Yes. There is no minimum company size, no revenue threshold, and no requirement to have hired internationally before.
What actually varies by size
Not eligibility. Capacity. A large employer has an HR department, an immigration budget, and someone whose job includes this. A three-location franchise operator has none of that.
So the practical question is not whether you can, but which route a small business can realistically manage.
Where the LMIA route strains
$1,000 per position is a meaningful cost when you are filling two roles. Advertising nationally, documenting every applicant, and waiting months is a burden a small operator absorbs personally.
And since 2024 the low-wage stream has tightened further: applications are not processed in cities with unemployment at 6% or above, the workforce cap fell to 10%, and permits were shortened to one year.
Where an exemption fits better
Francophone Mobility requires no advertising and no labour market assessment. The employer's part is an offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal and a $230 compliance fee — usually completed in a single sitting.
For a small employer, that difference matters more than the fee.
The obligations do not scale down
Small businesses carry the same responsibilities: provide the job as described, keep records for six years, cooperate with inspections. Being small is not a defence.
The real constraint
Sourcing. A small employer has no candidate pipeline and no recruitment function. That is the gap, and it is the one worth solving first.
FrancoBridge publishes your job to French-speaking candidates in six markets from $60, with no placement fees.
This explains how public programs work and is not immigration advice.