The employer pays the government fees. The worker pays their own application costs. And nobody should be charging the worker a recruitment fee.
What the employer pays
Under an LMIA: $1,000 per position, plus the cost of the advertising campaign.
Under an LMIA-exempt route such as Francophone Mobility: a $230 employer compliance fee, submitted with the offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal.
These are not passed on. Recovering the LMIA fee from a worker is prohibited.
What the worker pays
Their own work permit application fee, biometrics, and any medical examination or police certificate required. These are personal application costs, and normal.
What nobody should be paying
Recruitment fees charged to workers are prohibited under provincial employment standards legislation across Canada, and they are the defining feature of recruitment fraud in this sector.
A worker who is asked to pay for a job offer, for placement, or for "processing" is being defrauded. This happens frequently in international recruitment, and the people targeted are often those least able to absorb the loss.
Why employers should care
Beyond the legal exposure, a worker who arrives having paid thousands to a middleman arrives in debt, under pressure, and with a poor first impression of their employer. Retention suffers.
How to check
Ask any platform or agency directly what candidates pay. A clear answer is a good sign. Evasion is not.
FrancoBridge charges employers a published flat rate per posting. Candidates are never charged, at any stage.
This is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Provincial rules vary. Consult a licensed professional.