Canadian immigration program
Work Permit — LMIA Exempt
An LMIA-exempt work permit is issued under the International Mobility Program without a Labour Market Impact Assessment, relying instead on a specific exemption — such as a trade agreement, reciprocal employment or a significant benefit to Canada. Eligibility depends on qualifying for the exemption. The requirements below are drawn from the governing regulation and IRCC guidance.
Sources on this page last verified Jul 17, 2026.
Eligibility criteria
The requirements below are drawn directly from the governing regulation and IRCC program guidance for Work Permit — LMIA Exempt. Each is anchored to the verbatim source text, not a paraphrase, so you can read the rule as it is written and follow it to the official page.
“provide any additional documents requested by the officer to establish your admissibility”
“Application For Work Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1295)”
“you need to attest that you've already provided the temporary foreign worker with a signed copy of the employment agreement”
“You need to attest that you haven't charged your temporary foreign worker any fees except for those that cover electronic travel authorizations, temporary resident visas, temporary resident permits, work permits”
“You’re only eligible in certain situations.”
“Workers eligible for an **employer-specific work permit (LMIA-exempt)**”
“Workers eligible for an employer-specific work permit (LMIA-exempt)”
“you give the temporary foreign worker a copy of an employment agreement in their preferred official language (English or French) that is signed by both you and the temporary foreign worker and includes information on their occupation, wages and working conditions”
“an employment contract (also known as the employment agreement)”
“Make sure the information you provide is truthful and complete”
“Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker (IMM 5710)”
“can communicate with a moderate proficiency for speaking and listening in French”
“to meet the general requirements for all work permit applicants”
“be in good health and complete a medical examination, if required”
“be in good health and complete a medical exam, if needed”
“If the position is under a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the wage you're offering must meet the requirements of the CBA”
“The wage you're offering must be at or above the median hourly wage by province or territory”
“If the position is not under a CBA, the wage you're offering must be at or above the prevailing wage”
“you'll need to make sure that the worker is paid the prevailing wage throughout the employment period. To show this, you'll need to review wages on the first day of work and annually by January 1”
“to have a job offer from an employer who’s not on the list of non-compliant employers”
“You need a job offer.”
“be law-abiding and have no record of criminal activity (you may be asked to give us a Police Clearance Certificate)”
“satisfy an officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your employment”
“Under the International Mobility Program (IMP), you can hire a temporary foreign worker **without** a labour market impact assessment (LMIA).”
“lets you hire temporary foreign workers **without** a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)”
“make sure the LMIA exemption you choose matches the job description and duties”
“Your employer may need a labour market impact assessment (LMIA).”
“be law-abiding and have no record of criminal activity (you may be asked to provide a Police Clearance Certificate)”
“not intend to engage in employment with an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages”
“not plan to work with an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages”
“not intend to engage in employment with an employer on the List of Ineligible Employers”
“You don’t need a job offer.”
“the temporary foreign worker hasn't been charged any recruitment fees by anyone acting on your behalf”
“Anyone acting on your behalf can't charge recruitment fees to the temporary foreign worker”
“the temporary foreign worker hasn't been charged any recruitment fees”
“not be a danger to the security of Canada”
“The job is in National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories 0, 1, 2 or 3 (high-skilled).”
“an offer of employment number”
“Workers who have an **open work permit**”
“Workers who have an open work permit”
“This means the worker can work for anyone in Canada, **except** for employers that either are on the [list of employers who don’t meet their responsibilities](/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/employers-non-compliant.html), or regularly offer striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages”
“a photocopy of your passport or travel document”
“Make sure it's accurate and matches the information in the temporary foreign worker's passport (or other travel document) exactly”
“1 photo meeting the visa photo specifications”
“1 photo meeting the visa photo specifications”
“provide any other documents the officer needs to establish your admissibility”
“will live and work outside the province of Quebec”
“An offer of employment's expected start date of employment can't be retroactive”
“show that you have enough money during your stay in Canada to take care of yourself and your family members and to return home”
“a photocopy of your valid (not expired) passport or travel document”
“You meet the wage assessment for the job you’re offering.”
“You can work for most compliant employers in Canada.”
“Workers with a **work permit exemption**”
“You don't need an LMIA to hire these workers: Workers with a work permit exemption”
“the temporary foreign worker is aware of their rights as a worker in Canada”
Documents and eligibility gates
Every requirement below is quoted verbatim from the official source and linked back to it. Navisa reads and cites the governing text rather than restating a document name from memory. This is a reference summary, not immigration advice, and it does not replace review by a licensed RCIC.
Eligibility gate
“Work-permit routing requires a confirmed job-offer / open-permit basis fact.”
Eligibility gateinnovation_stream
“If the position is not under a CBA, the wage you're offering must be at or above the prevailing wage”
Eligibility gate
“make sure the LMIA exemption you choose matches the job description and duties”
Eligibility gate
“Anyone acting on your behalf can't charge recruitment fees to the temporary foreign worker”
Eligibility gateinnovation_stream
“The wage you're offering must be at or above the median hourly wage by province or territory”
Eligibility gate
“the temporary foreign worker hasn't been charged any recruitment fees”
Eligibility gatefrench_speaking_bilingual_worker_outside_quebec
“will live and work outside the province of Quebec”
Eligibility gate
“be law-abiding and have no record of criminal activity (you may be asked to give us a Police Clearance Certificate)”
Eligibility gateopen_work_permit
“You can work for most compliant employers in Canada.”
Eligibility gate
“the temporary foreign worker hasn't been charged any recruitment fees by anyone acting on your behalf”
Eligibility gate
“Make sure it's accurate and matches the information in the temporary foreign worker's passport (or other travel document) exactly”
Eligibility gate
“You need to attest that you haven't charged your temporary foreign worker any fees except for those that cover electronic travel authorizations, temporary resident visas, temporary resident permits, work permits”
Eligibility gate
“not intend to engage in employment with an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages”
Eligibility gateinnovation_stream
“If the position is under a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the wage you're offering must meet the requirements of the CBA”
Eligibility gate
“You don't need an LMIA to hire these workers: Workers with a work permit exemption”
Eligibility gate
“An offer of employment's expected start date of employment can't be retroactive”
Eligibility gate
“not plan to work with an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages”
Eligibility gate
“not intend to engage in employment with an employer on the List of Ineligible Employers”
Eligibility gate
“you need to attest that you've already provided the temporary foreign worker with a signed copy of the employment agreement”
Eligibility gateemployer_specific_work_permit
“Your employer may need a labour market impact assessment (LMIA).”
Eligibility gateopen_work_permit
“This means the worker can work for anyone in Canada, **except** for employers that either are on the [list of employers who don’t meet their responsibilities](/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/employers-non-compliant.html), or regularly offer striptease, erotic dance, escort services or erotic massages”
Eligibility gatelmia_exempt
“an employment contract (also known as the employment agreement)”
Eligibility gate
“a photocopy of your valid (not expired) passport or travel document”
Eligibility gateinnovation_stream
“You meet the wage assessment for the job you’re offering.”
Eligibility gate
“you give the temporary foreign worker a copy of an employment agreement in their preferred official language (English or French) that is signed by both you and the temporary foreign worker and includes information on their occupation, wages and working conditions”
Eligibility gateinnovation_stream
“you'll need to make sure that the worker is paid the prevailing wage throughout the employment period. To show this, you'll need to review wages on the first day of work and annually by January 1”
Eligibility gatelmia_exempt
“an offer of employment number”
Eligibility gate
“1 photo meeting the visa photo specifications”
Eligibility gate
“a photocopy of your passport or travel document”
Eligibility gate
“show that you have enough money during your stay in Canada to take care of yourself and your family members and to return home”
Eligibility gateopen_work_permit
“You don’t need a job offer.”
Eligibility gateemployer_specific_work_permit
“You need a job offer.”
Eligibility gate
“to have a job offer from an employer who’s not on the list of non-compliant employers”
Eligibility gate
“Workers eligible for an employer-specific work permit (LMIA-exempt)”
Eligibility gate
“Under the International Mobility Program (IMP), you can hire a temporary foreign worker **without** a labour market impact assessment (LMIA).”
Eligibility gate
“Workers who have an open work permit”
Eligibility gateinnovation_stream
“The job is in National Occupational Classification (NOC) Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities (TEER) categories 0, 1, 2 or 3 (high-skilled).”
Required document
“Application to Change Conditions, Extend my Stay or Remain in Canada as a Worker (IMM 5710)”
Required document
“1 photo meeting the visa photo specifications”
Required document
“a copy of the attestation of issuance of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) issued by the ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI) if you work in Quebec or will be working in Quebec.”
Required documentemployer_specific_work_permit
“You need a job offer.”
Required document
“From $230, unless exempted”
Required documentemployer_specific_work_permit
“a letter from your current employer”
Required documentemployer_specific_work_permit
“Your employer may need a labour market impact assessment (LMIA).”
Required documentlmia_exempt
“an employment contract (also known as the employment agreement)”
Required documentlmia_exempt
“employment contract, also known as the employment agreement”
Required document
“Authority to release personal information to a designated individual [IMM 5475]”
Required document
“Application to Change Conditions or Extend Your Stay in Canada [IMM 5710]”
Required document
“to meet the general requirements for all work permit applicants”
Required document
“Application For Work Permit Made Outside of Canada (IMM 1295)”
Required document
“to have a job offer from an employer who’s not on the list of non-compliant employers”
Required document
“evidence that you meet the requirements of the job, possibly including specific educational requirements and a valid Canadian provincial or territorial trade certificate;”
Required document
“proof of a medical exam”
Required documentlmia_exempt
“offer of employment number”
Required document
“the offer of employment number (The offer of employment number starts with an “A” and is followed by 7 numbers). Your employer should provide it to you;”
Required document
“If you are not a citizen of the country or territory where you are applying, you must send proof of your present immigration status in that country or territory.”
Required document
“If the government that issued your passport or travel document requires a re-entry permit, you must receive it before you apply for a work permit.”
Required document
“When applying to change conditions or extend your stay in Canada, you are required to submit photocopies of passport pages clearly showing the stamp made by Canadian authorities on your most recent entry to Canada.”
Required document
“a photocopy of your passport or travel document”
Required documentemployer_specific_work_permit
“a reference letter from your past employers”
Required document
“1 photo meeting the visa photo specifications”
Required document
“A copy of the attestation of issuance of your Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) from the ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), if you plan to work in Quebec or will be working in Quebec.”
Required document
“Proof that you are eligible for the job (for example: a valid Canadian provincial or territorial trade certificate, educational requirements or past work experience outlined in a resume).”
Required document
“For LMIA-exempt work permits: The offer of employment number (begins with the letter “A” and is followed by seven numbers) that your employer should give to you”
Required document
“A valid passport or travel document that gives you the right to return to the country or territory that issued it”
Required document
“Two (2) photos of yourself and each family member accompanying you, that meet the Visa application photograph specifications”
Required document
“If you are in a common-law relationship and your common-law partner will accompany you to Canada, you must fill out and click on the “Validate” button located at the end of the form Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union (IMM 5409) and send proof listed on the form to support your relationship.”
Required document
“You may need to provide a marriage certificate and birth certificates for any accompanying family members.”
Required documentemployer_specific_work_permit
“proof of past work experience, for example pay stubs”
Required documentemployer_specific_work_permit
“proof that you meet the requirements of the job being offered”
Required documentemployer_specific_work_permit
“a resume”
Recent policy changes affecting this program
Tracked changes Navisa has tagged to this program, dated and cited to their official source.
In forcedetected Jul 14, 2026
Find out if you need a work permit - Canada.ca
The entire Formula 1 Grand Prix worker exemption section has been removed from the page. Previously, the page explicitly stated that F1 staff attending the M…
In forcedetected Jul 6, 2026
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada - Ministerial instructions - Canada.ca
Ministerial Instructions covering temporary measures, pilot programs, and modifications to other temporary and permanent residency programs outside of Expres…
In forcedetected May 25, 2026
Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
The AFTER version appends the full inline text of the amending regulations (SOR/2020-91 s. 5 and SOR/2022-142 s. 7) directly beneath the consolidated section…
In forcedetected May 25, 2026
Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations
The AFTER version adds the full legislative text of SOR/2022-142, s. 6, which was previously cited but not reproduced. The newly displayed amendment text con…
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