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:

  • 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) assistance

A25.2: Public policies

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

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