Significant Canadian interests C10

Canada needs to attract and retain temporary and permanent business workers as key talent to support economic development in today’s competitive global market. The current Business Immigration Program (BIP) is inadequate to support these objectives.

To better support Canada’s economic objectives, the CBA Section recommends that the temporary business worker program be revised to make it more flexible and transparent, as well as to facilitate timely and consistent processing. This can be accomplished by refining the existing International Mobility Program ‘C10’ and ‘C11’ work permits (LMIA exemption codes) and adding a new ‘C100’ category. Foreign nationals contribute to the Canadian economy
whether their stay is temporary or permanent, and could have either temporary or dual intent in any of these work permits.

The C10 and C11 work permits are authorized by subsection 205(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), which requires that the foreign worker “create or maintain significant social, cultural or economic benefits or opportunities for Canadian citizens or permanent residents.”1 C10 work permits apply to foreign workers who are employees; C11 work permits apply to foreign workers who are business persons. With amendments, these categories will continue to be useful tools for achieving Canada’s business objectives.

LMIA-exempt work permit categories, including significant benefit, come under the umbrella of the International Mobility Program. Most LMIA exemptions are specific and clearly defined, such as the policy for spouses and common-law partner of some foreign workers and students, intra-company transfers, or regarding international agreements such as the International Experience Canada (IEC) initiative, NAFTA, and CETA, to name a few.