LMIA exemption codes: how they work and which one fits

An LMIA exemption code is the short reference, such as C10, C16 or C43, that tells an immigration officer which rule allows a job to skip the Labour Market Impact Assessment. Employers type it into the IRCC Employer Portal when they submit an offer of employment, and workers rely on the same category when they apply for their permit. Pick the wrong one and the file no longer tells a consistent story. This guide explains how the codes work, which ones come up most often for employers in Quebec and the rest of Canada, and the mistakes we see, based on IRCC’s exemption code page (last modified September 23, 2026) consulted on October 25, 2026.

Key takeaways

• Every LMIA-exempt work permit in the International Mobility Program (IMP) rests on a specific exemption category, and each category has an administrative code.
• The code identifies the legal basis for the exemption; it does not guarantee the permit. IRCC reminds its officers that the applicant must still meet every requirement for a work permit.
• Many codes changed on December 15, 2022. IRCC’s list still shows the old and the new code side by side, so a code copied from an older guide may be out of date.
• Some codes lead to employer-specific permits (the employer submits an offer and pays a compliance fee); others lead to open work permits with no employer involvement.
• Francophone Mobility (C16) only covers jobs outside Quebec.
• In Quebec, a worker hired through the IMP does not need a CAQ, according to IRCC; the CAQ for work goes with LMIA-based hiring.

Where the codes come from

The Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations allow officers to issue a work permit without an LMIA in several situations, set out in sections 204 to 208: international agreements, Canadian interests, people with no other means of support, permanent residence applicants in Canada, vulnerable workers and humanitarian reasons. Section 25.2 of the Act adds public policies decided by the Minister.

Those categories are broad. To apply them consistently, IRCC has defined narrower situations under each one and given every situation its own code. That is why you will see “R205(a) significant benefit” and, under it, a code: C10. The code is the label an officer uses; the regulation is the legal authority behind it.

IRCC publishes the full list in its operational instructions, a section written for its own staff and posted “as a courtesy” to the public. It is the reference to check, not a summary on a forum or a code remembered from a previous hire.

The codes employers and workers meet most often

The table below lists a selection of current codes from IRCC’s page. It is meant to show how the system is organized, not to choose a code for you: each category has detailed criteria in IRCC’s program instructions.

Code	Category (IRCC wording, shortened)	Employer offer needed?
T36	CUSMA professionals	Yes
T43, T44, T46–T48	CETA (Canada–EU) categories: independent professionals, intra-company transferees, investors, contract service suppliers, technologists	Yes
C10	Significant benefit, general	Yes
C61, C62, C63	Intra-company transferees: new office, executives and managers, specialized knowledge	Yes
C16	Francophone Mobility (jobs outside Quebec)	Yes
C21	International Experience Canada	Depends on the stream
C41, C42	Spouses or common-law partners of high-skilled workers (TEER 0 to 3) or of full-time students	No, open permit
C43	Post-graduation work permit	No, open permit
A70	Permanent residence applicants in Canada, such as the spouse or common-law partner in Canada class after the eligibility assessment	No, open permit
A75	Bridging open work permits	No, open permit
A73, A76	Certain Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) holders living in Quebec (A73) or currently outside Quebec (A76)	No, open permit

Two patterns stand out. First, the trade-agreement codes are tied to nationality: a CUSMA code is for citizens of the United States or Mexico, a CETA code for EU citizens, and so on. Second, family and permanent-residence codes usually lead to open permits, which is why no employer offer is involved.

Employer-specific or open: why the code changes the paperwork

For an employer-specific LMIA-exempt permit, the employer’s part comes first. The employer submits the offer of employment in the IRCC Employer Portal, enters the exemption code, describes the job, the wage and the location, and pays the employer compliance fee. That fee was $230 when we last checked IRCC’s fee list (October 13, 2026). The portal then generates an offer number that the worker quotes in their permit application.

For an open work permit, none of that happens. A PGWP holder (C43), a spouse of a skilled worker (C41) or a bridging open work permit applicant (A75) applies alone, and the evidence is about their own situation: their studies, their spouse’s job, their pending permanent residence application.

This is why the code matters even before the application is filed. It decides who does what, who pays what, and what evidence the officer will expect to see.

Quebec: what changes, and what does not

Quebec has its own role in temporary work, but mostly through the LMIA route. When a job in Quebec requires an LMIA, the employer files with both Service Canada and the Quebec immigration ministry, and the worker needs a Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) before the federal permit. When the job is LMIA-exempt under the IMP, IRCC states that the worker does not need a CAQ.

That makes the exemption question especially important for Quebec employers. An intra-company transfer to a Montreal office, a significant-benefit hire or a CUSMA professional can follow a much shorter path than an LMIA, provided the job and the worker truly fit the category.

Two traps are specific to Quebec. The first is Francophone Mobility: it is often the first exemption people think of when the worker speaks French, but C16 is reserved for jobs outside Quebec. A French-speaking candidate hired in Laval needs another basis. The second is the CSQ codes: IRCC lists separate open-permit categories for certain CSQ holders who live in Quebec (A73) and for those currently outside Quebec (A76), plus a code for Quebec investors who received a notice of intent (T10). Each has conditions to read before relying on it.

For a broader view of the choice, see our guide LMIA or LMIA-exempt: how to tell and our page on LMIA in Quebec.

Old codes, new codes

On December 15, 2022, IRCC changed several codes and added new ones, and it told officers to make sure they use the right coding for each work permit category. Its list now has two columns: the code used until December 14, 2022, and the code used since December 15, 2022.

Some examples show why this matters. Intra-company transferees all used to share C12; today they are split into C61 (employees opening a new office), C62 (executives and managers) and C63 (specialized knowledge). CUSMA professionals moved from T23 to T36. Several free trade agreements that used the generic T21 to T24 codes now have their own F-series codes. A template letter or an internal checklist written before 2023 can therefore point to a code that no longer matches the category.

A practical way to narrow down the right category

1. Describe the job precisely. Duties, occupation, wage, location and duration. The place where the work is actually performed matters, especially for C16.
2. Describe the worker. Citizenship, current status in Canada, education, work history, family situation and any pending permanent residence application.
3. Look for the matching family. Trade agreement, intra-company transfer, significant benefit, family member, post-graduation, permanent residence pathway.
4. Read the program instructions for that category. The code list only names the category; the criteria are in IRCC’s separate instructions for each one.
5. Check the evidence. If the category requires a degree, a period of employment with a related company or a spouse in a TEER 0 to 3 job, the documents must show it.
6. Align the offer and the application. The code, job title, duties and location in the Employer Portal should match what the worker submits.

If more than one category seems to fit, compare the type of permit each one leads to, its length, the employer’s obligations, and how each fits the worker’s longer-term plans, such as permanent residence.

Mistakes that weaken an LMIA-exempt file

• Reusing a code from another employee. Two workers in the same company can fall under different categories because of their citizenship, their role or their history with the company.
• Relying on an old code. As noted above, codes changed in December 2022.
• Confusing an LMIA exemption with a work permit exemption. Some activities need no work permit at all; an LMIA exemption still requires one.
• Mismatched information. A job description in the portal that differs from the worker’s application invites questions.
• Assuming French is enough in Quebec. C16 does not apply to jobs in Quebec.
• Forgetting the employer’s obligations. An employer-specific LMIA-exempt hire still comes with an offer, a fee and conditions the employer must respect.

Visa Canada Rouge helps employers hiring foreign workers and workers looking at their work permit options. For Francophone Mobility outside Quebec, see our Francophone Mobility page. You can also book a consultation or describe your situation through our assessment form.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the official list of LMIA exemption codes?

On IRCC’s page “Labour market impact assessment (LMIA) exemption codes – International Mobility Program (IMP)”, in the operational instructions for temporary residents. It groups the codes by section of the Regulations and shows the old and new code for each category.

Does an LMIA exemption code mean the permit will be approved?

No. IRCC states that meeting the criteria of an exemption only means the applicant does not need an LMIA for the application to be processed. The officer must still be satisfied that every requirement for a work permit is met.

Does the employer pay a fee for an LMIA-exempt hire?

For employer-specific permits under the IMP, the employer submits an offer in the Employer Portal and pays the employer compliance fee, $230 when we last checked IRCC’s fee list. Open work permits involve no employer fee.

Does a worker in Quebec need a CAQ if the job is LMIA-exempt?

According to IRCC, a worker hired through the International Mobility Program does not need a CAQ. The CAQ for work applies to LMIA-based hiring in Quebec.

Is the post-graduation work permit an LMIA exemption?

Yes. It appears in IRCC’s list under code C43. It is an open permit, so no employer offer is submitted.

Can a French-speaking worker use Francophone Mobility for a job in Montreal?

No. Francophone Mobility (C16) covers jobs in provinces and territories other than Quebec. A job in Quebec needs another basis, or an LMIA.

Conclusion

An LMIA exemption code is a small field with large consequences. It names the rule the whole file relies on, decides whether the employer must submit an offer and pay a fee, and tells the officer what evidence to expect. Check the current code on IRCC’s list, read the criteria for the category, and make sure the employer’s offer and the worker’s application tell the same story.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 25, 2026:

• IRCC — LMIA exemption codes, International Mobility Program
• IRCC — Fee list