What is an LMIA?

The Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is Canada’s primary mechanism for ensuring that hiring a foreign worker does not negatively impact Canadian workers. Before most Canadian employers can hire a Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW), they must apply to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for an LMIA.

The LMIA process requires employers to demonstrate that:

• They have made genuine efforts to recruit a Canadian citizen or permanent resident for the position
• No qualified Canadian workers were available for the role
• The employment of a foreign worker will not negatively affect Canadian employment opportunities
• Wages and working conditions meet or exceed provincial standards

📌 Positive vs Negative LMIA

A positive LMIA approves the employer’s application — the foreign worker can then use it to apply for a work permit. A negative LMIA means the application was rejected and the employer cannot hire a foreign worker for that position under that application.

Who needs an LMIA?

Most Canadian employers who want to hire a foreign worker through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) must obtain an LMIA. However, some work permit categories are LMIA-exempt.

Requires an LMIA (TFWP)

• Employers hiring foreign workers for most skilled and semi-skilled occupations
• Employers in agriculture hiring through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP)
• Employers seeking tech workers outside the Global Talent Stream
• Any employer offering an employer-specific (closed) work permit not covered by exemptions

LMIA-Exempt (International Mobility Program)

• Intra-company transferees
• Workers under CUSMA/USMCA trade agreement categories
• Workers under CETA (Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement)
• Significant benefit to Canada positions (researchers, artists, athletes)
• Reciprocal employment (International Experience Canada / Working Holiday)
• Open work permits (spouses, graduates, refugee claimants)

LMIA streams explained

ESDC administers several different LMIA streams, each designed for a specific type of employment situation. The stream you apply under determines processing times, requirements, and employer obligations.

Stream	Who it’s for	Processing	Key requirement
High-Wage Stream	Positions at or above provincial median wage	2–5 months	Transition plan required for most employers
Low-Wage Stream	Positions below provincial median wage	2–5 months	Cap on % of TFW workforce (10–20%)
Global Talent Stream	Tech & highly-skilled roles	2 weeks	Employer must be referred or on eligible list
Agricultural Stream	Primary agriculture employers	Seasonal	Agriculture-specific compliance requirements
SAWP	Seasonal agricultural workers (Mexico, Caribbean)	Seasonal	Bilateral agreement countries only
In-Home Caregiver	Home child care & home support workers	2–4 months	NOC 44100/44101 only

⚡ Global Talent Stream — the fast track

The Global Talent Stream offers a 2-week processing standard — by far the fastest LMIA stream. It’s designed for technology and highly-skilled positions at qualifying employers. Eligible job titles include software engineers, data scientists, product managers, and more. Employers must be referred by a designated partner organization or appear on the eligible occupation list.

The LMIA application process

The LMIA process is initiated by the employer, not the foreign worker. Here is a step-by-step overview of how the process works from start to finish.

1. Employer advertises the position
   • The employer must post the job on Job Bank Canada and at least 2 other recruitment channels for a minimum of 4 weeks, documenting all applications received and why Canadian candidates were not selected.
2. Employer submits LMIA application to ESDC
   • Using the appropriate LMIA application form (EMP5626 for high-wage, EMP5627 for low-wage), the employer submits the application along with recruitment evidence, job offer details, and a $1,000 CAD application fee (per position).
3. ESDC reviews the application
   • ESDC assesses the employer’s recruitment efforts, wage compliance, working conditions, and labour market impact. They may contact the employer for additional information during this stage.
4. ESDC issues a decision
   • If approved, ESDC issues a positive LMIA document — typically a letter to the employer confirming approval, the position details, and the number of workers approved. This document is valid for 18 months.
5. Employer shares LMIA with foreign worker
   • The employer provides the foreign worker with a copy of the positive LMIA and a job offer letter. The worker uses these documents to apply for an employer-specific work permit through IRCC.
6. IRCC processes the work permit application
   • The foreign worker applies for their work permit. IRCC makes the final decision on admissibility and eligibility. A positive LMIA does not guarantee approval of the work permit application.

LMIA processing time in 2026

Processing times vary significantly by stream and are updated regularly by ESDC. As of 2026:

• Global Talent Stream: 2 weeks (service standard)
• High-Wage Stream: 8–16 weeks (varies by demand)
• Low-Wage Stream: 8–20 weeks
• Agricultural Stream / SAWP: Seasonal — apply well in advance
• In-Home Caregiver Stream: 8–14 weeks

Always check ESDC’s official processing time tracker for current estimates: canada.ca/lmia-processing-times

💡 Tip for immigration professionals

Advise clients to factor in LMIA processing time when planning their immigration timeline. For work permit extensions tied to LMIA renewals, employers should apply at least 4–5 months before the current permit expires.

How much does an LMIA cost?

The standard LMIA application fee is $1,000 CAD per position. This fee is non-refundable, regardless of whether the application is approved or denied.

Exceptions — no fee required

• Primary agriculture positions (Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program)
• Positions where the offered wage is in the top 10th percentile nationally
• Live-in caregivers in some circumstances (check current ESDC guidance)
• Positions in certain Northern and remote areas designated by ESDC

Employers are legally prohibited from recovering or deducting the LMIA application fee from the foreign worker’s wages.

LMIA and Express Entry — how they connect (Updated April 2026)

Historically, a valid job offer supported by a positive LMIA could significantly boost a foreign worker’s chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) under Express Entry. However, as of March 2025, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) removed all Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points for job offers.

Currently, an LMIA-backed job offer provides:

• 0 CRS points: For all TEER 0, 1, 2, and 3 positions (including Senior Manager roles).

While IRCC has outlined intentions in its 2026–27 Departmental Plan to eventually reintroduce job offer points, no new point values have been implemented yet. When points do return, they are expected to be heavily restricted to specific high-wage occupations, regulated professionals in high demand (like healthcare), and targeted skilled trades, rather than applying to all TEER 0–3 roles.

Because these points are no longer active, securing an LMIA-backed job offer will not directly increase a candidate’s CRS score today. For clients with scores below the typical cutoff, the most impactful strategic moves are now securing a Provincial Nomination (PNP) for a +600 point boost or maximizing language proficiency scores (CLB 9+).be the most impactful strategic move available.

✓ Finding LMIA-backed job offers with JobMaze

JobMaze helps RCICs identify LMIA-approved and LMIA-eligible employers across all provinces. Search by NOC code, TEER level, and province to find the strongest job offer opportunities for your Express Entry clients.

Search LMIA Jobs on JobMaze

How to find LMIA jobs for your clients

For immigration consultants and recruiters, the challenge isn’t understanding what an LMIA is — it’s finding the right current LMIA job opportunities for specific clients. Manual research is slow and fragmented. Here’s where to look:

• JobMaze.ca— The dedicated LMIA job board for immigration professionals. Searchable by province, NOC, TEER, industry, wage, and LMIA status. Updated daily. Start searching free →
• ESDC LMIA public data— ESDC publishes quarterly disclosure data on positive LMIAs issued. Useful for research but not formatted for live job searching.
• Job Bank Canada— Government-run job board where employers are required to post during the LMIA recruitment period. Some LMIA positions are flagged directly.
• Direct employer outreach— Identify employers with LMIA history (available through JobMaze’s employer database) and contact them directly about current hiring needs.