Program delivery update: Canadian Interests – Significant Benefit – Intra-company transferees [R205(a)] (exemption codes C61, C62 and C63)

October 03, 2024

The instructions related to work permits for intra-company transferees (ICTs) under paragraph R205(a) have undergone extensive updates to improve navigation and clarity for officers.

Key updates include:

• Consolidated instructions on ICTs under R205(a) into a single page to reduce the need to navigate between pages for relevant guidance.
• Clarified that ICTs must be transferring from a foreign enterprise of an existing multinational corporation (MNC), including guidance on how to assess whether an enterprise meets the criteria of a multinational corporation.
• Clarified and provided additional guidance related to:
  • the foreign national’s required work experience and employment with the foreign enterprise to be eligible as an ICT;
  • the location of employment requirements for ICTs;
  • requirements to be met for a foreign national to be eligible to change to a different ICT category when applying for a new work permit;
  • the maximum duration allowed for ICT work permits; and
  • eligibility requirements for ICTs seeking entry to Canada to establish a new qualifying enterprise (administrative code C61).
• Provided additional guidance on specialized knowledge, including:
  • clarification on the definition of “specialized knowledge”;
  • how to assess whether the applicant possesses specialized knowledge; and
  • clarifying that ICT applications for positions in low-skilled occupations should be reviewed in greater detail to ensure the foreign national does in fact possess (and the position requires) specialized knowledge.

As a reminder, the ICT category under the International Mobility Program is not intended as a means to transfer an enterprise’s general work force to affiliated entities in Canada.

As well, in support of the integrity of IRCC’s programs, officers should ensure that all relevant evidence contributing towards the final decision of an ICT work permit application are accessible within the Global Case Management System (GCMS), or, at minimum, officers should include a note within the application that lists the relevant evidence viewed, contributing towards the final decision.

Updated instructions

• Intra-company transferees (ICT) – [R205(a) – C61, C62, C63] – Canadian interests – International Mobility Program
• Labour market impact assessment (LMIA) exemption codes – International Mobility Program (IMP)
• Functional guidance on temporary residents: Table of contents
• Terms and definitions related to temporary residents

Deleted instructions

• International Mobility Program: Canadian interests – Significant benefit – Intra-company transferees – General requirements [R205(a)] (exemption codes C61, C62, C63)
• International Mobility Program: Canadian interests – Significant benefit – Intra-company transferees – Qualifying relationship between the Canadian and foreign employer [R205(a)]
• International Mobility Program: Canadian interests – Significant benefit – Intra-company transferees – Qualifying relationship between the employer and the foreign worker [R205(a)]
• International Mobility Program: Canadian interests – Significant benefit – Intra-company transferees – Qualifying job positions [R205(a)] (exemption code C62)
• Qualifying job positions for functional managers – Intra-company transferees – [R205(a) - C62] – Canadian interests – International Mobility Program
• Specialized knowledge workers – Intra-company transferees [R205(a) - C63] – Canadian interests – International Mobility Program