Time Line

How fast can I get to Canada? It depends. Assuming your employer is ready to sponsor your application to work in Canada (that is, when your job interviews are over and the employer has offered you a letter of employment or a contract), the immigration process will range from a week to a year and a half, depending on your situation.

As a general rule, "priority occupations" get faster treatment. For your convenience, Lightbridge has compiled a list of these on our web site. But the ultimate determining factor in processing time is your visa category and your residency. Temporary work permits for US legal residents [refer to note about legal status on page 3] or citizens are processed very quickly and are approved within a few weeks. Next, temporary work permits for non-US residents, such as those from Mexico or Europe, can be approved within about a month.

Permanent resident applications take longer due to stricter police certificate and medical requirements. After all, a permanent resident visa, similar to the US “green card”, allows you to work in Canada indefinitely for as long as you’re in Canada. Approval of permanent resident applications with arranged employment (via company sponsorship) ranges from three to twelve months for US residents and six to eighteen months for most other countries.

Unless you possess a skill that is in extremely high demand (such as petroleum engineering), as a general rule, employers opt to test the waters first with a one-year work permit. If you excel at your job, demonstrate good work habits and achieve above-average results, the company may be prepared to go all the way with a permanent visa sponsorship within Canada.

For more information about processing times or the immigration process in general, we invite you to contact our licensed immigration partner in Dallas. Please refer to the contact page for contact information.