The C11 work permit allows a foreign national to come to Canada to start, buy or run their own business without a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). It is issued under paragraph 205(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), as part of the International Mobility Program, to business owners whose work will bring a significant economic, social or cultural benefit to Canada.

The C11 is a temporary work permit. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) intends it for business owners who plan to operate a Canadian business for a limited time – it is not a direct route to permanent residence. IRCC tightened its C11 instructions to officers on May 27, 2025, so older information about this permit may no longer be accurate.

Key Facts

• Legal basis: IRPR paragraph 205(a), exemption code C11. No LMIA is required.
• Ownership: you must control at least 51% of the Canadian business.
• Investment: IRCC does not set a minimum. You must show enough money to start and run the business, plus separate money to support yourself and your family.
• Duration: normally up to 18 months. A longer permit requires a clear plan to step away from managing the business.
• Government fees (as of October 2026): $155 work permit processing fee, $230 employer compliance fee and $85 biometrics fee.
• Permanent residence: not included. You would need to qualify under a separate program.

Who qualifies for a C11 work permit?

Under IRCC’s program instructions for the C11 category, you must satisfy an officer of all of the following:

1. Majority ownership. You control at least 51% of the business. If you own less, you must apply as an employee, which usually means an LMIA-based work permit or a different exemption category.
2. Significant benefit. Your work will create or maintain significant economic, social or cultural benefits, or opportunities for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
3. Temporary stay. You will leave Canada at the end of your authorized stay. For a business that operates year-round, such as a repair shop or an IT company, IRCC expects an exit or transition plan – for example, hiring a manager to run the business after you leave.
4. Support funds. You have money to support yourself and your accompanying family members equal to the low-income cut-off (LICO) for your family size for at least 18 months, kept separate from your business funds.
5. Business funds. You have separate funds to establish or run the business, and you can document where that money came from.
6. Ability to do the work. Your experience, education, language skills and any required licences fit the business you plan to run.

IRCC treats self-employed people (who mostly work alone or with family members) a little differently from entrepreneurs (who hire employees). For a self-employed applicant, the officer may also consider the benefit to Canadian customers, particularly if the service is otherwise hard to find in that area.

What does “significant benefit” mean?

To determine whether your C11 work permit application meets the criteria for “significant benefit”, the officer looks at what your work will do for the community where the business operates during the term of your permit – not at benefits that may come years later. Relevant factors include:

• jobs that make a difference in the local job market, paid at or above the median wage for the occupation;
• business development in a rural or remote area;
• new export markets for Canadian products or services; and
• new technology, products or services, or improved skills for Canadian workers.

Location is important. IRCC’s guidance gives the example of a convenience store on a busy street in a major Canadian city that hires two people: it likely brings no real benefit, because it competes with many existing businesses. The same store in a rural community where the nearest grocery store is 20 kilometres away may qualify. The type of business and the amount invested matter less than how your work creates opportunities for Canadians or supports the local economy.

Officers also check whether your business plan sets out concrete steps – location, suppliers, start-up costs, marketing and customers – or is simply a general study of the industry. A plan that only describes the market, without showing what you have already done to launch, is one of the most common weaknesses officers point to.

How do you apply?

1. Prepare the business. Register or incorporate the business, write a detailed business plan, and take real steps where possible, such as securing premises or signing supplier agreements.
2. Submit an offer of employment. Because you are both the employer and the employee, you submit an offer of employment to yourself through IRCC’s Employer Portal, select code C11, and pay the $230 employer compliance fee.
3. Apply for the work permit online. Include the offer of employment number and your supporting documents: proof of ownership, the business plan, proof of support funds and business funds and their source, evidence of your business experience, and your plan for leaving Canada or handing over the business.
4. Give biometrics and, if requested, complete a medical exam and provide police certificates.

Processing times depend on the visa office handling your file. Check IRCC’s current processing times before making plans.

Can your family come with you?

Your spouse or common-law partner and dependent children may apply to accompany you. Since January 21, 2025, the spouse of a foreign worker can get an open work permit only in limited situations – generally where the principal worker’s occupation is in TEER 0 or 1 (or a listed TEER 2 or 3 occupation) and the principal’s work permit has at least 16 months remaining. Because a C11 permit is normally issued for 18 months or less, your spouse’s eligibility should be checked before you apply. Minor children can generally attend preschool, primary or secondary school in Canada while a parent is authorized to work here.

Can you extend a C11 work permit?

Yes, but extensions are not automatic. You must show how your business benefited Canada during your current permit, how it will continue to do so, and why you need more time – for example, unforeseen delays or difficulty finding a manager to run the business when you leave. The officer must still be satisfied that your stay is temporary. IRCC instructs officers to look closely at business owners who have held work permits for several years without a break, because a business owner cannot reside permanently in Canada on a work permit. Because the evidence needed to renew a C11 work permit builds up over the life of the first permit, it helps to keep records of hiring, revenue, tax filings and local activity from the day the business opens.

Does a C11 work permit lead to permanent residence?

Not directly. IRCC’s instructions state that business owners who intend to seek permanent residence should generally be assessed under a different category – for example, the C60 work permit for business candidates supported by a province or territory. In addition, work experience gained as a self-employed person or entrepreneur does not count toward the Canadian Experience Class.

Some C11 holders later qualify for permanent residence through a Provincial Nominee Program entrepreneur stream or another economic program, but each program has its own requirements and none is guaranteed. If permanent residence is your goal, plan your route before you apply, because the choice between a C11 and a provincial entrepreneur stream is difficult to reverse later.

Common reasons for refusal

•       The business plan is a general market study without concrete steps.
•       The business adds little to a crowded urban market.
•       Personal and business funds are mixed together, or the source of funds is unclear.
•       There is no credible plan for leaving Canada or handing over the business.
•       The applicant owns less than 51% of the business.
•       The applicant’s background does not match the business.

What if your application is refused?

C11 refusal letters are often brief. You can request the officer’s notes (known as GCMS notes) through an access to information request to see the full reasons. Depending on the problem, you may reapply with stronger evidence or ask the Federal Court of Canada to review the decision. The deadline to apply for leave for judicial review is 15 days for decisions made in Canada and 60 days for decisions made outside Canada, so act quickly.

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More Information and Legal Help

IRCC’s program instructions for the C11 category and its fee list are available on the Government of Canada website.

For strategic guidance on expanding your business to Canada—whether through the C11, ICT, LMIA, or investment-driven pathways — contact our preferred immigration lawyer, Sobirovs Law Firm at 1-416-895-3026 or wecare@sobirovs.com. The Sobirovs team helps entrepreneurs navigate Canada’s business immigration system with clarity and a structured plan for long-term success.

								
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