• broader economic, cultural or other competitive advantages for Canada; and
• reciprocal benefits enjoyed by Canadians and permanent residents.

If you hire a temporary worker through the IMP, you will need to pay an employer compliance fee and submit an offer of employment form to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC). This must be done before the foreign national can apply for a work permit. You will submit the offer of employment through CIC’s Employer Portal.

Do you need an LMIA?

There are two ways you can find out if you need an LMIA. You can review the list of LMIA exemption codes yourself, or you can contact an International Mobility Worker Unit for help.

Review the LMIA exemption codes

1. Go to the Labour Market Impact Assessment exemption codes table, and review the list of regulations.
2. Select the LMIA exemption code that seems most relevant to your hiring situation, and read the detailed description provided.
3. Take note of the exemption code that applies to you. You will need to include this code in your offer of employment.

If you need help determining if you need an LMIA, contact the International Mobility Worker Unit for your province or territory.

Contact an International Mobility Worker Unit

International Mobility Worker Units (IMWU) help employers determine if the temporary worker they want to hire is exempt from the LMIA process or exempt from a work permit.

If you believe an LMIA or work permit exemption applies to your situation, you can request an opinion from an IMWU if the temporary worker is

• from a visa-exempt country; and
• currently outside of Canada.

If the temporary worker you want to hire is not from a visa-exempt country or is already in Canada, the processing officer reviewing their work permit application will determine if an LMIA exemption applies to their situation.

The border services officer at the point of entry will consider the opinion given by the unit when the temporary worker applies for their work permit. The opinion does not guarantee entry into Canada.

Requested information and supporting documents must be submitted to the IMWU at least 30 days before the date that the worker plans to enter Canada.

You can reach the IMWU serving your province or territory by email.

• Toronto International Mobility Worker Unit serves
  • Ontario,
  • British Columbia,
  • Alberta,
  • Saskatchewan,
  • Manitoba,
  • Yukon,
  • Northwest Territories and
  • Nunavut.

  E-mail: CIC-IMWU-UMIT-Toronto@cic.gc.ca

• Montréal International Mobility Worker Unit serves
  • Quebec,
  • Nova Scotia,
  • Prince Edward Island,
  • New Brunswick and
  • Newfoundland and Labrador.

  E-mail: CIC-UMIT-IMWU-Montreal@cic.gc.ca

The units will respond to LMIA and work permit exemption enquiries only.