LMIA vs IMP vs ICT Canadian Work Permit Comparison 2026 | BridgePoint Law

LMIA vs IMP vs ICT Canadian Work Permit Comparison 2026

LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) vs IMP (International Mobility Program) vs ICT (Intra-Company Transferee) work permit comparison.

By Dr. Ningjing Zhang, LSO P60313, Refugee Law Certified · June 30, 2026

Three Main Work Permit Categories

1. LMIA Work Permit

  • Employer applies to ESDC for LMIA approval
  • Demonstrates no qualified Canadian available
  • Job advertising requirements
  • Processing 2-4 months (LMIA) + 4-12 weeks (work permit)
  • Fee: CAD 1,000 LMIA + applicant CAD 155 work permit

2. IMP (International Mobility Program)

  • LMIA-exempt work permits under specific categories
  • Owner-Operator C-11 (significant economic benefit)
  • Intra-company transferees
  • NAFTA/CUSMA professionals
  • Faster processing (no LMIA step)
  • Lower employer cost

3. ICT (Intra-Company Transferee)

  • Subset of IMP
  • Foreign company with Canadian subsidiary/branch
  • Specialized knowledge, executive, or manager
  • 2-4 months processing
  • Can lead to Canadian Experience Class PR

Comparison Table

Factor LMIA IMP ICT
Speed 6-16 weeks total 4-12 weeks 2-4 months
Employer cost CAD 1,000+ Minimal Minimal
Advertising required Yes No No
Open work permit No (employer-specific) Some Employer-specific
Leads to PR via CEC Yes Yes Yes

Strategy

  • IMP preferred when eligible (faster, cheaper)
  • ICT for foreign company employees transferring to Canadian subsidiary
  • Owner-Operator C-11 (IMP category) for entrepreneurs acquiring Canadian business
  • LMIA when no IMP category applies

Three-Disciplinary Disclosure

  1. Ontario LSO only (P60313). LSO Refugee Law Certified. US bar 2027.
  2. No PRC law licence — Shanghai cooperating firm.
  3. Not financial advisors.

Contact

Phone: (613) 417-1850