Start Your MLS Work Permit Process Today!
Find out how you could obtain Athletes [R186(h)] Work Permit to participate in MLS or Play for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in Canada. Work Permit allows you to compete in Canadian Amateur or Professional sport teams.
Coming to Canada as an Athlete:
Because of the nature of their roles, athletes and staff seeking to work in Canada, whether temporarily or permanently, must meet specific requirements. Canada welcomes athletes and staff from around the globe to enhance its economic, social, and cultural prosperity. The regulations for work permits vary based on whether your team is located in Canada. For a detailed guide on working in Canada as an athlete or staff member, visit this comprehensive Canadaic page.
Canada hosts a diverse range of sporting events, drawing athletes and coaches from across the globe to compete in the “Great White North.” Many Canadian cities feature teams in major North American sports leagues, including the NHL, NBA, MLB, and MLS, and international sports events of all kinds are frequently held throughout the country.
Athletes and staff working for a non-Canadian employer
Since many foreign athletes and coaches earn their income through sports, their participation in sporting events in Canada essentially makes them foreign workers. However, in most cases, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program’s rules and regulations do not apply to visiting athletes and coaches. Applying these regulations to them would be overly restrictive and hinder Canada's ability to host international sporting events and leagues.
As a result, work permits are generally not required for athletes and staff who are part of a foreign-based team or representing a foreign country. This also applies to essential personal and support staff of these foreign athletes and teams.
Conversely, if a foreign national wishes to join a Canadian sports team or represent Canada as an individual athlete, they typically need to obtain a work permit.
However, in this case, much of the usual bureaucracy associated with obtaining a work permit is streamlined. Athletes in this situation may be exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement, which is often the most challenging part of securing a work permit. The LMIA is used to show that there is a labor shortage and that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident was available for the position. This process involves rigorous scrutiny, and even minor mistakes can jeopardize the application. Work permits that are exempt from the LMIA do not require proof of a labor shortage. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that athletes are eligible for this type of work permit and that their application is thoroughly prepared.
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