MAK Canadian Immigration Services
Mississauga Office: 3715 Laird Rd, Unit 4, Mississauga, ON L5L 0A3
Scarborough Office: 80 Corporate Dr, Suite 210, Scarborough, ON M1H 3G5
Scarborough Office: 80 Corporate Dr, Suite 210, Scarborough, ON M1H 3G5
- 3715 Laird Rd, Unit 4, Mississauga, ON L5L 0A3
- 80 Corporate Dr, Suite 210, Scarborough, ON M1H 3G5
LMIA Exempt Work Permits – International Mobility Program
RCIC guidance on LMIA-exempt work permits under the International Mobility Program: categories, eligibility, and a well-prepared application.
Table of Contents
What is the International Mobility Program?
The International Mobility Program (IMP) allows employers to hire certain temporary foreign workers without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). An LMIA exemption does not by itself give a foreign national authority to work in Canada or guarantee a work permit. Under the IMP, some workers are work-permit exempt, some hold or qualify for open work permits, and others need an employer-specific LMIA-exempt work permit. In most employer-specific IMP cases, the employer must submit the offer of employment through the Employer Portal and pay the $230 employer compliance fee before the worker applies, unless an employer-compliance exemption applies. The employer then gives the worker the 7-digit offer of employment number for the work permit application.
For current employer and worker steps, see IRCC’s who you can hire under the IMP and how to hire under the IMP.
What does LMIA Exempt mean?
LMIA-exempt means the employer does not need a positive LMIA for the specific route being used. The worker must still fit the exact exemption or permit category and meet all applicable work-permit eligibility and admissibility requirements when a work permit is required. Significant benefit to Canada is one possible LMIA-exemption basis; it is not the universal test for every IMP case.
How do international agreements support LMIA-exempt work permits?
International agreements can support LMIA-exempt employer-specific work permits in defined situations. Examples include provisions under CUSMA, CETA, GATS and other agreements Canada has implemented. The name of an agreement alone does not make a person eligible. The exact provision and the applicant’s nationality or status, occupation or business-person category, employer, job offer and other work-permit requirements must all fit the route being used.
Who can be hired without an LMIA under the IMP?
IRCC’s current IMP framework includes different situations rather than one single eligibility test. These include workers who are exempt from needing a work permit, workers who hold or qualify for an open work permit, and workers who need an employer-specific LMIA-exempt work permit. Employer-specific examples can include eligible workers under international agreements, Francophone Mobility, certain International Experience Canada categories, and other exemption provisions. Significant benefit is one basis within the framework, not the rule for every IMP case.
Intra-company transferees may qualify for an employer-specific LMIA-exempt work permit only when the applicable employee, role, corporate-relationship and other program requirements are met. The corporate relationship alone does not establish work-permit eligibility.
One employer-specific LMIA-exempt route is the Intra-Company Transfer (ICT) work permit. Business owners considering significant-benefit work-permit strategies can also review the C11 work permit guide.
For the broader permit map, see Work Permits in Canada. Processing estimates are covered separately in our work permit processing time guide.
Need an RCIC review of whether an LMIA-exempt route fits your employer, job and circumstances? Book a consultation.
