International Mobility Program

The International Mobility Program enables employers to bring temporary workers to Canada who are exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment, or LMIA to advance Canada’s broad economic and cultural national interest. Work permits may be employer-specific or open, depending on the situation or agreement. This applies when there are shared benefits for Canadians and other advantages for Canada.

These people can include:

International students who graduated from a Canadian school
People working in Canada temporarily under free trade agreements, such as NAFTA
People taking part in International Experience Canada

The IMP includes all streams of work permit applications that are exempt from this requirement. Workers can be exempt from needing an LMIA if:

There are broader economic, cultural or other competitive advantages for Canada; and
Reciprocal benefits enjoyed by Canadians and permanent residents.

In order to employ a foreign workers through the International Mobility Program (IMP) the Canadian employers need to process certain offers of employment made by them.

Workers who are eligible for the International Mobility Program (IMP) include:

Those entering Canada as part of trade treaties, such as the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) or the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement (CETA).
Those entering Canada on an open work permit.
Those entering Canada as intra-company transferees.

Once the work permit application is approved, the foreign worker receives:

A letter of introduction if they are outside Canada, or
A new work permit if they are already in Canada, or applying at the time of entry.