Canada Lists 11 Categories of Foreigners Exempt From Employer-Specific Work Permit Processing Fee

• Canada announced 11 categories of foreigners who qualify for employer-specific work permits without paying a processing fee
• The exempt categories include cultural agreement workers, research chair holders, and family members of accredited foreign missions workers
• Charitable and religious workers also made the list, but only under one specific condition tied to payment

Canada has revealed 11 categories of foreign workers who are eligible to apply for employer-specific work permits without paying a processing fee, according to the country's immigration authorities.

The announcement identifies specific groups whose circumstances qualify them for a fee exemption, covering a range of professional, diplomatic, scientific, and humanitarian roles.

Canada: Foreigners exempt from work permit fee

The 11 categories are as follows:

1. Family members of military personnel working under a reciprocal agreement

2. Individuals working under a cultural agreement between Canada and Belgium, Brazil, the People's Republic of China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, or Mexico

3. Workers at Roosevelt Campobello International Park

4. United States government personnel working in Canada on official US government business

5. Workers participating in the Fulbright Program between Canada and the United States

6. Research Chair holders, including those occupying Canada Research Chair (CRC) and Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) positions

7. Sponsored distinguished scientists or scholars at the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) or the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)

8. Sponsored distinguished scientists or post-doctoral fellows at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL)

9. Workers at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

10. Family members of accredited foreign missions workers

11. Charitable or religious workers and organisations, provided the worker will not receive payment for their work

What applicants need to know

The list covers a wide cross-section of individuals, from diplomatic family members to researchers at some of Canada's most prominent scientific institutions. The fee exemption applies specifically to employer-specific work permits, meaning not all work permit types fall under these provisions.

One condition that stands out is the requirement attached to charitable and religious workers. Unlike the other categories, this group only qualifies for the fee exemption if they will not be receiving payment in exchange for their services.

Prospective applicants who believe they fall into one of these categories should confirm their eligibility directly with Canadian immigration authorities before submitting an application.

Canada: 3 groups exempt from TRP fee

Meanwhile, Legit.ng recently reported that Canada had listed three categories of foreigners who can apply for a temporary resident permit without paying the usual application fee.

The exemption covers victims of human traffi-cking, victims of family violence, and foreign nationals who were previously in state care.