The government fee is either $230 or $1,000 depending on the route. The total cost is larger than either number.
The LMIA route
$1,000 per position, paid to ESDC. Non-refundable, including if the application is refused.
Before that, you advertise nationally for the required period. Job board fees, plus the staff time to run the campaign and document every applicant.
The LMIA-exempt route
$230 employer compliance fee, submitted with the offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal. No advertising, so no advertising cost.
Francophone Mobility falls here, for French-speaking workers in positions outside Quebec.
Costs common to both
Recruitment. Finding a candidate is a cost whether it appears on an invoice or not — a recruitment agency charges a placement fee, often a percentage of first year salary. A job board charges a posting fee. Doing it yourself costs time.
Onboarding. Someone new to Canada needs more support in the first month than a local hire.
What the worker pays
Their own work permit application, biometrics, and any medical or police certificate. These are personal costs and normal.
What nobody should pay
Recruitment fees charged to the worker are prohibited across Canadian provinces. If a platform or agency charges candidates, that is the warning sign.
The number most employers underestimate
Time. Months of an unfilled position costs more than either government fee. That calculation is usually the one that decides the route.
FrancoBridge charges a published flat rate per posting, from $60. Candidates are never charged.
Fees change. Verify current amounts on canada.ca. This is not immigration advice.