Work Permit Check for Temporary Workers in Canada

A work permit check on a foreign temporary worker in Canada has three parts, and all three happen before the first shift: confirm the worker holds a valid work permit (or another status that allows work), confirm the permit's conditions match the placement (employer, occupation, location, hours), and record the expiry date so a follow-up happens before authorization ends. For a staffing agency, these duties belong to the agency as employer, not to the client site.

This article describes the Canadian position as of October 2026. It explains what a check compares: fields, dates and official sources. It does not claim that a check proves a document is genuine. FINTRAC and the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act govern financial reporting entities and are not the relevant framework here. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Canada Border Services Agency are.

Who is responsible when a worker is placed through an agency?

The agency is responsible. Section 124 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act makes it an offence to employ a foreign national who is not authorized to work, or to employ them in a way the authorization does not allow. The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations set the employer's duty to confirm authorization. A client who knowingly uses an unauthorized worker through an agency can also be exposed.

Employers who fail these duties can face fines and imprisonment under IRPA s. 124 and 125, and administrative monetary penalties and employment bans under the Regulations' employer compliance regime (ESDC, employer compliance). Penalty amounts depend on the violation and the program stream, so check the current schedule before quoting a figure.

Practical consequence: an agency that places workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program also faces inspections, which can review records for up to six years after the work permit starts.

Which documents prove a foreign temp worker can work?

Canadian citizens and permanent residents can work without a permit. For everyone else, the worker should present a work permit and passport, and the employer should compare the details. The IRCC guide to work permits describes the main categories.

The most frequent trap: an employer-specific permit does not cover another employer. A worker whose permit names Company A cannot be placed at Company B by a staffing agency unless the permit allows it. International students are generally limited to 24 hours of off-campus work a week during academic sessions, with full-time work allowed during scheduled breaks.

What does the SIN tell you?

A Social Insurance Number starting with 9 identifies a temporary resident, and it has an expiry date linked to the permit. The agency should record the SIN, check that the expiry date lines up with the permit, and ask for an updated card when the permit is renewed. A SIN beginning with 9 must be treated as expiring: employers are required to check that the SIN's expiry date is still in force before continuing to employ the person (Service Canada, Social Insurance Number).

How do you catch mismatches between documents?

Most problems are mismatches, not forgeries. A name entered as "Mohamed Al-Rashid" on the work permit and "Mohammed Alrashid" on the bank form creates payroll failures and CRA reporting errors on a T4. Dates of birth with day and month swapped, or SINs copied with a digit off, are just as common.

A consistent validation run compares the same fields across every document in the file: work permit, passport, SIN confirmation, bank details, proof of address and the assignment contract. Our platform runs this comparison field by field, so the reviewer sees which field differs. See our guide to temp worker document verification at first assignment for the full document list.

What do recruiters and HR staff ask about this?

Questions that recur in recruiter and HR communities are specific.

"The permit expires next month but the worker applied to renew. Can they keep working?" Often yes, under maintained status, if the application was submitted before expiry and the original conditions continue. Keep proof of application and the permit, and check IRCC guidance for the stream.

"Can I ask a candidate for a PR card because they have an accent?" No. Provincial human rights codes, such as the Ontario Human Rights Code, prohibit treating applicants differently on the basis of citizenship or ethnic origin. Ask every hire for proof of work eligibility.

"A student wants extra shifts. Whose problem is it?" The agency's, as employer, for every hour it books. Add up placements across all clients.

"How do I handle immigration data under privacy law?" Collect only what you need and limit access. PIPEDA applies to private-sector employers in most provinces, and Quebec's Law 25 sets stricter rules there.

How do you manage expiry dates?

Calendar every permit with an end date. A practical rule is two alerts: 90 days and 30 days before expiry. In Quebec, a worker may also hold a Certificat d'acceptation du Québec, so check both the provincial and federal documents when the placement is in that province.

For a view across several countries, our staffing agency compliance requirements overview compares document duties by market, and the industry verification pillar guide places this check in the wider picture.

A pre-assignment checklist

1. Get the original work permit, passport and SIN.
2. Check the permit is valid and read every condition.
3. Compare employer, occupation, location and hours against the assignment.
4. Check that the SIN expiry matches the permit.
5. Compare name, date of birth and numbers across all documents.
6. Calendar the expiry and renewal follow-up.
7. Release the worker to the client only once the file is complete.

For agencies placing many workers at once, CheckFile's temporary staffing solution validates completeness, expiry dates and cross-document consistency in one pass. Our security page explains how immigration data is handled and pricing lists the plans.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules change; confirm current requirements with IRCC or qualified counsel. Reviewed by the CheckFile editorial team, October 7, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the client company have to check an agency worker's work permit?

Not by default. The agency is the employer and carries the duty. The client should require written confirmation that checks were done and act if it learns a worker is not authorized.

What happens if a work permit expires mid-assignment?

Unless the worker has maintained status after applying to extend in time, the agency must stop the assignment on the expiry date. Continuing is employing an unauthorized worker.

Can an international student be placed through an agency?

Yes, if the study permit allows work and the hours stay within the limit while classes are in session. The agency must add up hours across all its placements.

How long should an agency keep copies of permits?

Keep them for the duration of the engagement. Employers hiring under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program must retain records for six years, so many agencies adopt that period.

Does a visitor record allow work?

No. A visitor record or visitor visa does not authorize work, including short trial shifts that amount to work.