Canada · Religious Worker Visa

Religious / Charitable Work — IRPR s. 205(d)

By António Mira, Founder · Member, Arab-Portuguese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCIAP) & Portuguese-Saudi Business Council (PSBC)
✓ Verified against the official government source · Last verified 2026-06-22 · Our methodology
5.5/10 diff
Challenging

LMIA-exempt. Charitable workers (unpaid, for registered Canadian charity) and religious workers (preaching, ministering,…

Min income
Processing
Path to PR
No
Job offer
Required
Direct answer

LMIA-exempt. Charitable workers (unpaid, for registered Canadian charity) and religious workers (preaching, ministering, working for religious organization). Work permit fee WAIVED for charitable / unpaid religious work per IRPR s. 299(2)(f). Initial permit usually 2 years. | [B1 2026-07-15] program_status fica NULL: em canada.ca o scan de keywords deu 2 falsos "sem encerramento" provados (CA-W-017 "Status: paused"; canada-PROT-09 "CUAET ended on July 15, 2023"). Ausencia de palavra-chave NAO prova rota aberta neste dominio. Revisao rota-a-rota.

At a Glance

Visa Duration
24 months
Processing Time
Min Income
Path to PR
No
Difficulty
5/10 — Challenging

Eligibility Requirements

RequirementDetails
Age Range16–65
Job Offer RequiredYes
Sponsorship RequiredYes
Health Insurance RequiredNo

Family & Rights

RightDetails
Path to Permanent ResidencyNo

Related Pathways

Cost of Living

Toronto
Single (monthly)€2,590
Family (monthly)€4,850
Rent 1BR (center)€1,551
Groceries€648
Transport pass€155
Vancouver
Single (monthly)€2,690
Family (monthly)€5,050
Rent 1BR (center)€1,781
Groceries€672
Transport pass€161
Montreal
Single (monthly)€2,000
Family (monthly)€3,850
Rent 1BR (center)€1,181
Groceries€500
Transport pass€120

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Religious / Charitable Work — IRPR s. 205(d)?

LMIA-exempt. Charitable workers (unpaid, for registered Canadian charity) and religious workers (preaching, ministering, working for religious organization). Work permit fee WAIVED for charitable / unpaid religious work per IRPR s. 299(2)(f). Initial permit usually 2 years. | [B1 2026-07-15] program_status fica NULL: em canada.ca o scan de keywords deu 2 falsos "sem encerramento" provados (CA-W-017 "Status: paused"; canada-PROT-09 "CUAET ended on July 15, 2023"). Ausencia de palavra-chave NAO prova rota aberta neste dominio. Revisao rota-a-rota.

Can the Religious / Charitable Work — IRPR s. 205(d) lead to permanent residency?

No — this is a temporary pathway and does not itself lead to permanent residence. Holders often switch to a different route to pursue settlement.

Are there alternative pathways to Canada?

Yes. Canada offers 23 other immigration pathways. Compare all options on our Canada country page.

What is the cost of living in Canada?

Monthly costs for a single person in city center: Toronto: €2,590/mo; Vancouver: €2,690/mo; Montreal: €2,000/mo. These include rent, groceries, transport, and utilities.

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Official source

Requirements on this page are based on this official/primary source:

Data last verified: 2026-06-22 · See our methodology

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