Qualifying provincial nominees can benefit from this special LMIA-exempt work permit

Provincial nominees may be able to obtain a new closed work permit to begin working in Canada before their permanent residence (PR) application is finalized, or extend their existing permit.

This permit, granted to those who meet certain criteria (such as having a provincial support letter and a qualifying job offer), is exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process.

Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm

Who is eligible for this LMIA-exempt work permit?

To qualify for this work permit (which falls under LMIA exemption code T13), you must ensure you meet all the following eligibility requirements:

• You were successfully nominated through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), and that nomination:
  • Is valid (pre-PR application); or
  • You can demonstrate proof that you applied for PR prior to its expiration.
• You possess an LMIA-exempt job offer from an employer in your nominating province.
• You have received a work permit support letter from the nominating province, indicating an urgent need for your professional services prior to obtaining PR.

Immigration officers will not process your work permit request under code T13 if your nomination expires prior to applying for PR, or is paused—for example, due to your job offer having been rescinded or the “province conducting an investigation.”

If you applied for PR and your nomination has since expired, you must include in your work permit application a copy of the acknowledgement of receipt (AOR) letter. This indicates that IRCC has indeed received your PNP-supported PR application prior to nomination expiration.

What documentation do you need to provide?

Successful provincial nominees must provide certain documentation to apply for this LMIA-exempt work permit.

An immigration officer will check if your work permit application has these key documents when rendering a decision:

• A copy of the confirmation of nomination letter (not a nomination certificate) from the provincial government verifying that you have been nominated for PR by that province;
  • IRCC instructs immigration officers not to request nomination certificates, noting that "provincial nominees are not issued a copy." The immigration department may request the letter or equivalent confirmation directly from the nominating province.
• An LMIA-exempt offer of employment that has been submitted through the Employer Portal, along with proof that the employer compliance fee has been paid ($230); and
  • The details in your offer of employment letter must align with those in the nominating province’s letter of support.
  • Approved alternative submissions may be permitted in special circumstances (e.g., unresolvable technical difficulties).
• A statement issued by the province determining that all factors necessitating this LMIA-exempt work permit have been met, which include the following:
  • The job offer is genuine, will result in economic benefits/opportunities;
  • The employment is full-time/permanent (i.e., not part-time or seasonal);
  • The wages and working conditions associated with said employment would be “sufficient to attract and retain Canadian citizens or permanent residents”; and
  • You, the nominated individual, are “urgently required” by the in-province employer.
    • This means that there will be no unreasonable delay between work permit approval and the time you begin working.

Schedule a Free Work Permit Consultation with the Cohen Immigration Law Firm

Considerations: work permit extensions

If applying to renew your work permit with the same employer, you do not need to provide proof of nomination if you filed your PR application before your nomination confirmation expired—but you will need a new offer of employment.

If you’re applying under LMIA exemption code T13 to work for a new employer, you must submit a new job offer and obtain a new support letter from your nominating province. You will not need a new nomination confirmation if you filed your PR application before your nomination expired.

If your confirmation of nomination expired, and you have yet to file a PR application, you will need to first obtain a new nomination certificate before you can extend your work permit.

Open work permits for family members of provincial nominees

Spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children of provincial nominees seeking T13 work permits while transitioning to PR may be eligible for an open work permit (OWP) under the International Mobility Program.

For family members to be eligible for an OWP, the principal foreign worker (the provincial nominee) must have authorization to work in Canada under a NOC TEER 0, 1, 2, or 3 occupation, as well as meet other eligibility criteria.

For spouses and common-law partners, the OWP falls under administrative code C41; for dependent children, code C46 is applicable.

More on work permit support letters

Without a work permit support letter, you cannot obtain an LMIA-exempt work permit under administrative code T13.

Each province and territory has differing rules and considerations specific to the issuance of a work permit support letter, which can also vary depending on the stream and/or pathway through which you’ve been nominated.

Work permit support letters are generally provided to qualifying individuals in their nomination package. If you are not eligible for a work permit support letter at the time of nomination (and therefore do not receive one in your package), you generally have to reach out to the province and request one post-nomination if applicable.

Some provinces have a service fee for support letter requests post-nomination (e.g., Alberta: $150), while others do not—such as Prince Edward Island.

Further, provinces will have different determining factors for the issuance of a work permit support letter. For example, if you have an existing work permit, New Brunswick will issue you a support letter if your permit expires within 120 days, whereas British Columbia permits expiry within 180 days.

A letter of support document generally stays valid for up to six months.

Simply possessing a work permit support letter does not guarantee approval of a work permit from IRCC.

Note: This issuance of work permits to provincial nominees differs from the temporary public policy introduced by the immigration department in August of 2024—facilitating open work permits for provincial nominee candidates—which has since concluded on December 31, 2025.

Assess your eligibility for enhanced PNP streams