Job Bank and employer-specific work permits: looking for a job in Canada from Cameroon
The government's job site is free and open to foreign candidates. What it does, what an employer-specific permit is, and what changes on November 3, 2026.
"Job Bank Canada for foreigners" is one of the fastest-rising searches in Cameroon. The site exists, it is free, and it even has a section for candidates living outside Canada. It does not issue any visa, though. It most often leads to a "closed" work permit, and the Express Entry rules for job offers change on November 3, 2026. The rules below were checked on Government of Canada websites on October 17, 2026.
Job Bank, the government's job site
Job Bank, Guichet-Emplois in French, is the Government of Canada's job board, at jobbank.gc.ca. Searching and applying for jobs there is free. One page is dedicated to foreign candidates living outside Canada.
Without a Canadian work permit, the only offers worth applying to are those from employers open to recruiting international candidates: the others will not answer. To find them, open the advanced search, then the "Intended applicants" filter, and tick "Canadians and international candidates". The site also advises targeting employers who have already obtained or applied for a Labour Market Impact Assessment.
What a "closed" work permit is
What people call a "closed" permit is, in IRCC's words, an employer-specific work permit. It names the employer, the location and the occupation: you work for that employer, in that job, until the expiry date. IRCC's Help Centre points out that most work permits are tied to a specific employer.
An open work permit lets you work for most employers, but it is only issued in certain situations. For a candidate leaving Cameroon with a job offer, the employer-specific permit is the most common case.
The LMIA: the employer's step
To hire a foreign worker, the employer generally needs a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), assessed by Service Canada. It shows that the employer first looked for workers in Canada, in particular by posting the job on Job Bank. The fee is $1,000 CAD per position requested, and the employer pays it. The rule is written in black and white: this fee can't be paid by nor recovered from the worker. The employer, or anyone recruiting on their behalf, is not allowed to charge you recruitment fees either.
Once the LMIA is approved, you file the work permit application yourself. IRCC charges $155 CAD for the permit and $85 CAD for biometrics. The amounts in CFA francs, at today's rate, are here: /en/check-list.html#bareme
Francophone Mobility, the shorter route
French speakers have a shortcut. Under Francophone Mobility, an employer outside Quebec can hire you without an LMIA: they submit the offer in IRCC's Employer Portal with the LMIA exemption code C16 and pay a $230 CAD compliance fee. You need spoken French at CLB 5 or higher. The permit you get is still tied to that employer. The program is explained in detail here: /en/article/mobilite-francophone-permis-travail-canada-cameroun
What changes on November 3, 2026 for Express Entry
Until November 2, 2026, a job offer gives no points in the CRS score. IRCC announced in October 2026 that this changes on November 3, 2026, for high-wage occupations only. What counts is the occupation, not your own wage: IRCC ranks each NOC code by the median wage of that occupation in Canada. A qualifying offer will be worth 100 points if that median wage is at least twice the average median wage, 70 points at one and a half times, and 50 points at 1.3 times. An LMIA will no longer be required for these offers.
The job must generally be full-time, continuous, and last at least one year after you become a permanent resident. An offer in an occupation that is not on the high-wage list will not earn these points. Canadian work experience in these occupations can also earn points; IRCC then keeps whichever option gives more, without adding the two together. Your score today, without an offer, can be calculated here: /en/admissibilite.html
Traps to avoid
A genuine job offer is never paid for. Job Bank says so: an employer should never ask you to pay them to hire you, and a legitimate ad does not ask for banking or personal information. IRCC adds that no one can guarantee you a job or a visa to Canada.
A "recruiter" who asks you to pay for an LMIA, a contract or an "employer file" is asking for exactly what the rules forbid. Before paying a single franc, read the warning signs: /en/article/arnaque-immigration-cameroun-reconnaitre
And if you do not yet know which route suits you, work, study or Express Entry, our free assessment points you in the right direction: /en/evaluation.html