T13 Work Permit Canada: the provincial nominee guide
A T13 work permit lets a provincial nominee work for an employer in the nominating province, without a labour market impact assessment (LMIA), while the permanent residence application is processed. This guide starts with Alberta, where the support letter is called the 204(c) Letter of Support, and covers the nomination, the letter, the employer's fee, how long the permit lasts and how T13 differs from a bridging open work permit. Every rule and figure was checked on canada.ca and alberta.ca on 5 October 2026.
Key takeaways
T13 is the code for a work permit issued without an LMIA to a nominee of a province or territory other than Quebec, and it requires a nomination, an offer from an employer in that province submitted through the Employer Portal, and a provincial support letter (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026). Alberta calls its letter the 204(c) Letter of Support and charges $150. The permit is employer-specific and lasts up to 3 years.
- Code and authority: T13, issued under paragraph R204(c) of the immigration regulations, for nominees of any province or territory except Quebec.
- Three things you need: a valid nomination or proof that your permanent residence application was filed, an LMIA-exempt job offer from an employer in the nominating province, and a provincial support letter.
- Costs: $155 work permit, $230 employer compliance fee, and Alberta's $150 service fee for the letter where you must request one.
- Employer-specific: the permit names one employer, one location and one occupation, and lasts up to 3 years or until your passport expires.
- Timing: you can apply before you file for permanent residence, unless the nomination has expired or been paused.
- Alternative: a bridging open work permit, which is open but needs an acknowledgement of receipt and an extra $100 fee.
What are the current T13 work permit rules and fees?
As of 5 October 2026, IRCC requires a valid nomination, an LMIA-exempt offer from an employer in the nominating province and a provincial support letter, and issues the permit for up to 3 years tied to one employer.
The table lists each figure with the page it comes from and the day we read it.
| Item | Current rule or figure | Source and date checked |
|---|---|---|
| What T13 is | Employer-specific, LMIA-exempt work permit for provincial nominees under paragraph R204(c) | IRCC program delivery instructions, T13 page last updated 17 November 2022, read 5 October 2026 |
| Eligibility | A valid nomination (or proof the PR application was submitted before the nomination expired), an LMIA-exempt offer from an employer in the nominating province, and a provincial support letter | IRCC program delivery instructions, read 5 October 2026 |
| Provinces covered | Every province and territory except Quebec | IRCC program delivery instructions, read 5 October 2026 |
| Maximum length | The duration in the job offer, up to 3 years or until the passport expires | IRCC program delivery instructions, read 5 October 2026 |
| IRCC work permit fee | $155 per person, including extensions | IRCC fee list, page updated 21 September 2026, read 5 October 2026 |
| Employer compliance fee | $230, paid by the employer | IRCC fee list and IMP how to hire page, read 5 October 2026 |
| Alberta 204(c) Letter of Support fee | $150 per request, non-refundable, waived if IRCC asked for the letter in writing | alberta.ca, AAIP after you are nominated, read 5 October 2026 |
| Alberta nomination validity | 6 months to apply to IRCC for permanent residence | alberta.ca, AAIP after you are nominated, read 5 October 2026 |
| Work permit extension processing time | 12 weeks if you apply from inside Canada today, and 108 days in the monthly data file | IRCC processing-times tool, updated 26 September 2026 and 1 October 2026 |
What is a T13 work permit and who qualifies?
A T13 work permit is an employer-specific work permit issued without an LMIA to a person holding a valid nomination from a province or territory other than Quebec, with a job offer from an employer there (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
It is one of the codes under the International Mobility Program, which exists because some situations are exempt from the LMIA labour market test. The code sits in a group of federal and provincial agreement codes that also cover significant investment projects and exceptional or unforeseen events such as natural disasters. To qualify as a nominee, IRCC requires three things.
- Nomination: a valid nomination from a province other than Quebec for permanent residence, or proof that your permanent residence application was submitted before the nomination expired.
- Job offer: an LMIA-exempt offer of employment from an employer based in the nominating province.
- Support letter: a provincial support letter indicating the urgent requirement for you to begin the job before you receive permanent residence.
Our LMIA-exempt work permits guide shows where T13 sits among the other codes.
Can you apply for a T13 work permit before applying for permanent residence?
Yes: IRCC says provincial nominees can apply for a work permit under T13 before submitting their permanent residence application, unless the nomination has expired before submission or has been paused by the province (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
A province can pause a nomination, for example where a job offer has been withdrawn or the province is conducting an investigation. If your nomination has expired, you must include the acknowledgement of receipt letter showing IRCC received your permanent residence application before it expired.
Do you need to be in Canada?
What is the provincial support letter and how do you get one in Alberta?
The provincial support letter is a statement from the province that the nominee is urgently required and the job is genuine, and in Alberta it is called the 204(c) Letter of Support, requested through the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) portal for $150 (alberta.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
IRCC says the province's statement confirms that every factor required for a T13 permit has been met: that the nominee is urgently required by the province-based employer, that the job offer is genuine and will create economic benefits or opportunities, that the job is not part-time or seasonal, and that the wages and working conditions would be enough to attract and retain Canadian citizens or permanent residents. IRCC adds that urgently required means no unreasonable delay between approval and the start of employment.
How do you request the 204(c) Letter of Support from AAIP?
You request it in the AAIP portal after you hold a nomination certificate, and Alberta reviews the request and decides whether it can issue a letter, with no guarantee that it will (alberta.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
- 01
Wait for your nomination certificate
You cannot submit a request for a 204(c) Letter of Support until you have received a nomination certificate.
- 02
Create the request in the AAIP portal
Use Create New Request, choose the application number, and select the Request 204(c) Letter of Support button, which appears only if you are eligible to submit a request.
- 03
Upload your supporting documents
Fill in the fields as directed and upload your documents, then submit the request.
- 04
Pay the $150 fee within 24 hours
If you do not pay in full within 24 hours of submitting, the request is cancelled and cannot be reinstated, so you would create a new one.
- 05
Track the request
Check Existing Requests shows Payment Pending until you pay, then Submitted. Alberta emails you whether the request meets the conditions for a letter.
- One letter per nominee: AAIP issues one 204(c) Letter of Support per nominee, and may issue a second to a nominee who has a written request from IRCC for one.
- Fee: $150, non-refundable once the request is submitted, owed whether or not a letter is issued, and not charged where you have a written request from IRCC.
- Accelerated Tech Pathway: if you were nominated under it and did not have a valid work permit at the time of nomination, the letter is already in your nomination package. If you did have a valid permit, you must request and pay for a letter if you need one.
Other provinces issue their own support letters through their own processes, which we do not cover here. Our Alberta pages explain the nomination itself: Opportunity Stream, Express Entry Stream and Accelerated Tech Pathway.
What does the employer have to do for a T13 work permit?
The employer pays the $230 employer compliance fee and submits an LMIA-exempt offer of employment through the Employer Portal, which gives an offer number that you include with your work permit application (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
- The offer: the information in the offer must match the provincial support letter.
- The fee: IRCC requires proof the employer paid the $230 employer compliance fee. Alberta tells nominees to confirm that their employer paid it and submitted the offer.
- Before you apply: the offer is submitted first, and then you apply with the offer number.
IRCC explains the employer's side on its how to hire under the International Mobility Program page.
How do you apply for a T13 work permit step by step?
You apply by getting a nomination, an LMIA-exempt offer from your employer and a support letter, then submitting your work permit application with the nomination, the letter, the offer number and proof of the employer's fee (canada.ca and alberta.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
- 01
Get your provincial nomination
Download your nomination certificate. In Alberta it is under View Decision Letters in the AAIP portal, and you have 6 months to apply to IRCC for permanent residence.
- 02
Get the support letter
In Alberta, request the 204(c) Letter of Support unless your nomination package already includes one.
- 03
Ask your employer to submit the offer
Your employer pays the $230 fee and submits the LMIA-exempt offer through the Employer Portal, then gives you the offer number.
- 04
Apply for the work permit
Include a copy of your nomination and your support letter, the offer number and proof of the employer's fee. If your nomination is no longer valid, include your acknowledgement of receipt with your IRCC file number.
- 05
Pay the fees
The IRCC work permit fee is $155, plus $85 for biometrics if IRCC does not hold yours.
- 06
Keep working only as your permit allows
The permit is tied to the employer, location and occupation on it.
IRCC's instructions ask for a copy of the province's confirmation of nomination letter, and Alberta says IRCC may also ask for your nomination certificate when you renew a work permit, so keep both. If the officer is not satisfied that you can do the job in the offer, the permit cannot be issued.
What conditions and validity does a T13 work permit have?
A T13 work permit lasts for the duration in your job offer, up to 3 years or until your passport expires, and it ties you to one employer, one location and one occupation (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
| Condition | What it means |
|---|---|
| Employer | You are not authorized to work for any other employer. |
| Location | You are not authorized to work in any other location, and the employer must be in the province of nomination. |
| Occupation | You are not authorized to work in any other occupation. |
| Duration | As in the offer, up to a maximum of 3 years or until passport expiry, whichever is earlier. |
How do you extend a T13 work permit or change employer?
To extend with the same employer you need a new offer, and for a new employer you also need a new support letter, but neither needs a new nomination if you filed for permanent residence before it expired (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
- Same employer: a new offer of employment, and no proof of nomination if you submitted your permanent residence application before the nomination expired.
- New employer: a new offer and a new support letter from the province or territory.
- Nomination expired, no PR application: a new nomination certificate.
- Restricted nominations: if the provincial nomination letter restricts the job to a specific employer, IRCC says the nominee is not eligible for a bridging open work permit but may apply for another employer-specific permit.
IRCC's tool shows 12 weeks for a work permit extension applied for from inside Canada (updated 26 September 2026), and its monthly data file shows 108 days (updated 1 October 2026). Those are extension times, not a figure specific to T13, so apply before your permit expires and stay on maintained status. Our work permit extension guide and permit expiry planner help with dates.
T13 or a bridging open work permit: which should you use?
AAIP describes four ways nominees can renew a work permit, recommends trying a new LMIA, an IRCC-determined LMIA exemption or a bridging open work permit first, and treats the 204(c) letter as the option when none of those is possible (alberta.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
| Option | What AAIP says | Cost and requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Option 1: a new LMIA | Renew with a new LMIA from your Alberta employer | Include a copy of the LMIA. |
| Option 2: an LMIA exemption IRCC determines | Renew based on an LMIA exemption as determined by IRCC | Depends on the exemption. |
| Option 3: a bridging open work permit | Available to all AAIP nominees in all streams and categories who live in Canada, have applied for permanent residence, and have an IRCC file number and an acknowledgement of receipt | Include your AAIP nomination and your acknowledgement of receipt, choose Open Work Permit on the form, and pay the extra $100 open work permit fee. |
| Option 4: a 204(c) Letter of Support, then T13 | Only recommended if options 1, 2 and 3 are not possible | $150 for the letter, the employer's $230 fee and an offer through the Employer Portal. |
In practice T13 is the option that works before you have filed for permanent residence, because a bridging open work permit needs an acknowledgement of receipt. Our bridging open work permit guide covers the open option.
What about your spouse and children?
Family members of a worker transitioning to permanent residence under T13 can apply for an open work permit under code C41 (spouse or common-law partner) or C46 (dependent child), and C49 may apply where no bridging permit has been issued yet (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
Eligibility for those codes has its own rules. Our spousal open work permit guide and open work permit guide explain how they work.
When is professional help worth it?
A T13 file depends on three parties lining up, so help is worth it where the order and timing of the nomination, the letter, the employer's offer and your permit expiry could collide.
- A permit expiring soon: the nomination, letter and extension all have to land before your current permit ends.
- A paused or expiring nomination: a pause or expiry changes what you can file and what you must include.
- A change of employer: a new offer, a new support letter and the right fees must all be ready first.
- Family members: the code for a spouse or child depends on where your own file stands.
Working under a licensed RCIC (CICC #R706497), our team represents nominees entirely online, by video call and secure document sharing, and never guarantees an immigration outcome. Prefer to file yourself? Our lower-cost File Review has an RCIC check your application before you submit.
Frequently asked questions
What is a T13 work permit?
T13 is the IRCC administrative code for an LMIA-exempt, employer-specific work permit issued under paragraph R204(c) to a foreign national who holds a valid nomination from a province or territory for permanent residence and has a job offer from an employer in that province (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
Who qualifies for a T13 work permit?
You qualify with a valid nomination from a province other than Quebec, or proof that your permanent residence application was submitted before the nomination expired, an LMIA-exempt job offer from an employer in the nominating province, and a provincial support letter (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
Do I need to have applied for permanent residence before applying for a T13 work permit?
No: IRCC says provincial nominees can apply for a work permit under T13 before submitting their permanent residence application, unless the nomination has expired before submission or has been paused by the province (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
Do I need to be in Canada to get a T13 work permit?
IRCC's T13 instructions do not require you to be in Canada, and Alberta tells nominees who are not yet in Canada that they do not need to provide a copy of their Canadian status document when they request a support letter (alberta.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
What is a 204(c) Letter of Support in Alberta?
A 204(c) Letter of Support is the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) letter that serves as the provincial support letter IRCC asks for with a T13 work permit, and AAIP reviews each request and decides whether it can issue one (alberta.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
How much does Alberta charge for the 204(c) Letter of Support?
AAIP charges a $150 service fee for every request, which is non-refundable and is owed whether or not a letter is issued, except for nominees who have a written request from IRCC for a letter (alberta.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
How much does a T13 work permit cost?
Expect the $155 IRCC work permit fee, the $230 employer compliance fee paid by the employer, and Alberta's $150 service fee for the 204(c) Letter of Support if you must request one, plus $85 for biometrics if IRCC does not hold yours (IRCC fee list and alberta.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
Does the employer have to pay anything for a T13 work permit?
Yes: the employer pays the $230 employer compliance fee and submits an LMIA-exempt offer of employment through the Employer Portal, and IRCC requires proof of that payment and the offer number with your work permit application (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
Is a T13 work permit an open work permit?
No, T13 is employer-specific: the permit names one employer, one location and one occupation and says you may not work for any other employer, in any other location or in any other occupation (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
How long is a T13 work permit valid?
IRCC sets the duration to match your job offer, up to a maximum of 3 years or until your passport expires, whichever comes first (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
What is the difference between T13 and a bridging open work permit?
T13 is employer-specific and needs a job offer, a support letter and the employer's $230 fee, while a bridging open work permit is open, needs an acknowledgement of receipt for your permanent residence application and costs an extra $100 open work permit holder fee (alberta.ca and IRCC fee list, checked 5 October 2026).
Can I change employers on a T13 work permit?
Not on the same permit: a nominee who moves to a new employer applies for a new T13 permit with a new offer of employment and a new support letter from the nominating province (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026). You do not need a new nomination if you filed for permanent residence before it expired.
Can my spouse and children work if I hold a T13 work permit?
Family members of a principal worker who is transitioning to permanent residence under T13 can apply for an open work permit under code C41 for a spouse or common-law partner or C46 for a dependent child, and C49 may apply where a bridging permit has not yet been issued (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
What if my nomination expired before I applied for permanent residence?
You need a new nomination certificate to extend your work permit, because a nominee whose confirmation of nomination has expired and who has not submitted a permanent residence application cannot rely on the old one (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
How long does a T13 work permit take to process?
IRCC's processing-times tool shows 12 weeks for a work permit extension applied for from inside Canada (updated 26 September 2026), and its monthly data file shows 108 days (updated 1 October 2026), while first applications vary by country (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026).
Does T13 apply to Quebec?
No: T13 covers nominations from provinces and territories other than Quebec, and IRCC handles Quebec cases under a different authority, paragraph R205(a) (canada.ca, checked 5 October 2026). We do not advise on Quebec immigration.
Sources and when we checked them
Every rule on this page comes from the Government of Canada and Government of Alberta pages below, read on 5 October 2026. We are not part of IRCC, the Government of Canada or the Government of Alberta, and these rules can change, so we update this guide when the sources change. IRCC's program delivery instructions are written for IRCC officers and posted as a courtesy to the public.
| What we used it for | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|
| Eligibility, documents, expired nominations, validity, conditions, extensions and family permits (page last updated 17 November 2022) | IRCC: Foreign nationals nominated by a province [R204(c) T13] | 5 October 2026 |
| What the T13 code covers and the federal-provincial agreement background (page last updated 12 December 2025) | IRCC: Federal-provincial agreements overview [R204(c) T13] | 5 October 2026 |
| The 204(c) Letter of Support, the $150 fee, the four renewal options and the 6-month nomination (Alberta Opportunity Stream) | alberta.ca: Alberta Opportunity Stream, after you are nominated | 5 October 2026 |
| Letter of Support for Alberta Express Entry Stream and Accelerated Tech Pathway nominees, and nominees not yet in Canada | alberta.ca: Alberta Express Entry Stream, after you are nominated | 5 October 2026 |
| The $230 employer compliance fee, the Employer Portal and port of entry rules (page last updated 23 April 2026) | canada.ca: How to hire under the International Mobility Program | 5 October 2026 |
| The $155 work permit fee, the $230 employer fee and the $100 open work permit holder fee (page last updated 21 September 2026) | IRCC fee list | 5 October 2026 |
| 12 weeks for a work permit extension (updated 26 September 2026) and 108 days (updated 1 October 2026) | canada.ca: Check processing times and its data file at flpt-by-week-en.json | 5 October 2026 |
Related guides
The other rules that decide how a nominee keeps working.
LMIA-exempt work permits
Every International Mobility Program code in one table.
Learn moreBridging open work permit
The open permit you can apply for once you have filed for PR.
Learn moreWork permit extension
When to apply and what maintained status covers.
Learn moreProvincial Nominee Programs
How each province nominates, and what comes after.
Learn moreAlberta Opportunity Stream
Alberta's largest worker stream, step by step.
Learn moreSpousal open work permit
Work rights for a partner of a worker or student.
Learn moreKeep your work permit in step with your nomination
Get started with a licensed RCIC and get an honest read on the order of the steps, from nomination to permanent residence.