There is no separate “C16 form”: C16 is the LMIA exemption code for the Francophone Mobility work permit. For a job in Ontario or any other province or territory outside Quebec, the employer submits the offer through the IRCC Employer Portal, pays the $230 compliance fee, and gives the worker a seven-digit offer number. The worker then applies and proves French speaking and listening at NCLC 5 or higher.
Key facts
- The Francophone Mobility LMIA exemption code is C16.
- The employer compliance fee is $230.
- The worker needs French speaking and listening ability at NCLC level 5 or higher for applications from June 15, 2023.
- The job can be in any TEER category, except primary agriculture occupations in TEER 4 and 5.
- The employment must be in a province or territory outside Quebec, including Ontario.
- The employer gives the worker a seven-digit offer of employment number after submitting the offer.
- The worker’s work permit fee is $155. These rules were checked on canada.ca on October 30, 2026 (IRCC pages dated March 5, April 20 and April 28, 2026).
How do the three Francophone Mobility steps work?
The process starts with the employer and then moves to the worker’s application. Keep the employer’s submission, the offer letter and the work permit application consistent.
Step 1: The employer submits the offer
- The employer signs in to or creates an account in the IRCC Employer Portal.
- The employer submits the offer of employment using LMIA exemption code C16.
- The employer pays the $230 employer compliance fee.
- The employer gives the worker the seven-digit offer of employment number and the signed offer of employment.
Step 2: The worker applies
The worker applies for the Francophone Mobility work permit, enters the seven-digit offer of employment number and pays the $155 work permit fee. The worker must also meet the general requirements for any work permit. The application should match the employer’s submitted offer, including the employer, job and location.
Step 3: The worker proves French
The worker must be able to prove intermediate French speaking and listening, equal to NCLC level 5 or higher. The requirement is for those two skills. Use the proof that the application’s document list asks for.
These rules were checked on canada.ca on October 30, 2026. Review the IRCC Francophone Mobility eligibility page again before filing because requirements and document instructions can change.
Who qualifies for a C16 work permit?
You need an eligible job offer outside Quebec, French speaking and listening at NCLC 5 or higher, and the general requirements for any work permit. Speaking French alone is not enough: the employer’s steps must be done first.
- Work location: The job must be in a province or territory outside Quebec. A position performed in Mississauga is in Ontario, so it is outside Quebec.
- Job category: The offer can be in any TEER category, except primary agriculture occupations in TEER 4 and 5.
- French ability: The worker must show intermediate speaking and listening ability at NCLC 5 or higher.
- Employer action: The employer must submit the offer through the Employer Portal, use C16 and complete the compliance step.
- Application consistency: The offer, signed employment document and work permit application should identify matching employment details.
What is the Francophone Mobility worker document checklist?
Prepare the employer’s offer information, French-language evidence and documents showing that you can perform the job. The final checklist depends on the application and the current IRCC instructions.
- Seven-digit offer of employment number from the employer.
- Signed offer of employment.
- Proof of French speaking and listening ability at NCLC 5 or higher.
- Documents showing the qualifications required for the offered job.
- Identity and passport documents requested by IRCC.
- Any additional forms, evidence or medical documents requested for the application.
Check the current IRCC work permit instructions before submission. Compare the résumé, qualifications, language evidence, signed offer and application answers so that the documents do not conflict.
What old Francophone Mobility rules should you ignore?
Older advice may say that the worker needs NCLC 7 or a TEER 0 to 3 job. Those were the rules for applications made before June 15, 2023, not the current requirements described in the eligibility guidance.
For applications from June 15, 2023, the current eligibility page states that French speaking and listening must be at NCLC 5 or higher. It also allows offers in any TEER category, except primary agriculture occupations in TEER 4 and 5. Always check the date and source of guidance before relying on an older checklist.
Are family members included in the same C16 process?
Family members do not automatically receive work authorization because the principal worker has a Francophone Mobility permit. IRCC limited open work permits for family members of foreign workers from January 21, 2025, and its rules changed again from March 23, 2026, so check each family member under the current rules.
Review IRCC’s notice about changes to open work permits for family members and the current IRCC eligibility page for family members. Do not assume that a spouse qualifies simply because the principal applicant uses Francophone Mobility.
What happens after the Francophone Mobility application?
A C16 work permit is a temporary work permit, not permanent residence. Francophone Mobility does not itself create permanent resident status, so a worker who wants to pursue permanent residence must assess a separate program.
Possible routes depend on the worker’s own circumstances and eligibility. You can review North Vista Immigration’s Express Entry information or its Ontario Provincial Nominee Program guide as separate starting points. Neither route is automatic from holding a C16 work permit.
Why the order of the steps matters
IRCC splits these rules across three pages: one for employers, one for eligibility and one for the work permit itself. Read together, the order is fixed: the employer’s Employer Portal submission and fee come first, the offer number second, and the worker’s application and French proof last.
A worker cannot apply without the offer number, so confirm the employer’s step is complete before you build the worker’s checklist.
Frequently asked questions
What does the C16 form mean?
C16 is the LMIA exemption code used for the Francophone Mobility work permit. The Canadian employer selects the applicable code when submitting the offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal. C16 does not replace the worker’s eligibility requirements. The worker must still have an eligible job outside Quebec, prove the required French speaking and listening ability, and submit the requested work permit documents.
What does the employer do in the Francophone Mobility Employer Portal?
The employer signs in to or creates an IRCC Employer Portal account, submits the offer of employment using code C16, and pays the $230 employer compliance fee. The employer then gives the worker the seven-digit offer of employment number and signed offer. The worker uses those details for the Francophone Mobility work permit application.
What French level is needed for Francophone Mobility?
For applications from June 15, 2023, the worker must show intermediate French speaking and listening ability at NCLC level 5 or higher. The requirement concerns these two skills. Older references to NCLC 7 may describe the rules that applied before June 15, 2023, so check the current IRCC eligibility guidance before choosing language evidence.
Which jobs qualify for a C16 work permit?
The offer can be in any TEER category, except primary agriculture occupations in TEER 4 and 5. The employment must also be in a province or territory outside Quebec. A job in Mississauga is in Ontario and meets the geographic description, but location alone does not establish eligibility. The employer submission, French evidence and worker’s qualifications must also fit the application.
Is a Francophone Mobility work permit permanent residence?
No. Francophone Mobility is a temporary work permit route and does not itself grant Canadian permanent residence. A worker may separately review programs such as Express Entry or an Ontario provincial nominee pathway if eligible. Those programs have their own requirements and applications. Holding a C16 work permit does not by itself establish eligibility for permanent residence.
If you are a French-speaking worker with an Ontario job offer, or an employer preparing a C16 offer, book a review through North Vista Immigration’s work permits and LMIAs page. North Vista is a regulated immigration consultant in Mississauga; it can check the offer, French evidence and documents together, without promising an outcome.