Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) quietly refreshed its officer instructions for the LMIA-exempt “significant benefit” work-permit category (code C10) on October 20, 2026. The only textual change was the removal of a banner that told start-up-visa applicants who filed before 30 January 2023 to use the C10 code, because IRCC says no such files remain. While the eligibility test itself is unchanged, the update is an important housekeeping move that signals to employers and practitioners that the start-up stream now functions under its own code (A77) and that officers should apply the pure C10 test only to genuinely exceptional cases. Under section 205(a) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (IRPR), a C10 permit can be issued when the proposed work will bring significant economic, social or cultural benefits to Canadians. IRCC’s internal guide asks officers to look for evidence that goes well beyond an employer’s own interests— such as job creation, regional development, export expansion or recognised cultural achievements. The guidance also lists a handful of “pre-assessed” unique situations (for example specialised rail-welder crews and circus performers), meaning most applicants must still prove the benefit on a case-by-case basis. For employers, the update is a reminder that C10 remains an employer-specific permit: they must submit an offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal and pay the compliance fee before the worker applies. Failure to do so is grounds for refusal under IRPR 200(3)(f.1). Officers are also instructed to examine whether the applicant can in fact perform the job, meets licensing rules and will leave Canada when the permit expires. The practical takeaway for multinational companies is that C10 is still available for truly high-impact hires that fall outside free-trade agreements or other defined exemptions, but it is not a back-door substitute for a labour-market impact assessment. Employers should be prepared to document the wider Canadian benefit in concrete terms— for example, the number of local jobs created, export contracts secured or cultural events enabled— rather than relying on salary levels or generic business arguments. Applicants who think they qualify under the start-up-visa route must now use code A77, not C10, and should ensure their employer’s portal profile is configured accordingly.
Source: Immigration 2 Canada
