Work permit refusals

Overview

Work permit refusals

A work permit refusal should be analyzed against the application that was actually filed, the officer’s reasons and the legal requirements. A new application helps only if it answers the real problem.

Start with the refusal and complete file

Save the letter, portal messages, forms, uploads and employer records. Request officer notes where useful, but do not miss a court or status deadline while waiting.

Generic refusal language may cover concerns about eligibility, temporary intent, job genuineness, qualifications, LMIA or exemption, finances or admissibility.

Separate a fixable gap from a disputed finding

A missing employer letter or weak financial record may be corrected in a new application. A finding that the exemption does not apply or evidence is not credible requires a different strategy.

Do not refile unchanged documents with a longer cover letter.

There is no ordinary appeal

Options can include reapplication, a focused reconsideration request or an application for judicial review in Federal Court. Judicial review tests legality and fairness; it does not let the Court issue the permit.

Deadlines are short and depend on where the matter arose. Confirm them immediately.

Protect current status

An in-Canada refusal can end maintained status. Stop unauthorized work and assess restoration or another status before taking the next step.

A later application must disclose the refusal accurately.