Canada has moved quickly to clear an administrative path for thousands of foreign officials, technicians and volunteers who will descend on Toronto and Vancouver for marquee Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) events in 2026.
In a temporary public policy published on 19 November 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed that certain individuals formally invited by FIFA will be allowed to enter and work in Canada without first obtaining a work permit. The measure covers the period from 1 December 2025 through 31 July 2026 and applies to two linked events: the 76th FIFA Congress in Toronto (May 2026) and Canada’s co-hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (June-July 2026). Eligible travellers include match referees, broadcast crews, team-support personnel, event contractors and selected volunteers whose names appear on an authenticated FIFA invitation list.
Ottawa says the waiver will prevent processing bottlenecks and ensure stadiums, fan zones and ancillary venues are fully staffed. Current rules would normally require most foreign workers—even for short-term assignments—to secure a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-exempt work permit before arrival. By removing that step, IRCC estimates it will save employers several weeks in lead time and spare border officers thousands of discretionary work-permit issuances during the tournament’s peak travel window.
![Canada Waives Work Permit for FIFA-Invited Foreign Nationals Ahead of 2026 World Cup]()
Corporate mobility managers should instruct vendors and travelling staff that the exemption is not automatic at the airport: travellers must carry proof of their FIFA invitation and be prepared to demonstrate that their activities fall within designated roles. Airlines will continue to verify that passport validity, eTA or visa requirements and vaccination documentation (where relevant) remain in order. Family members and support staff who are not on the official list must still follow the standard work-permit or visitor-visa process.
Canada is not acting in isolation. The United States, which will stage the majority of World Cup matches, launched a special “FIFA Pass” this week to accelerate visa appointments for accredited personnel. Coordinated facilitation between the two co-hosts is expected to reduce cross-border friction for teams and media moving between venues. Businesses supplying event infrastructure—everything from temporary IT networks to hospitality services—should review the policy closely; staff with purely spectator-facing roles (e.g., food-and-beverage concessions) are not covered and will still need proper work authorisation.
For global mobility programmes, the takeaway is clear: plan candidate rosters now, confirm they are on FIFA’s master list and keep invitation letters on hand. The work-permit waiver is generous but narrow; proactive document control will be critical to avoid last-minute refusals at the port of entry.
In a temporary public policy published on 19 November 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) confirmed that certain individuals formally invited by FIFA will be allowed to enter and work in Canada without first obtaining a work permit. The measure covers the period from 1 December 2025 through 31 July 2026 and applies to two linked events: the 76th FIFA Congress in Toronto (May 2026) and Canada’s co-hosting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (June-July 2026). Eligible travellers include match referees, broadcast crews, team-support personnel, event contractors and selected volunteers whose names appear on an authenticated FIFA invitation list.
Ottawa says the waiver will prevent processing bottlenecks and ensure stadiums, fan zones and ancillary venues are fully staffed. Current rules would normally require most foreign workers—even for short-term assignments—to secure a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-exempt work permit before arrival. By removing that step, IRCC estimates it will save employers several weeks in lead time and spare border officers thousands of discretionary work-permit issuances during the tournament’s peak travel window.
Corporate mobility managers should instruct vendors and travelling staff that the exemption is not automatic at the airport: travellers must carry proof of their FIFA invitation and be prepared to demonstrate that their activities fall within designated roles. Airlines will continue to verify that passport validity, eTA or visa requirements and vaccination documentation (where relevant) remain in order. Family members and support staff who are not on the official list must still follow the standard work-permit or visitor-visa process.
Canada is not acting in isolation. The United States, which will stage the majority of World Cup matches, launched a special “FIFA Pass” this week to accelerate visa appointments for accredited personnel. Coordinated facilitation between the two co-hosts is expected to reduce cross-border friction for teams and media moving between venues. Businesses supplying event infrastructure—everything from temporary IT networks to hospitality services—should review the policy closely; staff with purely spectator-facing roles (e.g., food-and-beverage concessions) are not covered and will still need proper work authorisation.
For global mobility programmes, the takeaway is clear: plan candidate rosters now, confirm they are on FIFA’s master list and keep invitation letters on hand. The work-permit waiver is generous but narrow; proactive document control will be critical to avoid last-minute refusals at the port of entry.
