How to apply for a work permit ?

[Frantheman91]

My girlfriend works as a esthetician in the Philippines and would like work as one in Canada. What type of licensing would she need to work as one in Canada? Also what would she need to apply for a work permit? Would she need a letter of invitation from a employer or could she apply for a open work permit?

 

[scylla]

She doesn't meet any of the requirements for an open work permit.

She would need to apply for a closed work permit. Do do this, she needs a full time job offer from an employer in Canada. That employer will then need to obtain an approved LMIA before she can apply for the work permit. The LMIA process is long and expensive for the employer with no guarantee of approval. As a first step, the employer must advertise the job for at least a month through several different approved job sites to prove no Canadian could be hired for the role. As a next step, the employer has to submit the LMIA for processing along with a $1K fee. Processing often takes 2-4 months.

It's generally extremely difficult to find employers willing to go through the LMIA process since it's long and expensive with no guarantee of approval. Additionally, I suspect it would be extraordinarily difficult to get an LMIA approved for an esthetician role.