Labour market impact assessment (LMIA) exemption codes – International Mobility Program

This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.

Sections 204 to 208 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) provide the regulatory authority to issue a work permit to a worker who does not require a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) as per subparagraphs 200(1)(c)(i) to (ii.1).

There are specific situations that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) considers, by policy, as meeting the requirements of sections 204 through 208 of the IRPR. In doing so, the Department has created LMIA exemption streams (via unique administrative codes) to identify the different eligibilities or criteria for those specific situations. Meeting the eligibility criteria to be assessed under a LMIA-exemption category only means the applicant does not require a LMIA for their application to be processed. The officer must still be satisfied that all regulatory requirements are met for the issuance of a work permit – including all relevant factors of R200.

The LMIA exemption codes are listed in the following tables.

Important: There were several code changes and new codes added on December 15, 2022. Officers should ensure that they are using the correct coding based on the specific work permit category instructions.

Legislative sections:

R204: International agreements or arrangements

R204(a) Canada-international exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code:
December 14 and before
LMIA exemption code:
December 15, 2022 and after

Canada–International Non-Trade Agreements

Unique work situations:

T11

T11

CUSMA Trader

T21

T34

CUSMA Investor

T22

T35

CUSMA Professional

T23

T36

CUSMA ICT Executive or Senior Manager

T24

T37

CUSMA ICT Specialized knowledge

T24

T38

Colombia – Trader

T21

F10

Colombia – Investor

T22

F11

Colombia – Professionals or Technicians

T23

F12

Colombia – ICT Executive or Senior Manager

T24

F13

Colombia – ICT Management Trainee

T24

F14

Colombia – ICT Specialized knowledge

T24

F15

Colombia - Spouse

T25

T25

Chile - Traders

T21

F20

Chile - Investors

T22

F21

Chile - Professionals

T23

F22

Chile - ICT Executive or Snr Manager

T24

F23

Chile ICT Specialized knowledge

T24

F24

Korea, South - Traders

T21

F30

Korea, South - Investors

T22

F31

Korea, South - Contract Service Suppliers or Independent Professional

T23

F32

Korea, South - ICT Executive or Snr Manager 

T24

F33

Korea, South - ICT Management Trainee

T24

F34

Korea, South - ICT Specialized knowledge

T24

F35

Korea, South - Spouse

T25

F36

Panama - Professionals or Technicians

T23

F42

Peru - Traders 

T21

F50

Peru - Investors

T22

F51

Peru - Professionals or Technicians

T23

F52

Peru - ICT Executives or Snr Managers

T24

F53

Peru - ICT - Management Trainees

T24

F54

Peru - ICT - Specialized knowledge

T24

F55

GATS professional

T33

T33

CETA Investor

T46

T46

CETA Contractual service supplier

T47

T47

CETA Engineering technologists and scientific technologists

T48

T48

CETA Independent professional

T43

T43

CETA ICT Executives or Senior Manager

T44

T44

CETA ICT Graduate Trainees

T44

T42

CETA ICT Specialized knowledge

T44

T41

CETA Spouse of Intra-corporate transferee (T44, T42 or T41)

T45

T45

CPTPP Investor

T50

T50

CPTPP ICT Executive and Senior Manager

T51

T51

CPTPP ICT Management Trainee

T51

T54

CPTPP ICT Specialized knowledge

T51

T55

CPTPP Professional or technician

T52

T52

CPTPP Spouse

T53

T53

UK Independent professionals

T43

F60

UK - ICT - Executives or Snr Managers

T44

F61

UK - ICT - Management Trainees

T44

F62

UK - ICT - Specialized knowledge

T44

F63

UK Spouses of Intra-corporate transferees (F61, F62 or F63)

T45

F64

UK Investors

T46

F65

UK Contractual service suppliers

T47

F66

UK Engineering Technologists and Scientific Technologists

T48

F67

R204(b) Provincial/territorial-international exemption codes

There are no approved agreements at this time

R204(c) Canada-provincial/territorial exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code:
December 14 and before
LMIA exemption code:
December 15, 2022 and after

Canada-provincial/territorial

T13

T13

Atlantic Immigration Program

C18

C18

R205: Canadian interests

R205(a) Significant benefit exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code:
December 14 and before
LMIA exemption code:
December 15, 2022 and after

Significant benefit

Unique work situations:

C10

C10

Self-employed business owner

Unique work situations:

C11

C11

Provincial business candidates or Quebec self-employed applicants with a CSQ

C11

C60

Intra-company transferee (ICT) – Executive, Senior or Functional manager

Unique work situations

Airline personnel (station managers)

C12

C62

ICT – Specialized knowledge

C12

C63

ICT – employees starting a branch or affiliate

C12

C61

Emergency repair or repair personnel for out-of-warranty equipment

C13

C13

Television and film production workers

C14

C14

Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot

C15

C15

Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot spouses

C17

C17

Francophone mobility

C16

C16

Live-in caregivers whose permanent residence application is submitted

A71

A71

Caregivers whose permanent residence application is submitted under the Home Child Care Provider Pilot (HCCPP) or Home Support Worker Pilot (HSWP) (occupation-restricted open work permit)

C90

C90

Spouses and dependants at age of majority of caregivers whose permanent residence application is submitted under the HCCPP or HSWP

C91

C91

Bridging open work permits (BOWPs)

A75

A75

Start-up business class (SUV) permanent resident visa applicants

A75

A77

Certain Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) holders currently in Quebec

A75

A73

Open work permit pilot for permanent residence applicants in the spouse or common-law partner in Canada (SCLPC) class

 

A74

Permanent resident facilitation work permit categories

A75

A75

Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) holders currently outside Quebec

A76

A76

R205(b) Reciprocal employment exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code:
December 14 and before
LMIA exemption code:
December 15, 2022 and after

Reciprocal employment

Unique work situations:

C20

C20

Residential summer camp counsellors

C20

C24

Coaches and Athletes

C20

C26

International Experience Canada Program

C21

C21

Academic exchanges (professors, visiting lecturers)

C22

C22

Performing arts

C23

C23

R205(c) Designated by Minister

R205(c)(i) Research exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code:
December 14 and before
LMIA exemption code:
December 15, 2022 and after

Research

C31

C31

i.1) Educational co-op – post-secondary

C32

C32

i.2) Educational co-op – secondary level

C33

C33

R205(c)(ii) Competitiveness and public policy exemption codes
Act LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after

Spouses or common-law partners of high - skilled workers (TEER 0 through 3)

C41

C41

Spouses or common-law partners of full-time students

C42

C42

Post-grad employment

C43

C43

Post-doctoral Ph.D. fellows

C44

C44

Medical residents and fellows

C45

C45

Dependent child of a high-skilled worker (TEER 0 to 3)

C46

Spouse or common-law partner of a low-skilled worker (TEER 4 or 5)

C47

Dependent child of a low-skilled worker (TEER 4 or 5)

C48

Family members of Economic PR applicants

C41

C49

Academic Award recipients

C44

C52

R205(d) Charitable or religious work exemption codes
Act LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after

Religious work

C50

C50

Charitable work

C50

C51

R206: No other means of support

R206 exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code
a. Refugee claimants S61
b. Persons under an unenforceable removal order S62

R207: Permanent residence applicants in Canada

R207 exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code

Permanent residence applicants in Canada:

  1. Live-in-caregiver class (LCP)
  2. Spouse or common-law partner in Canada class (after eligibility passed)
  3. Protected persons under subsection A95(2)
  4. Section A25 exemption (humanitarian and compassionate grounds)
  5. Family members of the above
A70

R207.1: Vulnerable workers

R207.1 exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code
1. Vulnerable workers A72
2. Family member of vulnerable worker A72

R208: Humanitarian reasons

R208 exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code
a. Destitute students H81
b. Holders of a temporary resident permit valid for a minimum of six months H82

International Mobility Workers Unit (IMWU): Port of Entry (POE) assistance

The IMWU supports Canada Border Services Agency officers with enquiries related to LMIA exemptions and work permit exemptions and provides opinions to employers seeking to hire foreign nationals from visa-exempt countries currently outside of Canada.

The IMWU is available during business hours. Enquiries sent outside business hours will be answered on the next business day. 

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