A Canadian employer must generally receive a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment in order to bring a temporary foreign worker to Canada (LMIA). However, in some cases, the requirement for an LMIA may be waived.

LMIA-exempt foreign workers are covered by the International Mobility Program (IMP). Individuals who are exempt from obtaining an LMIA are not exempt from obtaining a work permit. To work legally in Canada, all streams on the LMIA exemption list still require the individual to obtain a work permit.

Foreign workers who require the Canadian government’s labour market test, known as the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), are classified as temporary foreign workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Foreign workers who do not need an LMIA, on the other hand, are covered by the International Mobility Program (IMP). The TFWP allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers when there are no suitable Canadian workers available. The IMP’s mission is to advance Canada’s broad economic, social, and cultural interests. Because the IMP’s policy objectives are broader, the Canadian government does not apply the LMIA process to foreign nationals who fall under any of the IMP’s streams.