IMP T44 Work Permit: CETA Transfers for Executives and Managers

If you are a senior professional in the European Union moving to your company’s Canadian office, you might need the IMP T44 Work Permit. This specific LMIA-exempt pathway falls under the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). It allows executives and managers from EU member states to transfer to a related Canadian business smoothly. CETA is a landmark free trade agreement designed to boost economic relations. By removing the need for a Labour Market Impact Assessment, this program greatly reduces processing delays. As a result, companies can easily relocate their top talent to oversee Canadian operations. In practice, this exemption code makes it much easier for multinational businesses to expand into Canada. This article explains the rules, requirements, and steps for this specific immigration pathway.

Eligibility requirements for IMP T44 Work Permit

To qualify for this exemption, you must meet strict rules set by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You must be an executive or a manager transferring within the same corporate group.

Who can qualify:

• You must be a citizen of a European Union member state.
• You must seek temporary entry to work specifically as an executive or a manager.
• You must transfer to a Canadian enterprise. This enterprise can be a subsidiary, branch, or head company.
• The Canadian business must share a qualifying corporate relationship with your current EU employer.
• You must have worked full-time for the EU enterprise for at least one continuous year.
• Your past year of experience must be in an equivalent or similar executive or managerial role.
• You must comply with all standard Canadian temporary entry requirements.

If you received a promotion to an executive role last month, you might not yet qualify. You must hold the senior title for a full year before applying. Also, your employment can be via standard payroll or a direct contract. However, contractors must work exclusively for the qualifying enterprise.

Practical documents to prepare: You and your employer must prepare a detailed application package. Practical documents include:

• Proof of your European Union citizenship, such as a valid passport.
• Corporate records proving the exact relationship between the EU and Canadian companies.
• Employment records, such as pay stubs and contracts, prove your continuous employment abroad.
• Proof that the corporate group is actively doing business in both Canada and the EU.
• An official offer of employment submitted through the IRCC Employer Portal.
• A comprehensive letter of introduction from your employer.

This employer letter is a crucial document. It must state your current job title and daily duties. Also, it must outline your proposed role in Canada and the expected duration of your stay. The letter must clearly show that you hold a senior position with genuine authority.

Assessment Criteria

When reviewing your IMP T44 Work Permit application, immigration officers look for specific details. They want to ensure the job offer is genuine and properly matches your skills.

What officers assess and why:

• Job matching: Officers check your proposed job title against Canada’s National Occupational Classification (NOC). For executives and managers, the job must fall under TEER 0 or 1.
• Capacity to work: You must prove you can actually perform the duties. Officers review your resume and past experience to confirm your leadership background.
• Corporate structure: Officers verify the Canadian and European companies have a legitimate relationship. They check if both businesses are actively operating and providing goods or services.
• Wage considerations: A strict wage assessment is not legally required for this code. However, officers use your proposed salary as a strong indicator of your seniority. An unusually low wage for an executive might raise red flags.

Common pitfalls to avoid:

• Submitting a generic job description that lacks true executive or managerial duties.
• Failing to prove one full year of continuous employment with the foreign branch.
• Applying for a role that differs significantly from your current EU position.
• The employer failing to submit the job offer through the Employer Portal before you apply.

Potential Duration of IMP T44 Work Permit

The length of your IMP T44 Work Permit depends heavily on the job offer and your employer’s business needs. However, the CETA agreement sets strict maximum limits for corporate transferees.

For executives and managers under this code, the initial work permit can be valid for up to three years. After this initial period, an extension is allowable. You must apply for this extension before your first permit expires.

However, your total period of stay cannot exceed 4.5 years. This 4.5-year limit is a hard cap set by IRCC policy. This limit is also cumulative across different intra-corporate transfer categories. For example, if you spend time in Canada under a specialized knowledge permit, that time counts toward your 4.5-year limit as a manager.

Once you reach this absolute limit, extensions are no longer possible. You must then complete one full year of continuous employment outside Canada. After that year abroad, you could potentially apply as a corporate transferee again.

What about family members of the main applicant

Moving to a new country is a major family decision. Fortunately, the CETA agreement includes specific provisions for the families of transferred executives and managers.

According to the IRCC program delivery instructions, spouses or common-law partners of IMP T44 Work Permit applicants may be eligible for their own documents. The specific LMIA-exemption code for spouses of CETA transferees is T45. This provision typically allows your spouse to obtain an open work permit. An open work permit gives them the freedom to work for almost any employer in Canada.

However, each family member must submit their own application. They must also meet standard Canadian immigration requirements. The duration of your spouse’s open work permit usually matches the duration of your main work permit.

Check Your Eligibility Instantly

Knowing your options is the first step toward your move. We have designed a self-assessment tool to simplify the complex International Mobility Program. You simply answer a few questions about your background and job offer. The AI then determines if you meet the criteria for an LMIA-Exempt Permit.

Book a consultation session

Navigating the IMP T44 Work Permit process requires careful planning. Eligibility strictly depends on the facts of your case and the documents you provide. To ensure a smooth transition to Canada, you should seek professional guidance.

Book a consultation session with Al Parsai. Al is a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant with more than 15 years of experience. He can assess your corporate transfer and help you build a solid application.

https://www.settler.ca/book/

Bring to your consult:

• Your updated resume.
• Your current employment contract.
• Details about the corporate relationship between the EU and Canadian companies.
• Any previous Canadian immigration decisions.

Dates

• Article written: 2026/03/21
• IRCC PDI last updated: 2025-05-02

Sources

• https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/temporary-residents/foreign-workers/international-free-trade-agreements/canada-eu/transferees.html