🇨🇦 Work & Earn Abroad
Canada from Kenya: Work Permit vs Express Entry (2026)
The pain: People confuse a work permit with permanent residence, and pay agents for an LMIA that the employer is legally required to pay for.
The outcome: You know which Canadian route fits you and apply on the official IRCC portal yourself — no illegal fees.
A work permit lets you work (usually tied to one job); Express Entry is a permanent-residence route with NO job offer required. The employer — not you — pays the LMIA fee.
Do it with LeadAfrik — free
A. Employer-specific work permit
- You need a genuine job offer from a compliant Canadian employer, usually backed by a positive LMIA.
- The EMPLOYER applies for the LMIA through ESDC — you cannot — and by law the employer pays the LMIA fee.
- Apply online via the IRCC portal (form IMM 1295), upload documents, pay fees, give biometrics at a Visa Application Centre, complete a medical if required.
- If approved you get a Port of Entry Letter of Introduction; the permit is issued by a border officer on arrival.
⚠️ Fees YOU pay: work permit CAD $155; open-work-permit holder fee $100; biometrics $85. The LMIA ($1,000) is paid by the EMPLOYER — never you.
B. Express Entry (permanent residence, no job offer needed)
Express Entry ranks skilled workers by the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) on age, education, language (IELTS/CELPIP/TEF) and experience across three programs. A job offer adds points but is NOT mandatory — many Kenyans are invited on qualifications alone, with no agent needed.
⚠️ IRCC never emails to “guarantee” a job, visa or LMIA. It's illegal to charge a worker for an LMIA. Use only a CICC-registered consultant (RCIC) or a lawyer.
Ready to act? Use these free tools
Questions people ask
Do I need a job offer for Canada Express Entry?
No. Express Entry is a permanent-residence route with no job offer required, and many Kenyans are invited on qualifications alone. A job offer adds points but is not mandatory.
Who pays the LMIA fee for a Canadian work permit?
The employer pays the LMIA fee (CAD $1,000), never you, and it is illegal to charge a worker for an LMIA. The fees you pay are the work permit ($155), biometrics ($85), and the open-work-permit holder fee ($100) where it applies.
Can an agent guarantee me a Canada work permit or visa?
No. IRCC never emails to guarantee a job, visa or LMIA. Use only a CICC-registered consultant (RCIC) or a lawyer, and apply on the official IRCC portal yourself.
Keep it current: Immigration rules, fees and CRS thresholds change frequently — confirm everything on canada.ca before applying or paying anyone.
Official sources
Read next
Free
Free tools, templates & the Kenya money brief
New free tools, ready-to-use templates, and the numbers that move Kenyan money — in your inbox. Free, no spam.
No spam. Unsubscribe any time.