If you are a citizen of a visa-exempt country, or a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, you may be able to apply for your Canadian work permit in person when you arrive, at an airport or a land border crossing, instead of applying online and waiting for a decision. Applying for a work permit at port of entry can be efficient when it is done properly. When it is done without preparation, it can end in a refusal at the counter and a start date that slips by weeks or months.
This guide covers who qualifies, what to bring, what to expect from the officer, and what to check before you leave the border. It focuses on the most common situation: an employer-specific work permit that is exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement.
Who can apply for a work permit at port of entry
Under section 198 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), you may apply for a work permit when entering Canada if you meet these conditions:
- You do not need a visitor visa to enter Canada. This is often called being “visa-exempt.” If you are flying, you will also need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) before you board.
- Or you are a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, Greenland, or Saint-Pierre and Miquelon.
- Your work permit category allows applications at the border. Most International Mobility Program (IMP) categories do.
- You have completed your immigration medical exam, if your job or travel history requires one, and you have the valid results before you arrive.
Who cannot apply for a work permit at port of entry
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guidance lists several groups who must apply in advance instead:
- Visa-required nationals. If you need a visitor visa to enter Canada, your work permit application must be made online before you travel.
- Post-graduation work permit (PGWP) applicants. PGWP applications have not been accepted at the border since June 21, 2024.
- International Experience Canada (IEC) participants, other than US citizens and permanent residents, unless their application was approved before they arrived.
- Seasonal agricultural workers.
- Anyone who needs a medical exam but does not have valid results at the time of entry.
Already in Canada? What the end of “flagpoling” means for you
“Flagpoling” is the practice of leaving Canada for the United States or Saint-Pierre and Miquelon and immediately re-entering to have a work or study permit processed at the border. Since December 24, 2024, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) no longer accepts work permit or study permit applications from people who hold temporary status in Canada and re-enter this way.
A short list of people with status in Canada can still apply at the border, including:
- citizens and permanent residents of the United States;
- professionals and technicians under certain free trade agreements, including professionals under the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA);
- certain cross-border truck drivers who applied to renew before leaving; and
- applicants with a pre-scheduled CBSA appointment.
If none of these apply to you and you already hold a work permit, study permit or visitor record, the route is an online application from inside Canada. If you apply to extend before your current permit expires, you may be able to keep working under the same conditions while IRCC decides, a protection known as maintained status.
Step 1: Confirm your work permit category
Before you assemble a single document, be clear on the exact category you are applying under. Each category has its own requirements, and the officer will assess your application against that category alone. Common LMIA-exempt categories applied for at the border include:
- professionals under CUSMA and other free trade agreements;
- intra-company transferees moving to a Canadian branch, parent or affiliate of their employer; and
- workers whose employment brings a significant benefit to Canada.
For an LMIA-exempt, employer-specific work permit, your Canadian employer has a step to complete first. Before you apply, the employer must submit your offer of employment to IRCC through the Employer Portal and pay the $230 employer compliance fee. The employer then gives you the offer of employment number. If this step has not been done, the officer is required to refuse the application.
Before you head to the port of entry, check with your employer that they have submitted the offer of employment in the Employer Portal and paid the $230 fee. IRCC issues a receipt when the fee is paid, and to be safe, your employer should give you a copy to bring with you.
Step 2: Prepare your work permit at port of entry checklist
Bring printed copies, organized in a folder, and keep the originals with you. At a minimum, you will usually need:
- A valid passport. A work permit is generally not issued beyond your passport’s expiry date, so check its validity against your intended stay.
- An eTA, if you are flying and are not a US citizen.
- Your offer of employment number and a copy of the signed job offer or employment contract, showing your job title, duties, salary, work location and dates.
- Proof that you meet your category’s requirements, such as degrees, transcripts, professional licences, reference letters confirming your experience, or, for intra-company transferees, a letter from the company confirming your role and the corporate relationship.
- Immigration medical exam results, if required.
- Payment for the work permit fee of $155, paid at the border. Most applicants aged 14 to 79 also need to give biometrics (fingerprints and a photo) for an $85 fee, unless they have given them in the past 10 years. US citizens are exempt from biometrics.
- Evidence that you will leave Canada when your permit ends, which every work permit applicant must be able to show. This can include ties to your home country, such as property, family or ongoing employment.
If your spouse or common-law partner is accompanying you and is eligible for a spousal open work permit, bring documents confirming your relationship, such as your marriage certificate.
Step 3: What to expect when you arrive
At primary inspection, tell the officer that you are applying for a work permit. You will be referred to the secondary inspection area, where a CBSA officer reviews your documents and decides your application. Expect questions about your job, your employer and your qualifications. Answer directly, and make sure what you say matches what is on paper. Inconsistencies between your answers and your documents are one of the quickest ways to raise doubts.
Make sure your employer knows when and at which port of entry you will arrive. CBSA officers have been known to call employers to confirm that a job is waiting for you, and a prepared employer who answers promptly helps keep your application moving.
The officer makes the final decision based on the documents in front of them and your answers. A well-prepared application gives the officer what they need to decide quickly. Without complete documentation, applications of this type have a high probability of being refused.
Step 4: Check your work permit before you leave the border
If your work permit is approved, it will be printed and handed to you in the secondary inspection area. Before you walk away, read every field carefully: your name, date of birth, citizenship, employer, job title, work location and expiry date. CBSA officers handle a high volume of files, and mistakes can happen. Once you leave the secure area, correcting an error generally means a formal application that can take months, and an error in your employer or job title can affect your ability to work. If something is wrong, ask the officer to correct it before you go.
Common mistakes with a work permit at port of entry
- Arriving before the employer has submitted the offer through the Employer Portal and paid the compliance fee.
- Applying under the wrong category, or with documents that do not prove the category’s specific requirements.
- A job description in the offer letter that does not match the duties you describe to the officer.
- Attempting a border application while already holding status in Canada, without falling into one of the exceptions.
- Scheduling a start date with no margin for delay, in case the officer requests more information or refuses the application.
Frequently asked questions
Can I apply for a Canadian work permit at the airport?
Yes, if you are eligible to apply at a port of entry. Airports are ports of entry, so visa-exempt travellers and US citizens and permanent residents can apply on arrival if they meet the other requirements. If you are flying and are not a US citizen, you will need an eTA before you board.
Can I apply for a work permit at the port of entry if I need a visa?
No. If you need a visitor visa to enter Canada, you must apply for your work permit online before you travel.
Can I still flagpole for a work permit in 2026?
For most people, no. Since December 24, 2024, the CBSA no longer accepts work permit applications from people with temporary status in Canada who leave and re-enter for that purpose. Limited exceptions apply, including US citizens and permanent residents and certain free trade agreement professionals.
How much does a work permit at port of entry cost?
The work permit fee is $155, paid at the border. If you need to give biometrics, add $85. For employer-specific, LMIA-exempt permits, the employer separately pays the $230 compliance fee before you apply.
Can I apply for a post-graduation work permit at the border?
No. Since June 21, 2024, post-graduation work permit applications must be made online.
Get it right the first time
A border application can save weeks of waiting, but it is a decision made in one sitting, based on what you bring. If you are unsure which category fits your job, or whether you are eligible to apply at the border at all, it is worth confirming before you travel. I offer a free 10-minute consultation for specific questions about your own case. Contact me at jlironi@gatewaypacific.ca if you’re unsure where you stand, or book a consultation here.
This is general information, not legal advice. Every case is different — book a consultation for guidance specific to your situation.
Fees and rules current as of October 2026. Last reviewed by John Lironi, RCIC.
— John Lironi, RCIC | Gateway Pacific Immigration