H-1B to Canada: Work Permit and PR Options

Canada has no open H-1B work permit today. The 2023 H-1B open work permit reached its cap of 10,000 applications on July 17, 2023, the day after it opened, and closed. H-1B holders now use Express Entry for permanent residence, CUSMA if they are US citizens, an employer-driven permit such as the Global Talent Stream, or a provincial nominee program.

Estimate your score with the CRS Calculator

Last verified: November 2026

10,000
The cap the 2023 H-1B measure reached on July 17, 2023
600
CRS points a provincial nomination adds to an Express Entry profile
697 to 805
2026 cut-offs in rounds for nominated candidates, through the round of October 26, 2026

The cut-offs are read from the round results IRCC publishes. The Express Entry draws page lists every round.

Is the 2023 H-1B work permit still open?

No. According to IRCC:

On July 16, 2023, IRCC opened a dedicated open work permit measure for US H-1B specialty-occupation visa holders, as part of its Tech Talent Strategy.
It was a one-time, time-limited public policy with a hard cap of 10,000 principal-applicant applications.
The cap was reached on July 17, 2023, the day after it opened, and IRCC stopped accepting new applications that day.
The measure has not reopened.
Family members of people who already applied had a separate, later window for open work permits that has also since passed (deadline September 26, 2024). They can still apply as visitors or students.

If you see a site advertising an H-1B open work permit as open today, treat that as out of date and verify on canada.ca. The routes below are the ones that remain, and an officer decides eligibility in every case.

The rule

There is no current H-1B-specific open work permit.

IRCC, canada.caVerify on canada.ca

Can a US citizen on an H-1B use CUSMA?

CUSMA depends on your citizenship, not your H-1B status. CUSMA (the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, formerly NAFTA) lets US and Mexican citizens in certain listed professional occupations work in Canada without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). If you are not a US (or Mexican) citizen, CUSMA generally does not help you, regardless of your H-1B.

It requires a job offer from a Canadian employer in a qualifying CUSMA professional occupation.
US citizens may apply at a port of entry under the professional category, rather than waiting at a visa office.
No LMIA is required. The employer submits the offer through IRCC’s Employer Portal and pays the employer compliance fee.
The permit is valid for the duration of the offer of employment: up to 3 years for the first permit, with extensions of up to 3 years at a time while the stay stays temporary.

The CUSMA work permit guide covers the qualifying professions and how to apply.

How does an H-1B holder get permanent residence?

Express Entry leads to permanent residence rather than a temporary permit. It is an online system that ranks candidates using the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS); IRCC then invites the top-ranked candidates to apply in periodic draws. The CRS rewards age, education, language ability and skilled work experience.

Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP): For skilled workers with foreign experience, so you can qualify from outside Canada. H-1B work experience can count toward the required year of continuous skilled work, and a US degree (assessed through an Educational Credential Assessment) plus language results add CRS points. You must also meet a pass mark on FSWP selection factors.
Canadian Experience Class (CEC): For people who have already gained skilled work experience in Canada, generally at least one year in the previous three years. If you first move on another work permit and build Canadian experience, CEC becomes available.
Category-based draws, including STEM: IRCC has held category-based draws targeting specific groups, and ranks candidates by CRS score within each category. IRCC held STEM rounds in 2023 and 2024 and none since, and has held no general round since April 2024. The categories and eligible occupations change each year, so confirm the current 2026 categories and NOC lists on canada.ca.

Which employer permits and provincial streams apply?

Employer-driven work permits get you working in Canada, and the Canadian experience you build counts later toward Express Entry or a PNP. Eligibility, fees and processing times for each option change, so confirm the current details on canada.ca.

Global Talent Stream (GTS): Part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the GTS supports faster processing for certain high-skill and tech occupations. It generally requires a Canadian employer and an approved Labour Market Impact Assessment with a Labour Market Benefits Plan.
Intra-company transfer (ICT): If your current employer has a related Canadian entity, an ICT work permit can move you to Canada without an LMIA. It is aimed at executives, senior or functional managers, or workers with specialized knowledge, and requires a qualifying relationship between the companies plus recent qualifying employment.
Provincial tech streams: British Columbia ended its priority tech draws on December 3, 2024 and now targets high economic impact candidates in all sectors. Ontario’s only open stream is the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which needs a full-time permanent Ontario job offer in any TEER. Alberta has an Accelerated Tech Pathway for candidates with an Alberta tech job offer, and Saskatchewan runs an Innovation and Tech Talent Pathway.

How long does each route take?

Processing times shift and depend on the case. Check the processing-times tool on canada.ca before planning.

Timing by route
Route	What to expect
CUSMA professional (US citizens at a port of entry)	Often decided at the border, when eligible and documents are in order.
Global Talent Stream or LMIA-based work permit	Faster service standards apply to GTS, but timelines vary.
Intra-company transfer work permit	Varies by case and where you apply.
Express Entry (FSWP or CEC) after an invitation	IRCC publishes a current standard for complete PR applications.
Provincial nomination then federal PR	Provincial step plus federal step; both vary by program and year.

What does permanent residence change?

Your employer: The H-1B is tied to a petitioning employer: to change employers, the new employer files a new petition (USCIS). Many Canadian work permits are also employer-specific, but a permanent resident can live, work or study anywhere in Canada (IRCC).
Health coverage: Provincial and territorial health insurance covers most medically necessary care. Eligibility rules vary by province, and coverage can take up to 3 months to start in some provinces.
Your family: Some spouses and common-law partners can get an open work permit: the worker must be in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or a listed TEER 2 or 3 occupation, with at least 16 months left on the work permit. School enrolment for children is set by each province.
Citizenship: A permanent resident can generally apply for citizenship after being physically present in Canada for at least 1,095 days (3 years) within the 5 years before applying, subject to other requirements. Canada allows dual citizenship.

Which free tool checks your own case?

Free, with no account. What you enter in a tool stays in your browser.

What do people ask?

Is there still an H-1B open work permit for Canada?

No. The H-1B open work permit was a one-time public policy that opened on July 16, 2023, capped at 10,000 applications. It reached the cap on July 17, 2023, the day after it opened, and closed. It has not reopened, and IRCC lists it as closed, so plan around the routes that are open. The open work permit guide lists who can get one today.

How can an H-1B holder get Canada PR?

Most H-1B holders aim for Express Entry. The Federal Skilled Worker Program accepts skilled experience gained outside Canada, and the Canadian Experience Class opens after at least one year of skilled work in Canada within three years. A provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points, and 2026 rounds for nominated candidates cut off between 697 and 805, through the round of October 26, 2026. The Express Entry guide explains the full process.

Does H-1B work experience count for Express Entry?

Generally yes. Skilled work experience gained in the US on an H-1B can count toward the Federal Skilled Worker Program's required year of continuous skilled work, and it earns CRS points, though Canadian experience usually earns more. It must be in an eligible occupation and well documented, and an officer assesses it. The Federal Skilled Worker Program guide covers the 67-point grid.

What Canadian work permit can an H-1B holder get?

It depends on your citizenship and your employer. US citizens in a listed professional occupation can use a CUSMA work permit with no LMIA, often decided at the border. Other H-1B holders, such as citizens of India, usually need an employer-driven permit: the Global Talent Stream with an approved LMIA, or an intra-company transfer if the employer has a related Canadian entity. The Global Talent Stream guide explains that route.

Can I bring my spouse and children to Canada?

It depends on the permit you hold. Some spouses and common-law partners can get an open work permit: the worker must be in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or a listed TEER 2 or 3 occupation, with at least 16 months left on the work permit. School enrolment for children is set by each province. The exact entitlements vary by permit type and change over time, so check the family-member rules on canada.ca. The spousal open work permit guide explains who can get one.

What CRS score do I need, and how do I find mine?

There is no fixed number. The cut-off changes from draw to draw. In 2026 the category rounds cut off below the CEC rounds; IRCC has held no general round since April 2024. A provincial nomination adds 600 points, and 2026 rounds for nominated candidates cut off between 697 and 805, through the round of October 26, 2026. Estimate your own score with the CRS Calculator and compare it with recent results on the Express Entry draws page.

Part of:Immigrating permanently

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.