Work permit under a free trade agreement (no LMIA)

Some business people can get a work permit without an LMIA under agreements such as CUSMA, CETA or CPTPP. Categories include professionals and specialists, company transfers (intra-company transferees), traders and investors. It depends on your citizenship.

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Step-by-step checklist

0 of 4 done

1. Check your agreement and categoryWhat to expect: IRCC’s page lists the categories for each agreement and which citizenships they cover.
2. Get the job offerWhat to expect: Your employer gives you the job details your category needs.
3. Apply for the work permitWhat to expect: Follow IRCC’s work permit instructions, pay the fee and give biometrics.
4. Decision and arrivalWhat to expect: The officer checks that you meet the agreement’s conditions.

Documents you usually need

Proof of citizenship (passport)
Job offer or proof of transfer
Proof of qualifications for your category

Government fees

CAD

Work permit	$155
Employer compliance fee (paid by the employer)	$230
Biometrics (one person)	$85

Fees as listed by IRCC on 2026-10-30. Fees change; always check the official fee list. IRCC fee list ↗

After you apply

The permit is usually tied to your employer.

Processing times change every week. Check today’s times on IRCC’s official tool. Check processing times ↗

Official sources:

Checked against IRCC pages on 2026-10-30.

General information only. This is not legal advice and does not check whether you are eligible. Your own checklist in your IRCC account is what counts. Last checked 2026-10-30.

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