Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Employer-specific work permit | Work only for the employer, occupation and location on the permit |
| Open work permit | Work for most employers |
| LMIA | Labour market impact assessment, applied for by the employer with ESDC |
| Positive LMIA | Confirms a foreign worker is needed |
| Annex A | Employment details attached to the LMIA decision letter |
| TFWP | Temporary Foreign Worker Program (with an LMIA) |
| IMP | International Mobility Program (LMIA-exempt) |
| LMIA exemption code | The administrative code of each exemption (C16, C11, C61...) |
| Employer Portal | Portal for submitting LMIA-exempt job offers |
| Compliance fee | CAD 230, paid by the employer for LMIA-exempt offers |
| Prevailing wage | The higher of the Job Bank median and what the employer pays comparable staff |
| Hourly wage threshold | The province's median hourly wage + 20%, splitting high- and low-wage LMIAs |
| Transition plan | Commitments to recruit and train Canadians, required for high-wage LMIAs |
| Maintained status | Keeping your status after applying to extend before your permit expires |
| Port of entry letter of introduction | IRCC letter for approved applications from outside Canada; not the permit itself |
| Non-compliant employers list | IRCC's public list of employers who broke the rules |
Official pages to follow
- IRCC – Work in Canada: permit types, applying, extending, changing jobs.
- IRCC – Find out if you need a work permit: the questionnaire.
- IRCC – LMIA exemption codes: the list of codes.
- ESDC – Hire a temporary foreign worker with an LMIA: LMIA streams.
- ESDC – High-wage and low-wage positions: provincial thresholds.
- ESDC – LMIA processing times: updated monthly.
- ESDC – Temporary foreign workers: your rights are protected.
- IRCC – Fee list and Check processing times.
- Job Bank – Compare wages, and ESDC's NOC 2021.
Note The full list of links for this article is in the "Official sources" section at the end of the page.
Frequently asked questions
LMIA vs. C16