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Intra-company transfers

Moving to Canada with your employer

Intra-company transfer2 min read
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In one sentence. If you work for a multinational company, it may be able to transfer you to its Canadian office without a labour market test. Here is who qualifies, the three kinds of transfer, how long you can stay, and what it means for your family.

An intra-company transfer lets an international company move an experienced executive, manager or specialist to its office in Canada. It is part of the International Mobility Program, so no Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is needed. If your employer has suggested a move, this guide helps you understand what they will file and what to expect.

In one sentence: you need at least 1 year of full-time work with the company abroad in the last 3 years, in an executive, managerial or specialized knowledge role, and a related Canadian company (parent, subsidiary, branch or affiliate) that is really doing business.

The three kinds of transfer

CategoryWho it is forMaximum stay
Executive or manager (C62)TEER 0 executives and TEER 1 managers7 years: up to 3 years at first, then 2-year renewals
Specialized knowledge (C63)Workers with advanced knowledge of the company’s products or processes and advanced expertise5 years: up to 3 years at first, then 2-year renewals
Start-up office (C61)Transferees opening a new Canadian office for a company already operating in at least 2 countries1 year at first, then C62 or C63
Intra-company transferee categories (IRCC)

These three codes replaced the single code C12. Time under one category counts toward the other category’s limit. When you reach the limit, you need a year of full-time work abroad before you can transfer again, although a break of 30 days or more in a row, such as parental leave, can be added back.

What IRCC checks

  • Continuous full-time work in a similar role with the company abroad for at least 1 year in the 3 years before you apply. Part-time work adding up to a year does not count.
  • Your job abroad stays available for you to return to.
  • A qualifying relationship based on ownership and control. Supplier, client, licensing, franchise or small shareholding ties do not count.
  • Both companies do business regularly, and the Canadian office has a real physical location, not a virtual or home address.
  • Your pay is at least the prevailing wage for the job in Canada.

For a new office, your employer also shows premises, a staffing plan, a business plan and the money to run it. A company cannot use this category to set up its very first business outside its home country.

How the transfer works

  1. 01

    Your employer submits the offer

    The Canadian company submits your job offer in IRCC’s Employer Portal and pays the $230 employer compliance fee.

  2. 02

    You receive an offer number

    Your employer gives you the 7-digit offer of employment number to use in your application.

  3. 03

    Apply for your work permit

    Apply with proof of your role, your time with the company and the relationship between the two companies. The work permit fee is $155.

  4. 04

    Bring your family

    Your spouse or partner may qualify for an open work permit, depending on your job and how long you are authorized to work.

  5. 05

    Plan for the long term

    Canadian work experience in a skilled role can count toward Express Entry and other permanent residence programs.

Trade agreements have their own transfer categories with the same core rules: CUSMA for the United States and Mexico, and CETA for the European Union, where the maximum stay is 4.5 years for managers and specialists and 1 year for graduate trainees.

Frequently asked questions

Does my employer need an LMIA to transfer me?

No. Intra-company transfers are exempt from the LMIA. Your employer submits an offer in the Employer Portal and pays the $230 compliance fee instead.

Can my spouse work in Canada?

Often, yes. A spouse can get an open work permit if you work in a TEER 0 or 1 job, or one of the listed TEER 2 or 3 jobs, and are authorized to work for at least 16 months after their application is received.

I have worked for the company for 10 months. Can I apply?

Not yet. You need at least 1 year of continuous full-time work with the company abroad in the 3 years before you apply.

Can a transfer lead to permanent residence?

It can help. Skilled Canadian work experience can count toward Express Entry and provincial programs, though the transfer itself is a temporary permit.

A transfer can be a wonderful way to try life in Canada with the support of an employer you know. Work closely with your company’s HR or immigration team, and check IRCC’s pages for the rules that apply on the day you apply.

You don’t have to face the wait alone.

Thousands of people have shared their real timelines so the next person isn’t left guessing in the dark. Add yours, keep your own application and your family’s together in one place, and see a grounded estimate of how long your decision might take, drawn from people who are walking the same path.

  • Share your timeline and help the next applicant find their footing.
  • Track your own and your family’s applications together, in one calm place.
  • See a realistic estimate of your wait, based on people on the same journey.
Browse the tracker

It’s free, and what you track stays private to you. Sharing your timeline with the community is always your choice.

Key takeaways

  • You need at least 1 year of full-time work with the company abroad in the last 3 years.
  • Executives and managers can stay up to 7 years, specialists up to 5 years.
  • Your employer submits the offer in the Employer Portal and pays a $230 compliance fee.
Sources

Last reviewed: Nov 8, 2026

This is a plain-language summary of official IRCC information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules do change, so please confirm anything that affects you on canada.ca.
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