Quick answer
An employer-specific Canadian work permit normally follows one of two routes. The employer may need a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment, or the job may qualify for a specific exemption under the International Mobility Program. In many exempt cases, the employer submits the offer through the Employer Portal and gives the worker an offer number beginning with A. A job offer, an LMIA and an Employer Portal number are different records, and none alone authorizes work.
Published on 30-10-2026
Meta description: Understand LMIA-based and LMIA-exempt Canadian work permits, Employer Portal offer numbers, employer duties and evidence for applications from Brazil.
Identify the LMIA route before filing
An LMIA is Employment and Social Development Canada’s assessment of the labour-market impact of hiring a foreign worker. Where required, the employer completes that process first and provides the relevant decision and job documents.
An LMIA exemption must have a real legal category and code. Employer urgency or willingness to hire is not itself an exemption. The wrong route can lead to refusal and employer compliance issues.
Review your route before filing.
What the employer provides in an LMIA case
The worker normally receives the LMIA information and a contract or offer stating position, duties, wage, hours, location and duration. The work permit application must align with those details and show that the worker is qualified.
The deadline for using the LMIA to file is different from the intended employment period. Material changes to employer, occupation, wage or location can require a new assessment.
Keep forms and evidence consistent.
LMIA-exempt offers and the Employer Portal
For many employer-specific exemptions, the employer submits the offer and pays the compliance fee before the worker applies. The system produces an offer number beginning with A followed by seven digits.
The number can be used once and links the worker’s application to the employer submission. It is not created by the applicant. Errors must be corrected through the official employer process, sometimes by withdrawing and resubmitting before a decision.
The offer must be genuine
Job title, NOC, duties, salary, hours, location and term should match across the Portal, contract and application. Officers may examine the company, the need for the role and whether the arrangement is credible.
Payment for a supposed guaranteed LMIA, repayment of wages or a role that does not exist are fraud warnings. Authentic-looking paperwork cannot cure a fictitious job.
Plan your application with technical support.
A permit is limited by its conditions
An employer-specific permit may name the employer, occupation, location and validity. Working outside those conditions can breach status. Approval also does not guarantee entry because admissibility is assessed at the border.
A job offer is not permission to start work. The worker must wait until the appropriate authorization is effective unless a separate official rule permits otherwise.
Worker and family evidence
Passport, experience, qualifications, biometrics, medical examination and police evidence may apply. Regulated occupations can require provincial licensing separate from immigration approval.
Spouses and children need their own applications. Spousal open work permit eligibility is restricted and depends on the principal worker’s category and occupation; it is not automatic.
Talk to the MVA Vistos team.
A safe filing sequence
Verify the employer and offer, identify LMIA or the exemption code, confirm the employer-side submission, and reconcile the number, contract, NOC and wage before finalizing the worker forms.
Frequently asked questions
Does a job offer guarantee a permit?
No. It supports an application that remains subject to eligibility and decision.
Does every job need an LMIA?
No. Specific International Mobility Program exemptions exist.
What is the A-number?
It is the offer number generated through the Employer Portal for many LMIA-exempt cases.
Can an offer number be reused?
Official Portal guidance says it can be used once.
May I work after receiving the offer?
Not without the appropriate effective authorization.
Does my spouse automatically receive an open permit?
No. Current eligibility depends on the principal worker’s route and occupation.
Official sources consulted
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/employer-specific.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/hire-temporary-foreign/find-need-labour-market-impact-assessment.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/hire-temporary-foreign/international-mobility-program.html
- https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/partners-service-providers/employer-portal/user-guide.html
How MVA can assist
MVA Vistos can review the immigration route and application consistency. The employer, ESDC and IRCC retain separate responsibilities and decisions.
Editorial note: informational content updated on September 3, 2026. MVA Vistos is a private, independent consular-assistance company. It is not part of, and does not represent, any government, embassy or consulate. Rules, fees and procedures may change, and the competent authority makes every final decision.
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