'am in Canada. 'am a US citizen. How can I get a work permit?

Answer 1

Here is the official Canadian Immigration website:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/

You will have to get a temporary residence visa, then apply for a work visa. It will be easier to get if you have a job lined up, but you will have to have an employer willing to wait for the work visa and willing to work with you and immigration on getting it. A work visa is usually good for a set period of time ... a year or so ... if you want to stay in the country longer you will have to apply for permanent residency.

Answer 2

If you are working for a company based outside the country (and hence being paid by that entity and not a Canadian firm), AND you have a profession listed under the NAFTA agreement regarding professionals, you can go straight to work. But you must have a letter stating that A) an non-Canadian company is paying your salary, B) the location (i.e. company) you are working at has requested your services, and C) the expected duration of your employment.

If you've entered the country and don't qualify as a professional under NAFTA (and didn't already have a work visa when you entered), you had to enter under either a "student" or "tourist" classification. If a student, you are entitled to study - but not work. If a tourist, you are entitled to visit - but not work, OR study.

If you are changing the status of your visa (to a work visa, by your question), then you need to get some Canadian company to sponsor you as an employee (the same as US companies have to do for us Canadians who come south), go through the hoops of explaining to the govenrment why they need "the expert from away", and submit their corporate documentation. You need to visit your own embassy to get your visa options sorted out, then see a Canada Customs and Immigration center and go through the due process of getting your visa status updated. But you'll need everything else done first, including having a Canadian company write a letter inviting you to work for them WITH the referral from their "search" that requires your specific skillsets.

Answer 3

Start by learning English, or French. Actually, just kidding, do you have a job lined up already? If not get one, or move to Vancouver because there are lots of jobs there. I don't know all the rules but you can check with your US embassy or Immigration Canada. I do know that its a lot easier if you have a job offer in hand.

Answer 4

Check with the folks in Canada, when you know that you're about to secure a job. They can help you.

Answer 5

If you have almost any university degree, you can work on contract without a work visa. It's part of the NAFTA agreement.