Short answer: yes. If the job is outside Quebec and your French speaking and listening are at NCLC 5 or higher, you can get a work permit with no LMIA. IRCC calls it Francophone Mobility, LMIA exemption code C16. The rules were loosened substantially on 15 June 2023, and today almost every TEER category qualifies. There is no nationality requirement.
Who does not qualify
- Jobs located in Quebec. The stream covers the 9 provinces and 3 territories outside Quebec.
- Remote work for a Quebec-based employer. IRCC's officer instructions state: "Telework or remote work for an employer who is located in Quebec is not eligible."
- Primary agriculture occupations in TEER 4 and 5 — the only occupational exclusion.
- French speaking or listening below NCLC 5. Reading and writing are not assessed at all.
- No job offer. This is an employer-specific permit, not an open work permit.
The requirements at a glance
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Exemption code | C16 (Francophone Mobility) |
| Legal basis | IRPR 205(c)(ii), since 15 June 2023 |
| Work location | 9 provinces and 3 territories outside Quebec |
| French | NCLC 5+ in speaking and listening only |
| Occupations | All TEER 0–5, except primary agriculture TEER 4 and 5 |
| Job offer | Required, submitted via the Employer Portal |
| Employer compliance fee | $230 |
| Applicant fee | $155 |
| Language of work | Does not have to be French |
| Nationality | No restriction |
Why the change of legal basis matters
From 1 June 2016 to 14 June 2023 this stream ran under R205(a) "significant benefit" and required CLB/NCLC 7 or higher across the board, in TEER 0/1/2/3 only. A lot of material online still describes those old rules.
Since 15 June 2023 it runs under R205(c)(ii) — public policy relating to the competitiveness of Canada's academic institutions or economy — at NCLC 5 in speaking and listening, across all TEER categories. If someone quotes you the CLB 7 / TEER 0–3 version, they are describing a rule that ended three years ago.
Proving your French
IRCC gives a non-exhaustive list:
- TEF Canada or TCF Canada speaking and listening results
- Written confirmation from a college or university that you completed a program in French — transcript or official letter of completion
- Other documents showing you were educated in French
Officers use discretion on whether the evidence is sufficient and may ask for TEF/TCF results or an oral assessment. On extension, language evidence is not required again unless the officer has concerns.
What the employer must do
- Submit the offer of employment through the Employer Portal, selecting LMIA exemption code C16.
- Pay the $230 employer compliance fee.
- Give the worker the 7-digit offer of employment number — it goes into the application.
- Provide the signed offer of employment letter.
Officers assess whether the offer is genuine, whether the wage meets the provincial or territorial minimum and is reasonable for the position, and whether the employer's reported income can support the wage.
After approval
- Applying from outside Canada produces a port of entry letter of introduction; the permit itself is issued when you arrive.
- Applying from inside Canada, an in-account notification lets you start work before the physical permit arrives.
- The permit runs for the length of the job offer or until your travel document expires, whichever comes first.
- Spouses and common-law partners may be able to apply for an open work permit, and dependent children can study.
Does it lead to PR?
French has its own PR track, at a much higher bar. The Express Entry French-language proficiency category requires NCLC 7 in all four abilities — well above the NCLC 5 speaking-and-listening standard for C16. Work permit eligibility and PR category eligibility are separate tests. See 2026 category-based draws and what a job offer does and does not do for PR.
FAQ
I'm Korean, not from a francophone country. Does that matter? No. There is no nationality requirement anywhere on the official pages. What is assessed is your French speaking and listening, a work location outside Quebec, and a job offer.
Does the job have to be in French? No. IRCC's officer instructions say twice: "The language of work does not need to be French." An English-language workplace is fine.
How long does it take? No processing time is published for this specific stream. Use IRCC's processing times tool — we will not quote a number we cannot source.
Official sources
- IRCC — Francophone Mobility work permit
- IRCC — Francophone Mobility eligibility
- IRCC — How to apply and prove your French
- IRCC — After you apply
- IRCC — Hiring French-speaking workers outside Quebec
- IRCC — Program delivery instructions, Francophone mobility R205(c) C16
- IRCC — LMIA exemption codes
- IRPR s.205
- IRCC — Express Entry category-based selection
