Every work permit is two files wearing one name.

The two great families

LMIA-based permits require the employer to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment from Service Canada — proof, through advertising and wage evidence, that hiring you harms no Canadian worker. It is bureaucratic, but it remains the workhorse for trades, hospitality, agriculture and many professional roles.

LMIA-exempt permits skip that stage under the International Mobility Program: intra-company transferees moving within a corporate group; professionals under CUSMA and other trade agreements; francophone mobility for French-speaking workers outside Quebec; spouses of skilled workers and students; and post-graduation work permits for eligible graduates. Exempt does not mean informal — the employer still files an offer of employment and pays a compliance fee, and misclassifying the exemption is a leading cause of refusal.

Strategy, not just filing

• Stream selection. The difference between a six-week ICT and a five-month LMIA is often a corporate-structure question. We read the org chart before the forms.
• Duration & renewal planning. Permits are stepping stones — we plan each one against the Canadian-experience points it will earn toward permanent residence.
• Maintained status. Renewals filed before expiry preserve your right to keep working. We calendar these dates the day your permit issues.