Francophone Mobility (Code C16) Guide
How French-speaking skilled workers secure LMIA-exempt closed work permits to work in any Canadian province outside Quebec.
The Francophone Mobility stream is **completely exempt from the LMIA process**. Employers outside Quebec can hire French-speaking candidates instantly without advertising the position or paying standard labor market assessment fees.
Francophone Mobility Requirements
To qualify for a Francophone Mobility closed work permit (Exemption Code C16), you must satisfy the following criteria:
- French Language Competency: Prove you have an intermediate-advanced level of French, equivalent to **CLB 5** or higher. You must provide official test scores (TEF Canada or TCF Canada).
- Job Offer: Hold a valid, full-time job offer from an eligible Canadian employer.
- Location Outside Quebec: The job must be physically located in any province or territory **outside of Quebec** (as Quebec has its own immigration selection rules).
- NOC TEER Occupations: Unlike previous years where only high-skilled positions qualified, the program now supports **all NOC TEER levels (TEER 0 to 5)** except primary agriculture occupations.
How Employers Hire Under Code C16
To hire a candidate through the Francophone Mobility stream, the employer must complete the following steps:
- Submit Offer of Employment: The employer must log in to the IRCC Employer Portal and fill out the offer of employment details.
- Indicate LMIA Exemption: Select LMIA exemption code **C16** and state the candidate's French language ability as the reason.
- Pay Employer Compliance Fee: Pay the standard **$230 CAD** employer compliance fee.
- Provide Offer Number: Share the generated 7-digit Offer of Employment number with the candidate so they can submit their work permit application.
Fast-Track to Permanent Residency
Securing a C16 work permit provides a direct runway to Canadian Permanent Residency:
- Francophone Selection Draws: Under Express Entry, IRCC runs regular category-based selection draws targeting candidates with **French language proficiency (CLB 7)**. Cutoff scores in these draws are among the lowest in the entire system.
- Arranged Employment Points: After working on your C16 permit for 1 year, you qualify for an additional **50 to 200 bonus CRS points** for Arranged Employment in Express Entry.
This guide compiles official work permit regulations and Francophone Mobility parameters sourced directly from:
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) Francophone Mobility Stream: canada.ca/francophone-mobility
• IRCC Exemption Code C16 Operations Manual: canada.ca/c16-operations