The International Mobility Program allows Canadian employers to hire temporary foreign workers without the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment. Employers must typically obtain an LMIA before hiring a temporary foreign worker, but this requirement has some exemptions. The following LMIA-exempt work permits let Canadian employers to skip the LMIA process:
International Agreements and Arrangements
International Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) contains provisions for the temporary entry of businesspersons on a reciprocal basis. Eligible persons entering under an FTA may be exempt from needing a work permit. Here is the list of agreements in place:
Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA)
Agreement on Trade Continuity between Canada and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Canada–Panama Free Trade Agreement
Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
International Agreements and Arrangements
The Intra-Company Transfer category is for the temporary entry of foreign employees who are managers, or specialists. These individuals come to Canada to improve the effective management of the Canadian branch of a multi-national parent company. The program also allows foreign entrepreneurs to expand their business to Canada and apply for the ICT work permit.
Qualified intra-company transferees require work permits and are exempted from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) as they provide significant economic benefit to Canada through the transfer of their expertise to Canadian businesses. This applies to foreign nationals from any country, including those that are part of a trade agreement such as the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
To qualify for ICT work permit:
You must be currently employed by a multinational company and seek entry to work in a parent, branch, subsidiary or affiliate of that company.
You must also transfer to an enterprise with a qualifying relationship with the company in which you are currently employed and will be undertaking employment at a legitimate and continuing establishment of that company.
You have been employed continuously (via payroll or by contract directly with the company), by the company that plans to transfer you outside Canada in a similar full-time position (not accumulated part-time) for at least one year in the three-year period immediately preceding the date of initial application
You must be coming to Canada for a temporary period only;
You must comply with all immigration requirements for temporary entry.
Francophone Mobility Program
In order to promote French immigration in Francophone minority communities, foreign nationals who are destined for a province or territory outside Quebec may be exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement under section 205(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. The requirements for LMIA exempt work permit under this category are simple. The following requirements must be met:
The foreign worker must be destined to work and live in a province outside Quebec
The offer of employment must be made to foreign nationals in managerial, professional, technical or skilled trade occupations (TEER 0, 1, 2 ,3).
The foreign national must be fluent in French.
Additional LMIA-Exemptions
While the majority of LMIA exemptions fall under either international agreements or Canadian interests, there are a number of LMIA exemptions outside of these categories. In some cases, LMIA exemptions may be for humanitarian and compassionate reasons. Moreover, certain candidates for Canadian permanent residency may be eligible to apply for LMIA-exempt work permits.
The International Mobility Program allows Canadian employers to hire temporary foreign workers without the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment. Employers must typically obtain an LMIA before hiring a temporary foreign worker, but this requirement has some exemptions. The following LMIA-exempt work permits let Canadian employers to skip the LMIA process:
International Agreements and Arrangements
International Agreements and Arrangements
The Intra-Company Transfer category is for the temporary entry of foreign employees who are managers, or specialists. These individuals come to Canada to improve the effective management of the Canadian branch of a multi-national parent company. The program also allows foreign entrepreneurs to expand their business to Canada and apply for the ICT work permit.
Qualified intra-company transferees require work permits and are exempted from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) as they provide significant economic benefit to Canada through the transfer of their expertise to Canadian businesses. This applies to foreign nationals from any country, including those that are part of a trade agreement such as the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).
To qualify for ICT work permit:
Francophone Mobility Program
In order to promote French immigration in Francophone minority communities, foreign nationals who are destined for a province or territory outside Quebec may be exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement under section 205(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. The requirements for LMIA exempt work permit under this category are simple. The following requirements must be met:
Additional LMIA-Exemptions
While the majority of LMIA exemptions fall under either international agreements or Canadian interests, there are a number of LMIA exemptions outside of these categories. In some cases, LMIA exemptions may be for humanitarian and compassionate reasons. Moreover, certain candidates for Canadian permanent residency may be eligible to apply for LMIA-exempt work permits.