Overnight camp counsellors: How to apply for a work permit

On this page

• Who can apply
• Type of work permit
• Steps your employer must take before you apply
• How to work at more than one camp
• How to apply
• Next steps

Who can apply

To be eligible, you must meet all the requirements below:

• you meet the general eligibility requirements for a work permit
• you’ll work at an overnight summer camp
  • at an overnight camp, campers and the camp counsellors stay overnight at the camp for more than a weekend
• your main duties will include both
  • supervising and guiding children in summer camp activities, such as
    • planning and organizing activities
    • guiding and teaching outdoor activities
    • ensuring children’s safety and monitoring their activities
    • supervising children during meals
    • instructing children in daily routines and cleanup tasks
  • leading
    • sports
    • crafts
    • games
    • other recreational activities

Type of work permit

As an overnight camp counsellor (including those working at faith-based camps), you can apply for an employer-specific work permit.

You don’t need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) if you’re an overnight camp counsellor working during the summer season.

Any overnight camp counsellor working outside of the summer months needs an LMIA.

Steps your employer must take before you apply

Your employer must do all of the following:

• submit an offer of employment to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) using the Employer Portal
• pay a $230 employer compliance fee, unless exempt
• give you the offer of employment number: a 7-digit number required for your application

How to work at more than one camp

You need to apply for a work permit for each camp you’ll work for. You need to provide proof that you can work for more than one employer.

Each employer will also need to submit their own offer of employment to IRCC using the Employer Portal.

You and your employers should do this as early as possible to avoid processing delays.

How to apply

Step 1: Make sure you have what you need

To apply online, you need

• a scanner or camera to create electronic copies of your documents
• a valid credit or debit card

Step 2: Create your online account or sign in

You need an account to apply online. You can use your account to

• submit your application forms
• check your status

How to start your application

Once you sign in to your account, you need to

• go to the Start your application section on the account welcome page
• click “Apply to come to Canada”
• on the next page, scroll down to the I do not have a personal reference code section
• click on the “Visitor visa, study and/or work permit” button
• on the next page, select “Work”

Step 3: Get your document checklist

You must answer some questions to create a personalized document checklist.

Make sure you answer these questions correctly.

If you’re outside Canada

• When asked I have a job offer and my employer gave me an offer of employment number or LMIA number (or proof of that your employer applied for an LMIA). answer “Yes”
  • This is the 7-digit number your employer received after sending in their offer of employment.
• When asked What type of work permit do you want to apply for? choose “A work permit with a Labour Market Impact Assessment exemption”
• If you’re fee exempt, when asked There are fees associated with this application. Will you be paying your fees are you fee exempt? answer “No, I am exempt from paying fees for this application”
  • See Step 6: Pay your fees if you’re not sure.

If you’re in Canada

• When asked Which option best describes your work situation? answer “I’m applying for an employer-specific work permit with LMIA-exemption.”
• If you’re fee exempt, when asked There are fees associated with this application. Will you be paying your fees are you fee exempt? answer “No, I am exempt from paying fees for this application”
  • See Step 6: Pay your fees if you’re not sure.

Step 4: Fill out the forms

The instruction guide will explain how to fill out each field on the work permit application form.

Read the instruction guide before you fill out the form.

Work experience requirement

The work permit application form asks all applicants about their last 10 years of work experience. This does not mean you need 10 years of work experience. However, you do need to show that you have the skills, qualifications and experience to be a camp counsellor.

Step 5: Upload your documents

Your document checklist will ask you for most of the documents that you must upload. It will also allow you to upload other documents under Client Information.

Supporting documents section

Your document checklist will ask you for

• an employment reference letter
• a letter from your current employer 
• an employment record
• a passport
• a CV/résumé
• a digital photo
• proof of medical exam, if you need a medical exam
• an employment contract
• proof that you meet the requirements of the job being offered
• proof of fee exemption, if you’re fee exempt

Client Information section

Use the Client Information section to upload

• other documents required for your job, such as first aid certification or a school transcript
• documents required by your local visa office, such as police certificates
  • If there are local instructions to follow, you can find them in the application package.
    • Go to the work permit application
    • Select Apply online
    • Select the country or territory you’re applying from
    • Download the country-specific visa office requirements from the list of documents, if there are any

When you upload your documents

You can upload the same document more than once, if it serves more than one purpose.

If you’re not sure if you have the right document

Ask yourself if this document

• explains what kind of organization you’ll work for
• shows you can do this job
• satisfies an officer that you would be a good camp counsellor

Step 6: Pay your fees and submit your application

In most cases, you must pay the work permit processing fee.

You may be exempt from paying the work permit processing fee if

• you’re working for a charitable or religious organization and
• you won’t be paid, other than one of the following:
  • small payments for living expenses
  • non-monetary benefits (such as room and board, health care insurance)

In some cases, you may receive a small payment and non-monetary benefits and still be exempt from paying the work permit processing fee.

Fee exemption

If you’re exempt from paying the work permit processing fee, your employer will also be exempt from paying the employer compliance fee ($230).  

They still need to submit an offer of employment in the Employer Portal.

If your employer does not show how you meet the fee exemption, you and your employer must pay all fees.

Create an account or sign in

Next steps

Find out what happens

• After you apply
  • processing times, biometrics and what happens if your application is approved
• When you arrive in Canada
  • what to bring with you and what to expect when you arrive at the port of entry
• If you want to travel once you finish working
  • If you plan to travel when you finish working, ask the border services officer about this when you enter Canada.
  • There is an “expiry” date on your work permit. This is when you must stop working.
  • The officer may choose to also add a “must leave by” date in the conditions section of your work permit.
  • If the “must leave by” date is later than the “expiry” date, you can travel after you finish working.
  • You must leave Canada and return to your home country by the “must leave by” date printed on your work permit.
    • If you stay longer than you’re allowed, you may not be able to return to Canada to work or study.

Credit cards and prepaid cards

We accept credit cards and prepaid cards from:

• Visa^®
• MasterCard^®
• American Express^®
• JCB^®
• UnionPay^® (for online applications only; debit cards not accepted)

If you use a prepaid credit card, keep it for at least 18 months after you pay to make refunds easier. Find more on prepaid cards.

We also accept all Visa Debit cards.The card you use doesn't have to be in your name. The cardholder’s name will appear on the receipt but it does not need to match your application.

Debit cards

It must:

• be from a Canadian bank using INTERAC^® Online, and
• be registered for online banking through your bank’s website.

We also accept all Debit MasterCard^® and Visa^® Debit cards. If your card has the Visa Debit logo on it, alone or with the INTERAC^® Online logo, select Visa Debit as your payment method.

The card you use does not have to be in your name. The cardholder’s name will appear on the receipt but it does not need to match your application.

If you receive a small payment and room and board

You may still be exempt from paying the work permit processing fee if

• your contract says that you have to live on site
• your room and board
  • is not a monetary allowance
  • has little or no market value
    • for example, a room in a monastery would have no market value, because
      • it’s not an option that’s normally available to the public
      • it’s unlikely that someone would want to rent the room, even if it was available