spouse of a worker who applied for permanent residence under an economic program, for example with a CSQ as a skilled worker, and whose permit was issued on that basis: your permit must be valid for at least 6 months after the application is received, and your dependent children may also qualify.
• Spouse of a worker invited under the PSTQ: if you apply for the PSTQ closed permit described in section 2 and your spouse is listed as an accompanying family member on your permanent selection application, they can apply for an open permit; your dependent children do not qualify.
• Spouse of a student: you hold a valid study permit and are enrolled in a master's program of at least 16 months, a doctorate, certain professional programs (medicine, law, nursing, education, engineering, among others) or an eligible program, including Quebec's skills-recognition projects for nurses, respiratory therapists and medical technologists.
• Not eligible: the spouse of a worker in a TEER 4 or 5 job who is not on an eligible pathway to permanent residence.

On the Quebec side, the government's page on the spouse of a temporary worker refers to the federal criteria and mentions no Quebec authorization, such as a CAQ, for this open permit. It adds cases specific to Quebec: CSQ holders whose permit was issued under the A73, A75 or A76 exemptions, CSQ holders in the Entrepreneur Program or the Self-Employed Worker Program, and Investor Program candidates. If your spouse would rather study full time, they must obtain the authorizations to study in Quebec.

The application is made online, together with yours or separately, after yours. IRCC's fees are $155 for the work permit, plus a $100 open work permit holder fee. If your own application is refused, the one your spouse filed with it is refused too: IRCC then refunds the open work permit holder fee, but not the processing fee.

With a closed permit, you can only work for the listed employer, in the listed occupation, at the listed location. Any change requires a new permit application.

Working outside the conditions of your permit is a violation that can lead to loss of status. If your situation changes, or if you face mistreatment, seek information: there are remedies, including an open work permit for vulnerable workers.

Your rights as an employee are protected by the CNESST, the Quebec body that enforces labour standards. They do not depend on your immigration status. In practice:

• The minimum wage, and pay for every hour actually worked
• Overtime premium pay beyond the standard work week
• Paid statutory holidays and paid annual vacation
• A safe workplace, and compensation if you're injured at work
• The right to refuse dangerous work
• The right to be treated without harassment or discrimination

No one may pay you «under the table», below minimum wage, or withhold your wages because you're new or because your permit is tied to them.

The difference between the two permit types is not administrative — it changes your balance of power day-to-day.

A closed permit ties you to a single employer, a single occupation, a single work location. You cannot change jobs without a new permit application. It's this link that makes a worker vulnerable: if the employer abuses you, leaving appears to mean losing your right to work.

An open permit is tied to no specific employer. You can leave a job and look for another freely.

Check which category your permit belongs to: it's printed on it. And even with a closed permit, you're never truly trapped — the next section explains why.

Certain signs should alert you. At the time of writing, the federal government describes abuse in connection with employment as any behaviour that scares, controls or isolates you. It can be physical, sexual, financial or psychological — for example threats, insults, intimidation, or someone taking part of the money you are paid — or take the form of reprisals against a worker who reported a problem.

In practice, situations to never accept:

• An employer or agency that keeps your passport, work permit or phone — this is prohibited in Quebec
• Anyone who makes you pay to get the job itself — prohibited
• Hours worked but unpaid, or wages below the minimum
• Threats to have you removed from the country if you complain
• Dangerous work with no equipment or training

If you recognize your situation: it is not your fault, and you are not alone.

The federal government offers a recourse designed exactly for closed-permit workers facing abuse: the open work permit for vulnerable workers. Its purpose is to let you leave an abusive employer and look for another job, without staying trapped.

At the time of writing, this permit has important features:

• It is free: there are no fees for this permit
• It's an open permit, so you can then work for almost any employer
• The application is made online, not at the border
• Once the permit is issued, IRCC may contact your employer for an inspection — and for no other reason (IRCC)
• The permit has an expiry date and cannot be renewed: it gives you time to find a new employer and apply for a new permit

The eligibility conditions and the exact procedure can change — check the rule in force on the Government of Canada's official site, and get support from a community organization or legal aid: you do not have to build this file alone.

Leaving an abusive situation is one thing; changing employers simply by choice is another, and it is also possible.

With a closed permit, you generally cannot start a new job without a new authorization: the permit names a specific employer. The procedure, at the time of writing, looks like this:

1. You find a new job, and the employer completes the required authorizations on their side.
2. You file an application for a new work permit with the federal government.
3. The federal government also applies a policy that may, in some cases, let you start the new job sooner: after submitting your application, you can request authorization to work while it is processed, and you start once IRCC grants it by email.

These rules and timelines evolve. Check the procedure and eligibility in force on the Government of Canada's site before acting, and never leave one job to start another without confirming you are authorized to do so.

You never have to solve a problem with an employer alone. Several resources, free of charge, can support you. The table below summarizes who to turn to depending on your problem.

One important point: if, after an inquiry, the CNESST has grounds to believe that a temporary foreign worker's rights were violated, the law allows it to take action on the worker's behalf, even without a complaint.

You can reach the CNESST by phone at 1 844 838-0808, from Canada and the United States. For status questions and immigration recourse, our guide on free legal aid details how to get support without paying a private lawyer.

Understanding and securing your work permit takes 7 steps. Check each box below as you go: your progress is saved if you're signed in:

The most common questions on the work permit: the difference between closed and open, who pays for the LMIA, changing employer, and remedies in case of abuse.

These related resources may be useful:

• Parcours — Temporary worker — all your steps, from LMIA to permanent residence.
• Renew or extend your permit — before expiry, to keep your status.
• The CSQ — Quebec Selection Certificate — the selection step toward permanent residence.
• Free legal aid in Quebec — how to get support for a recourse without paying a private lawyer.

For official information:

• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
• Employment and Social Development Canada
• Immigration in Quebec (Government of Quebec)
• CNESST