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LMIA

LMIxemption codes –International Mobility Program

here 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 criteriato 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 aremet for the issuance of a work permit – including all relevant factors of R200.

The LMIA exemption codes are listed in the following tables.

Legislative sections:
  • A25.2 Public policies
  • R204: International agreements or arrangements
  • R205: Canadian interests
  • R206: No other means of support
  • R207: Permanent residence applicants in Canada
  • R207.1: Vulnerable workers
  • R208: Humanitarian reasons
  • International Mobility Workers Unit (IMWU): port of entry (POE) assistanc
A25.2: Public policies
Act LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after
Public policies issued under A25.2 (inside Canada) Guidance for special measures to support Hong Kong residents to come to Canada R01 R01
Public policy: Open work permits for applicants under the temporary resident to permanent resident pathway
Expired:
Temporary public policy: Graphic designers working on live-action television or film in Canada – September 10, 2021 to March 9, 2022
Temporary public policy to facilitate the issuance of an open work permit to former or current post-graduation work permit (PGWP) holders – June 13 to December 31, 2022
Public policies issued under A25.2 (outside Canada)

  • Guidance for special measures to support Hong Kong residents to come to Canada
 R01 R02
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:

  • Airline personnel (operational, technical and ground personnel)
  • United States government personnel
 T11 T11
CUSMA Trader T21 T34
R204(a) Canada-international exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after
CUSMA Investor T22 T35
CUSMA Professional T23 T36
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 T12 F20
Chile – Investors T22 F21
Chile – Professionals T23 F22
Chile – ICT Executive or Snr Manager T24 F23
R204(a) Canada-international exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after
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
R204(a) Canada-international exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after
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
R204(a) Canada-international exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after
CPTPP Spouse T53 T53
UK Independent professionals T43 T60
UK – ICT – Executives or Snr Managers T44 T61
UK – ICT – Management Trainees T44 T62
UK – ICT – Specialized knowledge T44 T63
UK Spouses of Intra-corporate transferees (F61, F62 or F63) T45 T64
UK Investors T46 T65
UK Contractual service suppliers T47 T66
UK Engineering Technologists and Scientific Technologists T48 T67
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
R204(c) Canada-provincial/territorial exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after
  • Nominated by a province for permanent residence
  • Significant Investment Projects
  • Exceptional or Unforeseen Events (such as natural disasters)
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:

  • Airline personnel (foreign airline security guards)
  • Interns with international organizations recognized under the Foreign Missions and International Organizations Act
  • Rail grinder operators, rail welders or other specialized track maintenance workers
  • Experts on mission, working for a United Nations office in Canada
  • Foreign physicians coming to work in Quebec
 C10 C10
R205(a) Significant benefit exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after
  • Caribbean Agricultural Liaison Officers
Self-employed business owner
Unique work situations:

  • Fishing guides (Canadian lakes)
  • Foreign camp owner or director, and outfitters
  • Foreign freelance race jockeys
 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
R205(a) Significant benefit exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after
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

  • Caregivers under the HCCPP or HSWP
  • Yukon Community Pilot (YCP)
 A75 A75
R205(a) Significant benefit exemption codes
Regulation LMIA exemption code: December 14 and before LMIA exemption code: December 15, 2022 and after
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:

  • Fishing guides (border lakes)
  • United States government personnel (family members)
 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
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:
a. Live-in-caregiver class (LCP)
b. Spouse or common-law partner in Canada class (after eligibility passed)
c. Protected persons under subsection A95(2)
d. Section A25 exemption (humanitarian and compassionate grounds)
e. 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.