Extend your stay in Canada with this accessible, LMIA-exempt work permit overlooked by most

Canada’s Francophone Mobility Work Permit (FMWP) lets foreign workers with modest French abilities qualify for an employer-specific work permit, whether they’re applying from abroad or seeking to extend their worker status from inside Canada. 

The FMWP is exempt from the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process, and is among the most accessible to workers both in and out of Canada.

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To access this work permit, foreign workers must show:

• Intent to move to a Canadian province or territory outside of Quebec;
• Initial intermediate French-language proficiency in only two language skills; and
  • Unlike other programs, this language ability can be proven with a post-secondary transcript or letter of completion, as well as language test results.
• A job offer from almost any Canadian employer.

To be eligible, applicants need to have French language ability (equivalent to a level 5 on the Niveaux de compétence linguistique canadiens (NCLC) scale) in speaking and listening.

These language requirements are significantly lower than most other Canadian temporary or permanent resident programs for francophones, which typically require testing in all four language skills (speaking, reading, listening, and writing) at an NCLC level 5 or 7.

This article will cover:

• Eligibility criteria for the FMWP program; and
• How can you apply to the FMWP to come to Canada or extend your work permit.

Who is eligible for this work permit?

Eligibility for the FMWP is contingent on both you (the applicant) and your employer meeting certain conditions.

You may be eligible for the FWMP if you:

• Plan to live and work outside Quebec (i.e., in one of the nine provinces or three territories outside Quebec).
• Can prove intermediate French speaking and listening ability, equivalent to NCLC level 5 or higher, through:
  • Official language tests;
  • A written confirmation from an educational institution for the completion of a study program delivered in French; or
  • “Other documents that show your education in French.”
• Have an offer of employment for a job in any TEER* category under Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC), unless the job offer is for a primary agriculture occupation classified under TEER 4 or 5.

*TEER stands for Training, Education, Experience, and Responsibilities, and is the Canadian federal government’s method of classifying the skill level of an occupation in the NOC system, with TEER 0 being the highest skilled and TEER 5 being the lowest skilled.

What your Canadian employer must do before you apply

Even if you meet the eligibility rules, your application can’t move forward unless your employer completes specific steps first.

Before you apply for the work permit, your Canadian employer must:

• Submit an offer of employment to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) through the Employer Portal, using the LMIA exemption code C16 (Mobilité Francophone);
• Pay the $230 employer compliance fee; and
• Give you the offer of employment number (a seven-digit number) that you must include in your work permit application.

These employer steps are mandatory—so it’s worth confirming your employer has done them before you submit your application.

Note that prior to June 15, 2023, applicants were required to meet higher French language requirements to be eligible for an FMWP.

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How to apply for the FMWP to come to Canada, or extend your work permit

Application procedures vary slightly for candidates who are already in-Canada, and those who are applying from outside the country. These differences are outlined below, following the initial steps for all applicants.

Step one: Create an online IRCC account (or sign in).

• You’ll use this account to submit forms and track your application.

Step two: Start the application in your account.

• Go to the "Start your application" option.
• Click on "Apply to come to Canada."
• Scroll to, and choose the option "I do not have a personal reference code:"
• Choose "Visitor visa, study, and/or work permit."
• Select "Work."

Step three: Answer questions to generate your personalized document checklist.

This is where the process differs most, depending on whether you’re outside or inside Canada:

If you’re applying from outside Canada (coming to Canada)

Answer the following questions/options accordingly:

• How long are you planning to stay in Canada?
  • Choose temporarily – more than six months or temporarily – less than six months (based on your job offer).
• I have a job offer, and my employer gave me an offer of employment number or LMIA number…
  • Answer “Yes.” Here you’ll input the even-digit offer of employment number).
• What type of work permit do you want to apply for?
  • Choose “A work permit with an LMIA.” This is how the system routes LMIA-exempt employer-specific applications.

If you’re applying from within Canada (extending your status)

Answer the following key questions accordingly:

• How long are you planning to stay in Canada?
  • Choose temporarily – more than 6 months or temporarily – less than 6 months.
• Do you have a written job offer?
  • Answer “Yes."
• Which option best describes your work situation?
  • Choose “I’m applying for an employer-specific work permit with LMIA-exemption."

Step four: Fill out the forms

• Once your checklist is generated, read the instruction guide and complete the work permit application form fields.

Step five: Upload your documents

• Upload all the documents required from your personalized checklist.
• Use the Client information space to upload extra items (you may need to combine multiple documents into one file).

Step six: Pay fees and submit

• Pay the work permit processing fee ($155), then submit your application online.

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