Canada — Work Authorization & Visas

## Work permit requirement — IRPA framework and foreign national defined

Canada's work authorization regime is governed by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA), S.C. 2001, c. 27, and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), SOR/2002-227. Under IRPA section 30(1.1), an immigration officer may authorize a foreign national to work in Canada if the foreign national meets the conditions set out in the Regulations. Section 200(1) of the IRPR establishes the baseline rule: an officer shall issue a work permit to a foreign national if, following an examination, it is established that the foreign national applied in accordance with the prescribed procedures, will leave Canada by the end of the authorized period, and meets the applicable conditions.

Who is a "foreign national"? IRPA section 2 defines "foreign national" as a person who is not a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident, and includes a stateless person. The definition is exhaustive: if you are not a citizen or a landed immigrant (permanent resident), you are a foreign national for the purposes of the Act and—absent an exemption—require authorization to work.

Work permit vs. work-without-a-permit exemptions. Not all foreign nationals working in Canada hold a work permit. IRPR sections 186–189 enumerate categories of foreign nationals who may work without a permit. The most frequently encountered exemption is the business visitor (section 187): a foreign national who seeks to engage in international business activities in Canada without directly entering the Canadian labour market. Examples include purchasing Canadian goods or services for a foreign employer, receiving training within a Canadian parent or subsidiary of the foreign national's employer (where production is incidental), and attending meetings or conferences. The business-visitor exemption requires that the foreign national's principal place of business and source of remuneration remain outside Canada; merely conducting a single meeting on Canadian soil does not trigger the permit requirement, but performing services for a Canadian entity—or being paid by a Canadian entity—typically does.

Other common work-without-permit categories include on-campus employment for full-time students at designated learning institutions (section 186(v)), certain diplomats and their staff (section 186(d)), members of foreign armed forces of designated states under the Visiting Forces Act (section 186(b)), and emergency-service providers (section 186(t)). Section 186(u) also permits a foreign national who has applied to renew an expired work permit to continue working under the same conditions (other than the expiry date) until a decision is made, provided the individual remained in Canada and continued to comply with all other conditions.

Application framework. Most work permit applications must be made before entry. However, IRPR section 198(1) allows a foreign national who is visa-exempt to apply for a work permit when entering Canada, subject to enumerated exceptions (for example, if an Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) has been provided for a non-seasonal-agricultural-work offer, the foreign national must apply before entry unless the applicant is a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident of the United States, or a resident of Greenland or St. Pierre and Miquelon). IRPR section 207 permits certain classes of foreign nationals already in Canada to apply from within Canada: spouses or common-law partners in the spouse-or-common-law-partner-in-Canada class, protected persons, and those granted a ministerial exemption on humanitarian and compassionate grounds.

Refusal and revocation on public-policy grounds. IRPA section 30(1.2) directs an officer to refuse to authorize a foreign national to work in Canada if, in the officer's opinion, public policy considerations specified in ministerial instructions justify such a refusal. The Minister's instructions under subsection (1.4) must prescribe public policy considerations that aim to protect foreign nationals at risk of humiliating or degrading treatment, including sexual exploitation. Accordingly, IRPR section 200(3)(g.1) mandates refusal if the foreign national intends to work for an employer who, on a regular basis, offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services, or erotic massages. An officer may also revoke an existing work permit under section 30(1.41) if public-policy considerations specified in ministerial instructions justify revocation; the Department of Employment and Social Development may revoke its assessment under the same framework (section 30(1.43)).

Employer compliance and ineligibility. The Regulations impose reciprocal obligations on employers. IRPR section 209.2 requires employers to remain actively engaged in the business, to comply with federal and provincial employment and recruitment laws, to provide employment in the same occupation and at wages and working conditions substantially the same as (but not less favorable than) those set out in the offer of employment, and to retain records for six years. Section 203(3) bars an officer from issuing a work permit if the prospective employer is on the list of ineligible employers maintained under section 209.99. An employer may be declared ineligible for up to two years (for a first or second finding of non-compliance) or permanently (for the most serious violations), and the employer's name and address are published on the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) website unless the sanction is a warning. Employers found non-compliant are subject to administrative monetary penalties under the Regulations' graduated schedule (IRPR Schedule 2, Table 1); penalties scale by violation severity and employer size (small business vs. other).

Interplay with provincial and territorial law. Section 203(1)(f) of the IRPR prohibits issuance of a work permit if doing so would be inconsistent with the terms of a federal–provincial or federal–territorial agreement that applies to the employment of foreign nationals. Quebec, for example, operates its own selection and assessment framework under the Canada–Québec Accord; employers in Quebec must also obtain a Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ) for most foreign workers. Other provinces and territories have limited province-specific rules, but all must comply with the overarching IRPA and IRPR framework.

Cross-reference. For the two principal pathways to obtaining a work permit—Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) and the International Mobility Program (IMP)—see the dedicated sections below. For specific visa and permit categories (Skilled Worker, Intra-Company Transfer, Post-Graduation Work Permit, International Experience Canada, CUSMA / USMCA professionals), consult the topic-specific sections of this guide.

Source: Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, S.C. 2001, c. 27 Source: Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227

## Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) — framework, genuineness factors, and neutral-or-positive labour-market test

The Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is the principal mechanism through which most Canadian employers obtain authorization to hire a foreign national under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). An LMIA is an assessment provided by the Department of Employment and Social Development (ESDC) — operationally delivered by Service Canada — that evaluates whether hiring a specific foreign worker will have a neutral or positive effect on the Canadian labour market and whether the job offer itself is genuine. A positive LMIA is a prerequisite for most employer-specific work permits; a negative LMIA bars the issuance of the permit.

Statutory framework

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) section 203(1) establishes the core requirement. When a foreign national applies for a work permit and does not fall within one of the LMIA-exempt categories (sections 204, 205, or certain applicants described in section 207), an Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officer must determine, on the basis of an assessment provided by ESDC, whether:

(a) the job offer is genuine under subsection 200(5); (b) the employment of the foreign national is likely to have a neutral or positive effect on the labour market in Canada; (c) issuance of the work permit would not be inconsistent with the terms of any federal-provincial agreement that applies to the employment of foreign nationals (for example, the Canada–Québec Accord); and (d) other specialized conditions are satisfied (for live-in caregivers, posted workers in certain provinces, and language-assessment requirements).

The assessment under section 203 is provided by ESDC upon request of an officer or an employer (section 203(2)). The request may be made by a single employer or a group of employers; however, ESDC will refuse to assess an employer that regularly offers striptease, erotic dance, escort services, or erotic massages, or an employer who is on the ineligible-employer list maintained under section 209.99, or who is in default of an administrative monetary penalty (section 203(2) and IRPR section 200(3)(h)).

Processing of an LMIA request may be suspended under section 203(2.02) if ESDC has reason to suspect that the employer is not complying with wage, working-condition, or accommodation obligations and the non-compliance would put at serious risk the health or safety of the foreign national if the work permit were issued.

The four genuineness factors — IRPR section 200(5)

Before ESDC will issue a positive LMIA, it must determine that the offer of employment is genuine. Section 200(5) prescribes four mandatory factors; all four must be satisfied:

(a) Actively engaged in the business. The employer must be actively engaged in the business in respect of which the offer is made (except for live-in caregiver offers). "Actively engaged" means the employer operates a bona fide business providing a good or service, and the good or service being provided must have a link to the offer of employment. First-time LMIA applicants, and employers who have not received a positive LMIA in the preceding two years, must provide documentary proof of a legitimate operating business providing a good or service related to the position (for example, a current business licence, recent tax filings, customer contracts, or lease agreements for business premises). ESDC may request these documents from any employer, at its discretion.

(b) Reasonable employment needs. The offer must be consistent with the reasonable employment needs of the employer. ESDC assesses whether the employer actually requires the worker in the role and number of positions described. For example, if an employer claims to need 200 drivers but supporting documentation shows only 60 trucks, the reasonable-need factor is not met. Contract evidence and production forecasts may be scrutinized to confirm that the employer's business can support the offered position for the full duration of the work permit.

(c) Reasonable ability to fulfil. The employer must demonstrate a reasonable ability to fulfil the terms of the job offer. This means the employer must show that all the terms of the job offer — wages, benefits, working conditions, hours of work, occupation — are likely to be met for the entirety of the period of employment, and that the employer has adequate financial and operational resources to support the employment of the foreign worker. ESDC may review bank statements, payroll records, customer contracts, or lease agreements to verify the employer's financial capacity.

(d) Past compliance. ESDC must consider the past compliance of the employer, or any person who recruits the foreign national for the employer, with federal or provincial laws that regulate the employment or recruitment of employees (including foreign nationals) in the province in which it is intended the foreign national will work. An employer with findings of non-compliance in the preceding six years — for example, wage arrears, health-and-safety violations, breach of TFWP conditions, or violation of provincial employment-standards legislation — may be denied an LMIA on this factor.

All four factors must be satisfied for the offer to be considered genuine. If any one is not met, ESDC will issue a negative LMIA and the work permit application will be refused.

Neutral-or-positive labour-market effect — section 203(3)

In addition to genuineness, ESDC must assess whether hiring the foreign national will have a neutral or positive effect on the labour market in Canada (section 203(1)(b)). Section 203(3) lists the factors ESDC considers in this assessment:

• whether the employment will or is likely to result in direct job creation or job retention for Canadian citizens or permanent residents;
• whether the employment will result in the development or transfer of skills and knowledge for the benefit of Canadian citizens or permanent residents;
• whether the employment is likely to fill a labour shortage;
• whether the working conditions offered to the foreign national meet generally accepted Canadian standards (including compliance with federal and provincial wage, hour, and occupational-health-and-safety requirements);
• whether wages offered are consistent with the prevailing wage for the occupation in the region of employment;
• whether the employer has made efforts to hire or train Canadians (recruitment advertising, participation in apprenticeship programs, or transition plans for high-wage positions); and
• whether the hiring of the foreign worker will adversely affect the settlement of any labour dispute or the employment of any person involved in such a dispute.

ESDC's assessment is based on information provided by the employer and any other relevant information (section 203(2.1)). Employers applying under the TFWP must typically demonstrate recruitment efforts — for example, advertising the position on the Government of Canada Job Bank and in other appropriate venues for a minimum duration (usually four weeks for most positions) — to show that no qualified Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to fill the role. These recruitment requirements do not apply to certain LMIA-exempt streams or to employers in Quebec applying under facilitated LMIA occupations.

Employer obligations and compliance framework

Once an LMIA is issued, the employer must comply with the conditions set out in the LMIA decision letter, its annexes, and the IRPR (section 209.2). These conditions include:

• making reasonable efforts to provide a workplace free of abuse;
• providing employment in the same occupation and location, and at wages and working conditions that are substantially the same as — and not less favorable than — those set out in the offer of employment;
• retaining all relevant records for six years from the first day of the period of employment for which the work permit was issued; and
• immediately informing ESDC (via the Employer Contact Centre, 1-800-367-5693) of any changes to the LMIA, changes in the temporary foreign worker's working conditions, or any compliance issues.

ESDC may inspect employers for compliance (section 209.9). Employers found non-compliant may face administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) under the graduated schedule in IRPR Schedule 2, and may be declared ineligible to employ foreign nationals for up to two years (for a first or second finding) or permanently (for the most serious violations) under section 209.99. The names and addresses of ineligible employers are published on the IRCC website unless the sanction is a warning.

LMIA is not a work permit

A positive LMIA alone does not authorize a foreign national to work in Canada. The LMIA is an employer-side document. Once the employer obtains a positive LMIA, the foreign national must apply for a work permit from IRCC (or the Canada Border Services Agency, if applying at a port of entry). The IRCC officer will review the LMIA, the foreign national's qualifications, admissibility, and compliance with temporary-residence requirements before issuing the work permit. The work permit — not the LMIA — is the authorization to work.

The LMIA is typically valid for a specific period. If the employer wishes to renew the foreign national's employment beyond that period, a new LMIA is generally required (though certain applicants may benefit from exemptions or facilitated renewals under the Regulations).

LMIA-exempt work permits

Not all work permits require an LMIA. Sections 204 and 205 of the IRPR enumerate categories of work that may be authorized without an LMIA, administered under the International Mobility Program (IMP). Common LMIA-exempt streams include intra-company transferees, workers covered by international agreements such as the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement (CUSMA / USMCA), post-graduation work permits, spouses or common-law partners of skilled workers or students, and positions that would create or maintain significant social, cultural, or economic benefits for Canada (the "significant benefit" exemption under section 205(a)). Employers hiring LMIA-exempt workers must still submit an offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal, pay the employer compliance fee (currently CAD $230, set by section 303.1 of the IRPR), and provide the foreign national with an offer of employment number before the foreign national can apply for the work permit. The genuineness factors under section 200(5) still apply to LMIA-exempt offers; however, there is no neutral-or-positive labour-market-impact test and no recruitment-advertising requirement.

For a comprehensive list of LMIA exemptions and the International Mobility Program framework, see the dedicated section on LMIA-exempt work permits in this guide.

Source: Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227, sections 200, 203, 209.2, 209.9, 209.99 Source: Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, S.C. 2001, c. 27

## International Mobility Program (IMP) — LMIA-exempt work permits, employer compliance fee, and sections 204–205 exemption categories

The International Mobility Program (IMP) is Canada's framework for issuing work permits to foreign nationals without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Unlike the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), which requires employers to obtain a positive LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) proving that hiring the foreign worker will have a neutral or positive effect on the Canadian labour market, the IMP permits work authorization when Canada derives broader economic, social, cultural, or competitive advantages—or when an international treaty or agreement obligates Canada to facilitate entry. The IMP is the pathway used by multinationals for intra-company transfers, by employers hiring under CUSMA / USMCA (the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement), by provincial-nominee employers, by post-graduation work-permit holders, and by a wide range of specialized workers whose employment serves Canadian interests.

Statutory foundation — IRPR sections 204 and 205

Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR) sections 204 and 205 enumerate the two principal categories of LMIA-exempt work. Each exemption is identified by a two-character code (for example, C10 for intra-company transferees, C16 for Francophone mobility, T13 for CUSMA professionals); the employer selects the applicable code when submitting the offer of employment through the Employer Portal, and the foreign national references it in the work permit application.

Section 204 authorizes work permits for foreign nationals performing work under:

(a) an agreement or arrangement between Canada and the government of a foreign state or an international organization (other than seasonal agricultural workers covered by separate provisions); (b) a federal-provincial or federal-territorial agreement that applies to foreign nationals intending to work in the province or territory; (c) a significant investment (immigrant investor programs, start-up visas, or entrepreneur streams where applicants are awaiting permanent residence); or (d) a bilateral or multilateral accord that provides for temporary entry of business people, professionals, or workers (including youth mobility programs and the working-holiday component of International Experience Canada).

The most frequently invoked international agreements under section 204(a) include CUSMA / USMCA (Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement, which replaced NAFTA on July 1, 2020), CETA (Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement with the European Union, in force provisionally since September 21, 2017), and GATS (General Agreement on Trade in Services). Section 204(d) also covers youth mobility agreements, the legal basis for reciprocal working-holiday programs with dozens of partner countries (Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Germany, Japan, South Korea, and others). These agreements typically allow young adults (aged 18–30 or 18–35, depending on the bilateral accord) to work in Canada for one to two years under an open work permit that does not require an employer-specific job offer.

Section 205 authorizes work permits for foreign nationals who intend to perform work that:

(a) would create or maintain significant social, cultural, or economic benefits or opportunities for Canadian citizens or permanent residents. This is the "significant benefit" exemption (code C10 or C11 depending on the stream), a discretionary category that permits officers to issue work permits on a case-by-case basis when the foreign national's unique qualifications, expertise, or experience will generate benefits extending beyond the individual employer to the broader community, region, or country.

(b) would create or maintain reciprocal employment of Canadian citizens or permanent residents in other countries. This exemption supports cultural-exchange programs, diplomatic-reciprocity arrangements, and bilateral employment-mobility schemes.

(c) is designated by the Minister as work that can be performed by a foreign national on prescribed criteria. This provision covers co-op work permits and internships that form an essential part of a post-secondary academic, vocational, or professional training program offered by a designated learning institution (section 205(c)(i.1)), as well as certain secondary-level vocational programs in Quebec (section 205(c)(i.2)). The foreign national must be enrolled full-time in the program, and the work must be required to complete the degree or credential. Section 205(c)(ii) authorizes post-graduation work permits (PGWPs): a foreign national who has completed a program of study at a designated learning institution in Canada of at least eight months' duration may apply for an open work permit valid for up to three years (the duration matches the length of the study program, subject to a three-year ceiling). PGWPs do not require an employer-specific job offer and grant the holder the right to work for any employer in any occupation, anywhere in Canada. The PGWP is a one-time benefit; a foreign national who has already obtained a PGWP cannot apply for a second one even if they complete another qualifying program of study.

(d) does not adversely affect the Canadian labour market and is of a charitable or religious nature. This exemption is used by missionaries, volunteer religious workers, and certain humanitarian-organization staff who do not receive remuneration beyond living allowances.

Additional exemptions are found in section 207, which permits work permits for spouses or common-law partners of skilled workers, international students, or permanent-resident applicants already in Canada (open work permits), and for certain other categories of dependents and accompanying family members.

Employer obligations under IMP — compliance fee, offer of employment, and genuineness

Even though IMP employers are exempt from the LMIA requirement, they are not exempt from employer obligations or from the genuineness assessment. Employers hiring LMIA-exempt workers under the IMP must comply with the following steps:

1. Submit an offer of employment through the Employer Portal. IRPR section 209.11 requires employers to provide IRCC with detailed information about the job offer—occupation, wages, working conditions, duration, location—before the foreign national can apply for a work permit. The employer creates an account in the Employer Portal (a secure online system administered by IRCC), selects the applicable LMIA exemption code, and submits the offer-of-employment form. Upon approval, IRCC issues an offer of employment number (a seven-digit alphanumeric code). The foreign national must include this number in their work permit application; section 200(3)(f.1) mandates refusal of a work permit if the fee referred to in section 303.1 has not been paid or the information referred to in section 209.11 has not been provided before the foreign national makes an application.

2. Pay the employer compliance fee. Section 303.1 of the IRPR establishes an employer compliance fee of CAD $230 per offer of employment. The fee must be paid online through the Employer Portal before the foreign national applies for the work permit. A discounted group fee of $690 applies when an employer makes offers to a group of three or more performing artists and their staff at the same time (section 303.1(7)). The fee is remitted if the foreign national's work permit application is refused by IRCC for reasons unrelated to the employer's non-compliance, or if the employer withdraws the offer of employment and requests a remission before the work permit is issued (section 303.1(6)).

Certain employers and foreign nationals are exempt from the compliance fee under section 303.1(5) and IRPR section 299. Section 303.1(5) exempts employers from the fee if the offer of employment is made to a foreign national who under section 299(2) is not required to pay a fee for processing an application for a work permit (for example, certain government officials, cultural-exchange workers, and volunteers who do not receive remuneration). Employers hiring fee-exempt workers must still submit the offer of employment through the Employer Portal but are not charged the $230 fee.

Employers who hire foreign nationals holding open work permits (for example, PGWPs, spousal open work permits, or working-holiday permits under International Experience Canada) are not required to submit an offer of employment or pay the compliance fee, because section 303.1(1) applies only to "a foreign national in respect of work described in section 204 or 205" or "a foreign national described in section 207" who requires an employer-specific work permit. Open-work-permit holders may work for any employer without employer-specific authorization, and the employer need not interact with the Employer Portal at all.

3. Demonstrate that the offer is genuine. Even though IMP employers are exempt from the neutral-or-positive labour-market-impact assessment and from recruitment-advertising requirements, they are not exempt from the genuineness test mandated by IRPR section 200(5). IRPR section 200(1)(c)(ii.1) requires that when a foreign national intends to perform work described in section 204 or 205 and has an offer of employment, an officer must determine—on the basis of any information provided by the employer and any other relevant information—that the offer is genuine under subsection (5). The four genuineness factors are identical to those applied in LMIA cases:

• (a) The employer is actively engaged in the business in respect of which the offer is made (except for live-in-caregiver offers).
• (b) The offer is consistent with the reasonable employment needs of the employer.
• (c) The employer has a reasonable ability to fulfil the terms of the job offer (wages, benefits, working conditions, and duration).
• (d) The officer must consider the employer's past compliance with federal and provincial employment and recruitment laws.

If any one of these factors is not satisfied, the offer is not genuine, and the work permit will be refused. This means that even intra-company transferees, CUSMA professionals, and significant-benefit workers must be tied to a bona fide job offer from an employer that can demonstrate active business operations, genuine need for the role, and financial capacity to pay the promised wage.

4. Comply with ongoing conditions. IRPR section 209.2 imposes the same employer-compliance obligations on IMP employers as on TFWP employers. The employer must:

• remain actively engaged in the business for the duration of the work permit;
• provide employment in the same occupation and location, and at wages and working conditions that are substantially the same as (and not less favorable than) those set out in the offer;
• make reasonable efforts to provide a workplace free of abuse;
• retain all relevant records (job offer, employment contract, wage statements, proof of payment, time sheets, correspondence with the foreign national) for six years from the first day of employment; and
• immediately inform IRCC of any changes to the offer, changes in the foreign national's working conditions, or compliance issues.

IRCC may inspect IMP employers for compliance under section 209.9. Employers found non-compliant face the same sanctions as TFWP employers: administrative monetary penalties (AMPs) under the graduated schedule in IRPR Schedule 2, Table 1, and potential ineligibility to employ foreign nationals for up to two years (first or second finding) or permanently (most serious violations) under section 209.99. The names and addresses of ineligible employers are published on the IRCC website unless the sanction is a warning.

Quebec employers — CAQ requirement for IMP workers

Employers in Quebec hiring LMIA-exempt workers under the IMP must also obtain a Certificat d'acceptation du Québec (CAQ) for most foreign nationals. IRPR section 200(3)(b) prohibits issuance of a work permit to a foreign national who intends to work in Quebec and does not hold a CAQ, when the laws of Quebec require that the foreign national hold one. The CAQ application process is separate from the IRCC Employer Portal submission; the employer must apply to the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI), pay the Quebec processing fee, and receive the CAQ approval letter. The foreign national then submits the CAQ approval letter to IRCC as part of the work permit application. Certain categories of workers are exempt from the CAQ requirement (for example, some CUSMA professionals on short assignments, certain diplomatic and consular staff, and some international-organization employees).

No LMIA, but not "no assessment"

It is critical to understand that LMIA-exempt does not mean assessment-exempt. The IMP removes the requirement for ESDC's neutral-or-positive labour-market-impact determination and for recruitment advertising, but it does not remove:

• the officer's discretion to refuse the work permit if the foreign national does not meet the criteria for the exemption category (for example, if a CUSMA professional applicant does not possess the required degree);
• the genuineness assessment under IRPR section 200(5);
• the officer's obligation to assess the foreign national's admissibility (criminality, security, health, misrepresentation); or
• the officer's assessment of whether the foreign national will leave Canada at the end of the authorized stay (the dual-intent doctrine permits an applicant to hold both temporary and permanent-residence intentions, but the officer must still be satisfied that the foreign national will comply with the terms of the temporary stay).

An IMP work permit is still a temporary-residence document. The foreign national must satisfy the officer that they will respect the conditions of the permit and depart (or regularize their status) when the permit expires.

Cross-reference — other IMP and TFWP sections

For the LMIA process (TFWP), see the section on Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) — framework, genuineness factors, and neutral-or-positive labour-market test in this guide. For specific IMP pathways—intra-company transferees, CUSMA / USMCA professionals, post-graduation work permits, International Experience Canada, and provincial-nominee work permits—consult the dedicated topic sections of this guide as they are published. For business visitors who may work in Canada without a work permit (IRPR section 187), see the section on work-permit exemptions in this guide.

Source: Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, SOR/2002-227, sections 200, 204, 205, 209.11, 303.1