The International Mobility Program lets Canadian employers hire foreign workers without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It is the single largest source of temporary work permits in the country. Under the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan, IRCC has set a target of 285,750 work-permit holders in 2026 under the IMP, while the LMIA-based Temporary Foreign Worker Program is capped at 82,000 (IRCC, 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan).
If your work permit pathway falls inside the International Mobility Program, you skip the LMIA entirely. Your Canadian employer pays a $230 employer compliance fee, submits an offer of employment through the Employer Portal, and you apply for a work permit using the offer number (IRCC, Hire through the IMP).
Check Out What Is The International Mobility Program And How To Apply:
This guide walks through every IMP work permit category in 2026, who qualifies, what employers pay, the eligibility rules that changed in February 2026, and the application steps from offer to landing.
International Mobility Program at a glance
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Run by | Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) |
| LMIA required | No |
| Employer compliance fee | CAD $230 per offer of employment |
| Employer fee waived | Yes, for open work permit holders |
| Work permit types | Open or employer-specific (closed) |
| Standard processing | 14 days for online applications under most LMIA-exempt streams |
| 2026 admissions target | 285,750 IMP work permit holders |
| Submission tool | IRCC Employer Portal |
| Worker fee | CAD $155 work permit + $85 biometrics (where applicable) |
Source: IRCC, Employer compliance fee and the 2025-2027 Immigration Levels Plan.
What is the International Mobility Program?
The International Mobility Program is the IRCC framework that authorizes work permits which are exempt from a Labour Market Impact Assessment. The program exists because Canada has decided certain hiring situations serve a broader public interest, such as a trade treaty obligation, a youth-exchange agreement, or a multinational moving a manager into a Canadian branch. In those cases, requiring the employer to first prove no Canadian could fill the role would defeat the policy purpose.
Two pieces of regulation hold the program together. Section 204 of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations covers international agreements like CUSMA and CETA. Section 205 covers the broader “Canadian interests” exemptions, which include intra-company transferees, significant benefit cases, reciprocal employment, and competitiveness exemptions for graduates and post-doctoral fellows.
The IMP is administered by IRCC. The LMIA-based Temporary Foreign Worker Program is administered by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Two different programs, two different government departments, two different pathways. If you are not sure which one your job offer falls under, ask the employer for the LMIA exemption code printed on their offer of employment confirmation. Codes that begin with T, R, A, or C indicate an IMP stream. No code means the employer is going through the LMIA route instead.
International Mobility Program vs Temporary Foreign Worker Program
The two programs solve different problems. TFWP fills genuine labour shortages where no Canadian is available. The International Mobility Program enables hiring that delivers a defined economic, social, or cultural benefit to Canada, regardless of local labour supply.
| Feature | International Mobility Program | Temporary Foreign Worker Program |
|---|---|---|
| LMIA required | No | Yes |
| Government department | IRCC | ESDC + IRCC |
| Why it exists | Trade treaties, reciprocity, Canadian interests | Genuine labour shortages |
| Government fee paid by employer | $230 compliance fee | $1,000 LMIA processing fee |
| Recruitment effort required | None | Yes, must advertise to Canadians first |
| Wage requirements | Prevailing wage on offer | Median wage by NOC and region |
| Work permit type | Open or employer-specific | Employer-specific only |
| Standard processing target | 14 days (most streams) | 10 business days for high-wage and Global Talent; longer for low-wage |
| 2026 admissions target | 285,750 | 82,000 |
The LMIA assessment that drives TFWP looks at unemployment, recruitment efforts, wages, and working conditions. The IMP skips that test because the policy reason for the work permit is already documented in legislation, in a treaty, or in an IRCC operational instruction.
For the worker, the practical difference is this. Under the International Mobility Program, you can usually file your work permit and start within weeks. Under TFWP, your employer first has to wait through the LMIA process, then you apply for the work permit, which can stretch the timeline to four or six months.
Who qualifies for the International Mobility Program in 2026
Eligibility under the International Mobility Program is category-specific. There is no single application. Every applicant qualifies through one of the LMIA exemption streams below. Each stream has its own eligibility test, its own evidence requirements, and its own exemption code.
The high-volume IMP categories in 2026 are:
- International agreements: CUSMA, CETA, CPTPP, GATS
- Intra-company transferees
- International Experience Canada (Working Holiday, Young Professionals, International Co-op)
- Francophone Mobility outside Quebec
- Post-Graduation Work Permits
- Bridging Open Work Permits for permanent residence applicants
- Spousal and dependent open work permits
- Significant benefit and competitiveness streams
- Reciprocal employment
The next sections cover each stream in detail, with the eligibility rules in plain language and the IRCC source for verification.
Free trade agreement workers (CUSMA, CETA, CPTPP)
Trade treaty work permits are one of the largest International Mobility Program categories by volume. The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, in force since July 1, 2020 as the successor to NAFTA, covers four worker categories for U.S. and Mexican citizens: Professionals, Intra-Company Transferees, Traders, and Investors.
The CUSMA Professionals stream is the most used. It has a fixed list of 63 eligible occupations including engineers, accountants, lawyers, scientists, computer systems analysts, registered nurses, university teachers, and medical and allied health professionals. To qualify you need:
- U.S. or Mexican citizenship (permanent residents of either country do not qualify)
- A pre-arranged job offer with a Canadian employer
- An occupation on the CUSMA Professionals list
- The credentials specified for that occupation, usually a baccalaureate degree or licensure
CUSMA Professional permits are issued for up to three years and can be renewed indefinitely in three-year increments. There is no labour market test. Your employer submits the offer through the Employer Portal under exemption code T23 (Government of Canada, CUSMA work permits).
CETA covers EU citizens and runs four streams: Contractual Service Suppliers, Independent Professionals, Intra-Corporate Transferees, and Short-term Business Visitors. CPTPP covers Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam, with overlapping but slightly different rules. GATS covers WTO members for service-supplier categories.
Intra-company transferees
Intra-company transferee permits let a multinational employer move existing staff into a Canadian parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate without an LMIA. The category exists in two layers: the general IRCC stream under exemption code C12, and the treaty-specific intra-company transferee provisions under CUSMA, CETA, and CPTPP.
To qualify under the International Mobility Program intra-company transferee category, the worker must:
- Be currently employed by a multinational with a qualifying relationship to a Canadian entity (parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate)
- Have worked continuously for that foreign employer in a similar full-time position for at least 12 of the last 36 months
- Be entering Canada in an executive, senior managerial, or specialized knowledge role
- Be moving to a Canadian operation that is genuine and ongoing, not a project shell
Executive and senior managerial transfers can run up to seven years total. Specialized knowledge transfers cap at five years. The qualifying period must be reset by working outside Canada before a new transfer in the same category can be approved.
In February 2026, IRCC tightened evidence requirements for intra-company transfers. Officers now expect organizational charts that map the foreign and Canadian entities, corporate filings that establish the parent-subsidiary-branch-affiliate relationship, and employment records covering the full 12-month qualifying period. Vague “letter from HR” packages are being refused at higher rates than in previous years.
International Experience Canada (IEC)
The International Experience Canada program is the youth-mobility arm of the International Mobility Program. It runs through bilateral youth-mobility arrangements with 36 partner countries and territories, plus Recognized Organizations for non-IEC nationals. The 2026 IEC season opened December 19, 2025 and the first invitation rounds began the week of January 19, 2026 (IRCC, IEC rounds of invitations).
IEC has three categories:
| IEC Category | Permit Type | Who It Is For | Typical Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working Holiday | Open work permit | Young people who want to fund travel through work | 12-24 months depending on country |
| Young Professionals | Employer-specific (closed) | Career-related work for a specific Canadian employer | Up to 24 months |
| International Co-op (Internship) | Employer-specific (closed) | Students doing a required internship for their study program abroad | Up to 12 months |
Age range is 18 to 30 or 18 to 35 depending on the country agreement. Australia and Japan participants can apply up to 35; most others cap at 30. Each country has its own annual quota. The United Kingdom Working Holiday quota for 2026 is 9,330 spots, with rolling invitation rounds drawing from a candidate pool (Moving2Canada IEC pools).
For Working Holiday participants, the employer compliance fee does not apply because the permit is open. For Young Professionals and International Co-op, the Canadian employer must submit an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and pay the $230 fee.
Francophone Mobility
The Francophone Mobility stream lets employers outside Quebec hire French-speaking workers without an LMIA. It sits inside the International Mobility Program under exemption code C16 and supports federal Francophone immigration targets, which were raised to 8.5 percent of all permanent resident admissions outside Quebec for 2026 (IRCC, Francophone Mobility work permit).
To qualify under Francophone Mobility you need:
- French-language ability at NCLC 5 or higher in speaking and listening, evidenced by a TEF Canada or TCF Canada result
- A job offer from a Canadian employer in any province or territory other than Quebec
- A job in any NOC TEER (the program was opened to all skill levels in June 2023)
- Permanent residence intent is not required, but most Francophone Mobility permit holders use the work experience to apply for PR through Express Entry French-language draws
In late 2025, IRCC consulted on raising the language threshold to NCLC 7. As of May 2026, NCLC 5 remains the operational standard (IRCC, Francophone Mobility instructions). If that changes, the new threshold will apply only to applications received after the effective date.
Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP)
The Post-Graduation Work Permit is the IMP stream that lets international graduates of designated learning institutions work in Canada after their studies. It is an open work permit. It does not require a job offer, an employer, or a $230 compliance fee. PGWP holders can work for any employer, in any role, anywhere in Canada.
PGWP eligibility was tightened in 2024 and again in 2025. The current rules:
- The study program must be at least eight months long and lead to a degree, diploma, or certificate from a designated learning institution
- You must have maintained valid study permit status throughout the program
- You must apply within 180 days of receiving your final transcript or completion confirmation
- For PGWPs based on college programs, the field of study must be on the IRCC list of eligible fields tied to long-term labour shortages
- For university degree programs (bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral), the field-of-study restriction does not apply
- A second PGWP is permitted only after a higher-level credential at a Canadian institution
PGWP length matches study program length, capped at three years. Master’s graduates from any program length get a three-year permit. Distance learning above 50 percent of the program disqualifies the graduate. The PGWP cannot be extended.
Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP)
The Bridging Open Work Permit covers temporary residents who already have a positive eligibility decision on a permanent residence application but whose current work permit is about to expire. It is an open work permit issued under exemption code A75 inside the International Mobility Program.
You qualify for a BOWP in 2026 if:
- You are inside Canada
- You hold a valid work permit (or are within the 90-day restoration window)
- You have an acknowledgement of receipt or eligibility approval for a complete permanent residence application under Express Entry, the Provincial Nominee Program, the Quebec Skilled Worker Program, the Atlantic Immigration Program, the Caregiver Pilot, or the Agri-Food Pilot
- You apply before your existing work permit expires
The BOWP is issued for 24 months or until a final decision is made on the PR application, whichever comes first. It is one of the most useful International Mobility Program tools for Express Entry candidates whose work permit is timing out before IRCC finalizes their PR landing.
Spousal and dependent open work permits
The spousal open work permit (SOWP) and the open work permit for dependents are LMIA-exempt under International Mobility Program code C41 and C42. They give the spouse, common-law partner, and accompanying dependent children of certain principal applicants the right to work for any Canadian employer.
Eligible principal applicants in 2026:
- Skilled workers holding a TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 work permit (and select TEER 4 and 5 occupations in priority sectors as of January 2025 amendments)
- Workers in the Atlantic Immigration Program, Provincial Nominee Program, and select pilot programs
- International students at a Canadian university or polytechnic in a master’s, doctoral, professional degree (medicine, law, dentistry, optometry, pharmacy, veterinary medicine, education), or select graduate-level program
The 2024 narrowing of SOWP eligibility removed spouses of most undergraduate students and spouses of low-skill TFWP workers. The full eligibility list lives on the IRCC site and is updated when new policy comes into force (IRCC, Open work permits for spouses).
Significant benefit and competitiveness streams
The “significant benefit” exemption under section 205(a) of the regulations covers cases where a worker’s presence delivers a clear economic, social, or cultural benefit to Canada that cannot be quantified through a labour market test. Operational programs running under this umbrella in 2026 include:
- Global Talent Stream (which is technically LMIA-based but pairs with a 14-day work permit category under the IMP)
- Mobilité Francophone (companion category to Francophone Mobility for promotional event recruits)
- Performing artists, athletes, news media, and religious workers under specific operational instructions
- Post-doctoral fellows and research-award recipients at Canadian universities
- Self-employed entrepreneurs under section 205(a) for certain founder cases
- Owner-operator and start-up visa-linked work permits
The competitiveness streams under section 205(c) cover students with off-campus rights tied to study permits, post-graduation employment in research and academic settings, and specific economic-benefit cases that IRCC has documented in operational manuals.
How to apply for an International Mobility Program work permit
The International Mobility Program application is a two-side process. The employer goes first. The worker goes second. Both sides have strict requirements, and a missing step on either side will get the application refused.
Employer side: submit the offer of employment
If the worker needs an employer-specific (closed) IMP work permit, the employer must:
- Create or sign in to an Employer Portal account on the IRCC website.
- Submit an offer of employment that includes business information, the worker’s biographical details, the NOC code and TEER, the destination province and city, the job duties, the wage, the benefits, the hours, the duration, and the LMIA exemption code that applies.
- Pay the $230 employer compliance fee.
- Receive an offer of employment number that begins with the letter A.
- Send the offer number and a confirmation copy to the worker.
If the worker is eligible for an open work permit (Working Holiday, BOWP, SOWP, PGWP, certain CETA/CUSMA spousal cases), the employer side disappears entirely. No offer of employment, no $230 fee, no Employer Portal step.
Worker side: submit the work permit application
Once the worker has the offer number (or qualifies for an open permit), they apply for the actual work permit through the IRCC online portal. The worker pays:
- CAD $155 for the work permit
- CAD $100 for an open work permit holder fee, where the permit is open
- CAD $85 for biometrics, where biometrics are required (most countries)
The application package usually includes a passport, proof of credentials and experience for the LMIA-exempt category, the offer of employment number, a digital photo, and any country-specific documents (police certificates, medical exam results, proof of funds).
Standard online processing target for International Mobility Program work permits is 14 days when the application is complete and biometrics are submitted promptly. Paper applications and applications from outside the country can take eight to sixteen weeks depending on the visa office.
What changed in February 2026
In February 2026, IRCC issued new guidance on GCMS data-entry consistency. Three fields on the offer of employment must now match the work permit application exactly: destination province, NOC code, and city of work. Mismatches are being returned as incomplete, which resets the processing clock (CIC News, IRCC LMIA-exempt updates February 2026).
The same February 2026 update tightened evidence requirements under reciprocal employment exemptions (code C20), which covers exchange agreements like academic exchanges and certain corporate exchange schemes. Employers using C20 must now document the reciprocal flow with named Canadian counterparts going to the foreign jurisdiction, not just a general agreement.
Employer compliance fee: who pays, who is exempt
The employer compliance fee under the International Mobility Program is CAD $230 per offer of employment. It is paid by the employer at the time the offer is submitted in the Employer Portal. It is non-refundable, even if the worker withdraws or the work permit is refused.
The fee applies to most employer-specific IMP work permits. It does not apply to:
- Open work permits of any type (Working Holiday, BOWP, SOWP, PGWP)
- Workers being hired by a foreign employer for delivery in Canada (where the Canadian entity is not the employer of record)
- Diplomatic, consular, and select international organization staff
- Specific charitable and religious workers under operational exemptions
- Certain academic exchange categories
Where the worker holds an open work permit and is being hired into a new role, no offer of employment submission and no $230 fee are required. The worker can simply start the job (IRCC, Employer compliance exemptions).
Once the offer is submitted and the fee is paid, the employer takes on compliance obligations for the duration of the work permit. IRCC and ESDC inspectors can audit the employer at any point, and findings of non-compliance can lead to administrative monetary penalties of up to CAD $1 million per year and bans of up to 10 years.
How long does it take to get an International Mobility Program work permit?
Two timelines apply: how long the employer takes to file the offer, and how long IRCC takes to process the work permit.
The employer side is fast when documentation is ready. A complete offer of employment can be filed and paid in the Employer Portal in under an hour. The offer number is issued within minutes of payment.
The IRCC processing time depends on where you apply and whether the permit is being issued at a port of entry, online, or through a visa office abroad.
| Application path | Standard processing target |
|---|---|
| Online from inside Canada | 14 days |
| Online from outside Canada (visa-required country) | 1 to 16 weeks depending on visa office |
| Online from outside Canada (visa-exempt country) | 14 to 30 days |
| Port of entry (eligible nationals only) | Same day |
| CUSMA Professionals at port of entry | Same day, eligible at all land and air entry points |
| Bridging Open Work Permit | 5 to 7 months |
Source: IRCC processing times tool, May 2026 update.
The 14-day standard for International Mobility Program work permits is one of the fastest non-electronic permit timelines IRCC publishes. The catch is that the 14 days starts only when the application is complete and biometrics are received. Missing documents reset the clock.
Common reasons IMP applications are refused
Refusals usually come from one of five issues:
- Mismatched data between the offer and the work permit application. This is the top refusal reason since the February 2026 GCMS update. Province, NOC, and city must be identical.
- Incomplete intra-company transferee evidence. Officers want a documented qualifying relationship between the foreign and Canadian entities, plus the full 12-month employment record.
- Wrong LMIA exemption code on the offer. If the employer enters a code that does not match the worker’s actual eligibility, the application is refused. CUSMA professionals get T23, intra-company transfers get C12 (or T-codes for treaty cases), Francophone Mobility gets C16, etc.
- Insufficient evidence of significant benefit. Section 205(a) refusals usually point to weak documentation of the cultural, social, or economic benefit. A persuasive narrative supported by letters, contracts, and impact data is required.
- Inadmissibility issues. Criminal records, prior immigration violations, and medical inadmissibility (estimated cost of more than CAD $128,445 over five years for medical care, the 2025-2030 threshold) can refuse a worker who otherwise qualifies under the International Mobility Program.
For most refusals, a fresh application with corrected documentation is faster than a Federal Court judicial review. Refusal letters from IRCC list the specific subsection that triggered the refusal, which tells the applicant exactly what to fix.
Frequently asked questions about the International Mobility Program
Is the International Mobility Program the same as a work permit?
No. The International Mobility Program is the IRCC framework that authorizes a category of work permits, the LMIA-exempt ones. The work permit itself is the document you carry. Every IMP applicant ends up holding either an open work permit or an employer-specific work permit, depending on their stream.
Can I apply for permanent residence while on an IMP work permit?
Yes. International Mobility Program work permits are temporary, but the work experience built under them counts for permanent residence. Canadian work experience in TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 makes a worker eligible for the Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry. PNP nominations are open to IMP work permit holders. Provincial pathways like the Atlantic Immigration Program also accept IMP work history.
Do I need a Canadian job offer for the International Mobility Program?
For most categories, yes. CUSMA Professionals, intra-company transferees, Francophone Mobility, IEC Young Professionals, IEC International Co-op, and significant benefit cases all require a job offer. The IEC Working Holiday, the PGWP, the BOWP, and the SOWP do not require a job offer because they issue open work permits.
Does the $230 compliance fee apply to me as the worker?
No. The $230 employer compliance fee is paid by the employer, not the worker. The worker pays the standard work permit fee of $155, plus $100 for the open work permit holder fee where the permit is open, plus $85 for biometrics where required.
How is the International Mobility Program different from the Global Talent Stream?
The Global Talent Stream sits inside the LMIA-based Temporary Foreign Worker Program but pairs with a 14-day priority work permit issued under International Mobility Program rules. So a Global Talent hire goes through the LMIA route on the employer side and the IMP-style fast-track on the worker side. The two-week processing target is the same as IMP standard.
Can I switch employers while on an International Mobility Program work permit?
It depends on the permit type. Open work permit holders can change employers freely. Employer-specific work permit holders need to either apply for a new work permit tied to the new employer (and the new employer needs to file a new offer of employment with a $230 fee), or use the public-policy provision that lets workers facing employer abuse change jobs through a vulnerable-worker open work permit.
Are there any IMP categories that allow my spouse to work?
Yes. Spouses and common-law partners of TEER 0, 1, 2, and 3 IMP work permit holders generally qualify for an open work permit under code C41. Spouses of master’s, doctoral, and professional degree students at Canadian universities also qualify. The 2024 narrowing of spousal eligibility removed spouses of most undergraduate students and spouses of low-skill workers, but the broader IMP-aligned spousal stream remains active.
Can International Experience Canada participants change to a regular IMP permit later?
Yes. An IEC Working Holiday participant who finds a Canadian employer willing to file an offer of employment and pay the $230 fee can transition to a Young Professionals permit, an intra-company transfer (if eligible), a Francophone Mobility permit, or an LMIA-based TFWP permit. Many IEC participants use the Working Holiday year as a stepping stone to a longer LMIA-exempt permit and then permanent residence.
What to do next
Pick the International Mobility Program category that matches your situation. If you are a U.S. or Mexican citizen with a job offer in a CUSMA-listed occupation, your path is the CUSMA Professionals work permit. If you are between 18 and 35 from one of the 36 IEC partner countries, check the IEC pools for your country before they close. If you are a Canadian-degree graduate, file the PGWP within 180 days of getting your transcripts. If you are an Express Entry candidate whose current work permit is timing out, file a Bridging Open Work Permit before that expiry date.
The International Mobility Program rewards applicants who match the right category to their situation, document the eligibility cleanly, and file before timelines run out. Get the LMIA exemption code right on the offer of employment, get the GCMS-mandated province, NOC, and city identical between the offer and the work permit application, and the standard 14-day processing is realistic.
For a personalized review of which International Mobility Program stream fits your case, book an immigration consultation with OnTheMoveCanada or read the related guides on Express Entry draws, the Provincial Nominee Program, and the Post-Graduation Work Permit.