YF Immigration Canada · Content sources checked 2026-10-26
How LMIA-exempt hiring works
The International Mobility Program (IMP) is run by IRCC. No LMIA is needed, but for employer-specific permits you must submit an offer of employment in the Employer Portal and pay the $230 employer compliance fee before the worker applies. You remain subject to IRCC compliance reviews.
Main exemption categories
The right category depends on the worker's citizenship, occupation and relationship to your company:
- CUSMA professionals (US and Mexican citizens in listed professions)
- Other trade agreements (CETA, CPTPP, and bilateral agreements) for professionals, investors and transferees
- Intra-company transferees under the applicable current general or treaty category
- Francophone Mobility (C16) for French-speaking workers outside Quebec
- Significant benefit (C10) for work with clear social, cultural or economic benefit
- Reciprocal employment and International Experience Canada
Choosing between LMIA and LMIA-exempt
An exemption is usually faster and cheaper, but only if the worker clearly fits. Applying under a weak exemption risks refusal and delay. We compare both routes before you commit to recruitment or an Employer Portal offer.
Evidence checklist and refusal prevention
Maintain a category-specific index covering citizenship or status, qualifications, employment arrangements and the facts supporting the exemption. Include the employment offer and proof of employer steps where required. Supporting documents should answer the chosen exemption's test, not merely show that the candidate is talented or that the employer urgently needs help. Identify missing elements before using the portal. Keep original evidence accessible for subsequent verification and requests.
Compare names, passport details and assignment dates between employer and worker records. Explain lawful discrepancies such as a different trading name, a client-site location or a change in title. An officer should be able to understand who employs the worker, what duties are performed and why the exemption applies without resolving contradictory versions of the offer.
Common avoidable problems include selecting an exemption based on nationality alone, unsupported professional qualifications, weak corporate relationships and duties inconsistent with the offered category. General talent is not enough for every significant-benefit or specialized category. Reassess weak eligibility before submitting rather than relying on an exemption's lower government charges.
After refusal, preserve the submitted offer, worker application and reasons. A second offer with the same unsupported explanation may not solve the problem. Consider whether new evidence, a different valid category or an LMIA process is appropriate. Any new filing must be coordinated with current status and work authorization; starting work while trying to repair the file can create additional difficulties.
Document the exemption before using the portal
Identify the category, legal basis and supporting facts for every requirement. Business need and worker eligibility are separate: a difficult vacancy does not itself create an International Mobility Program exemption. Check citizenship where a treaty requires it, occupation, credentials, work location and permitted arrangement.
A CUSMA professional file connects actual duties to a listed profession and prescribed qualifications. A transfer needs ownership and foreign employment evidence. Other categories use different tests. Do not combine favourable pieces from several categories into a file fully satisfying none.
Open permit versus employer-specific authorization
Read the candidate’s actual permit and expiry. An open permit generally does not need a portal offer, but occupation and other restrictions still matter. A permit naming a different employer does not ordinarily allow an immediate start with your business.
Where a new employer-specific exemption is needed, separate employer and worker tasks. The employer provides an accurate offer and category explanation; the worker proves eligibility and admissibility. A submitted offer number is neither a permit application nor work authorization.
Quality-check the Employer Portal offer
Identify who controls the employer account and can submit. Gather legal business details, worker identity, duties, location, compensation and dates. Check the exemption narrative against supporting documents before entry. Hiring management and payroll should confirm the same terms. Explain any different payroll provider or client location.
For most employer-specific IMP files, submit the offer and usual $230 compliance charge before the worker applies. Give the worker the number and accurate terms. Retain the submission and receipt as compliance records. Typographical errors can have application consequences; do not assume a cover letter silently corrects the portal.
Corrections and changing employment
Follow IRCC’s current correction process, which depends on permit stage. A new offer and possibly a new worker application may be required. Obtain advice before withdrawing or resubmitting, particularly if status deadlines are involved. Preserve the original and corrected records and explain changes honestly.
Budget worker charges, translations and any qualification or licensing steps separately. An exemption is not a guaranteed cheaper or faster result if eligibility is weak. Coordinate document readiness and real processing information. After issuance, communicate conditions to payroll and supervisors, track expiry and assess relocation, promotion or reassignment before changes occur. Maintain evidence linking actual employment to approved terms.
Frequently asked questions
Official sources
Government rules, fees and wage thresholds change. This page is general information, not legal advice, and results vary by case.