Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issues Work Permits/Visas to foreign workers under Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).The main categories of TFWP are High Skilled Workers, Low Skilled Workers, and the Seasonal/Agricultural Workers etc. These workers should have an approved job offer and work permit before applying for temporary resident visa.
IRCC works with Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to issue Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to Employers to hire temporary foreign workers only when the employers do not find such workers locally in Canada.
Foreign workers may also be hired through International Mobility Program of IRCC. No LMIA is required in that case.
In Nutshell the TFWP has been designed to help Canadian Employers and Businesses to recruit foreign workers to fulfil their shortages in the interest of Canadian Economy.
A TFWP work Permit Holder’s family may also come to Canada. Open work permits are also allowed to the spouses or common-law partners of Work Permit Holders and Student Permit Holders.