What do I need to travel and work internationally?

If you are planning to travel and work internationally, there are a few things you will need in order to make your trip go smoothly, and legally. While back in the day you could get to a foreign country and start looking for work, now you need to prepare yourself and ensure you have permission to work in your chosen destination.

Passport
As a Canadian, you most likely already have a passport, whether from travelling on vacation or just as a form of identification, but if you are planning on travelling to live or work a passport is crucial. Most people already know that a passport is a necessary travel document just to get into most countries, but people often don't also know that a passport is used for other things. In the event that there is a national crisis in the country your visiting, the Canadian government uses passports to locate Canadian nationals in the country and evacuate them to safety (Hachey, 2002). Your passport can also be used to track you globally if a personal emergency occurs, like the death of a family member. A passport is also used to identify you as a citizen of your home country, and could be invaluable if you get involved in any legal issues. A passport can be obtained by applying at your local government passport office (Crislip, 2008).

Visa
A visa is similar to a passport, except it is issued and used by the country you are travelling to; it is granted permission from the country for you to enter, and dictates what activities you are allowed to do during your stay (Hachey, 2002). Visas allow countries to track who is entering their borders, why they are there, and how long they will be staying. Most countries have different types of visas, all of which you must apply for in advance of entering the country, and generally you have to meet specific requirements or prove why you should be granted each type of visa. Some visas only allow you to visit the country, some allow you to study, some allow you to engage in business, and some allow you to seek employment inside the country. If you are seeking to become a citizen of the country, you often need an entirely different type of visa which you have to hold for a certain number of years before you can apply for full citizenship or immigrant status. Likewise, if you have a type of temporary visa, generally any years spent in a country under that visa will not count towards a permanent visa and eventual citizenship (Hachey, 2002). This may all sound very confusing, but the idea is to outline the importance of applying for the right type of visa from the start, in order to save yourself a lot of hassle once you’re in your chosen country. First, decide what you want to do in the country, and then check out the type of visas offered by your chosen country; as mentioned, you may have to meet requirements or prove to the government why you should be granted the visa. An example of a requirement is that in order to be granted a work visa in a foreign country, you may first need to secure a job and be sponsored by the hiring company; your visa may also be conditional on you remaining in that job position or with that company for the length of your stay. Finally, a visa can be obtained by applying to your own embassy in the country, or obtaining and filling out certain documentation from the local government (Crislip, 2008). If you are lucky, you may be hired by a company and they will obtain your visa and fill out the necessary paperwork for you.

Work Permit
A work permit is a document that grants a foreigner permission to seek employment in a particular country for a particular or limited time (Hachey, 2002). The difference between a work permit and a visa is that a work permit is specific to gaining employment in a foreign country ONLY and is always limited to a certain time period. You may require a visa, a work permit, or both to enter and work in a country. You can ask your potential employer for help in obtaining a work permit, or contact your local embassy or consulate for assistance (Crislip, 2008).