Whether a temporary foreign worker in Canada can change employers depends on the type of work permit they hold. Holders of an employer-specific (closed) work permit are authorized to work only for the named employer — changing to a new employer requires applying for a new work permit before starting with the new employer. In most cases, the new employer must first obtain a new Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Service Canada; from March 13, 2026, some workers may be eligible for an LMIA exemption when changing employers. Holders of an open work permit — including Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP), Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP), spousal OWP, and IEC permits — can change employers at any time without applying for a new permit. Implied status allows a worker to continue with their current employer while a change of employer application is pending, but does not permit starting with the new employer during processing. This page explains the rules for changing employers under different work permit types, the new LMIA exemption from March 2026, and the implied status rules during an employer change application.

For current guidance on changing employers, the March 2026 LMIA exemption eligibility, and application instructions, refer to the IRCC changing jobs or employers page.

• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s 185 — conditions on employer-specific work permits; specifies that the work permit holder may only work for the employer, in the occupation, and at the location named on the work permit; working for an unauthorized employer is a violation of work permit conditions
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s 186 — conditions on open work permits; open work permit holders may work for any employer in Canada (subject to any other restrictions on the permit, such as location or sector)
• Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, s 201 — implied status (maintained status); a foreign national who applies to extend or change conditions of a work permit before the expiry of the existing permit may continue to work in Canada while the application is pending; implied status authorises continuation under the terms of the existing permit, not under the new proposed conditions
• IRCC: Employer-specific work permits — canada.ca/employer-specific-wp
• IRCC: Extend or change work permit — changing jobs or employers — canada.ca/change-jobs-employers

Employer-specific work permit — the core restriction

An employer-specific work permit (also called a "closed" work permit) names a specific employer on the permit itself. The conditions of the permit restrict the holder to working for that employer, in the occupation listed, and at the location(s) authorised. The restriction means:

• The worker cannot start working for a new employer — even if they have accepted a job offer — until a new work permit authorizing the new employer is issued (or until implied status applies in a limited way)
• Working for an employer not named on the permit is a breach of work permit conditions and constitutes unauthorized work under IRPA
• Unauthorized work can result in enforcement action by CBSA, potential removal orders, and inadmissibility findings for non-compliance

Steps to change employers on an LMIA-backed work permit

For a worker on an LMIA-backed employer-specific work permit, the process to change employers is:

1. New employer obtains a new LMIA: in most cases, the new employer must apply to Service Canada for an LMIA supporting the new employment; the LMIA confirms that hiring the worker will not negatively impact the Canadian labour market; processing time for LMIAs varies by stream and position
2. Worker applies for a new work permit: once the new LMIA is issued, the worker applies for a new work permit (employer change / change of conditions); this can be done inside Canada if the worker remains in valid status or on implied status
3. Wait for new work permit before starting: the worker must not start working for the new employer until the new employer-specific work permit is issued; starting early is unauthorized work

March 2026 LMIA exemption for some employer changes

From March 13, 2026, IRCC introduced an LMIA exemption available to some workers changing employers. This exemption means that in eligible circumstances, the new employer may not need to obtain a new LMIA before the worker can apply for a new work permit. The specific eligibility criteria for the March 2026 LMIA exemption are published on the IRCC employer-specific work permits page. Eligibility may depend on factors such as:

• The sector or industry in which the new employer operates
• The length of the worker's existing work permit or employment in Canada
• Other circumstances as specified in the updated IRCC guidance

For current eligibility criteria for the March 2026 LMIA exemption and how to apply under it, refer to the IRCC employer-specific work permits page.

LMIA-exempt employer-specific work permits — how changes work

Some employer-specific work permits are issued without an LMIA because the employment falls under an LMIA exemption (for example, a CUSMA Chapter 16 professional, an intra-company transferee, or a specific International Mobility Program category). When these workers change employers:

• A new work permit is still required — the work permit is employer-specific even if no LMIA was needed
• The new permit application must identify the exemption basis that applies to the new employment (for example, if the worker is changing from one intra-company transferee position to another, the new permit application must confirm the new ICT basis)
• The worker cannot start with the new employer until the new permit is issued or implied status applies

Open work permits — no restriction on changing employers

Holders of open work permits may change employers at any time without applying for a new work permit, as long as their open work permit remains valid:

• Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): PGWP holders may work for any employer; they can change jobs or start a new position without notifying IRCC
• Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP): BOWP holders may work for any employer while their permanent residence application is pending
• Spousal or common-law partner Open Work Permit: holders may work for any employer
• International Experience Canada (IEC) open work permits: most IEC working holiday permits are open work permits and permit free employer change
• Vulnerable worker Open Work Permit: holders may work for any employer

Implied status during a change of employer application

A worker who applies for a new employer-specific work permit before their current permit expires may continue working in Canada under implied status (maintained status) while the application is pending:

• Implied status allows the worker to continue working for the current employer under the same conditions as the existing permit — it does not allow starting with the new employer
• Implied status applies from the date the new permit application is submitted and continues until the application is decided
• If the new permit is granted, the worker can then start with the new employer; if refused, implied status ends and the worker must cease working

For more detail on implied status, refer to the implied maintained status page.

The restriction on starting with a new employer before a new work permit is issued is one of the most common compliance failures among temporary foreign workers — workers who accept a job offer and start working in good faith before the new permit arrives are technically in unauthorized work, exposing themselves to enforcement risk. The new LMIA exemption from March 2026 may reduce processing delays for eligible workers, but the core rule remains: no starting until the permit is in hand (or implied status applies from the current employer's side). For LMIA-backed workers, the employer change timeline is driven largely by LMIA processing times at Service Canada — which can range from weeks to months depending on the stream — meaning workers and employers must plan well ahead. Open work permit holders (PGWP, BOWP, spousal OWP) are in a fundamentally different position and can change employers immediately with no paperwork required. For current guidance on whether the March 2026 LMIA exemption applies to a specific situation, application forms, and processing times for employer change applications, refer to the IRCC changing jobs or employers page.