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Migration Overseas
LMIA Process
Complete guide to Canada's Labour Market Impact Assessment. Understand the employer sponsorship process, LMIA requirements, and how to transition to permanent residence.
The Labour Market Impact Assessment explained
The Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a process through which Canadian employers can demonstrate that they need to hire a temporary foreign worker because no Canadian citizens or permanent residents are available to fill the position. A positive LMIA allows employers to hire international workers on work permits.
For the worker, a positive LMIA is the basis for an employer-specific work permit. The LMIA itself earns no CRS points, but the skilled Canadian work experience gained on that permit can later earn CRS points and support a Canadian Experience Class or provincial nominee application.
Canadian employers initiate LMIA applications. You cannot apply yourself. Your Canadian employer must sponsor you.
Employers must pay a non-refundable $1,000 fee per LMIA application per position. ESDC states that the fee can't be paid by, or recovered from, the temporary foreign worker.
A positive LMIA lets the employer hire you and supports your work permit application. It adds no CRS points; your later Canadian work experience can.
Categories that don't require LMIA
Some work permits don't require a positive LMIA. These include:
Different LMIA streams for different needs
| LMIA Type | Salary | CRS from LMIA | Avg. Time (ESDC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-Wage | At/above median wage + 20% | None | 98 business days (Sept 2026) |
| Low-Wage | Below that threshold (at least prevailing wage) | None | 82 business days (Sept 2026) |
| Global Talent | Prevailing wage; Category A or B | None | 9 business days (Sept 2026) |
| Agricultural | Prevailing wage | None | 22 business days (Sept 2026) |
| Caregiver | Prevailing wage | None | Not listed separately by ESDC |
Hourly wage that separates high-wage from low-wage LMIAs, set by ESDC as the provincial or territorial median wage plus 20%
| Province or Territory | LMIAs Received From 17 July 2026 | 27 June 2025 to 16 July 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | CAD 37.50 | CAD 36.00 |
| British Columbia | CAD 38.40 | CAD 36.60 |
| Manitoba | CAD 31.33 | CAD 30.16 |
| New Brunswick | CAD 31.73 | CAD 30.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | CAD 33.60 | CAD 32.40 |
| Northwest Territories | CAD 48.00 | CAD 48.00 |
| Nova Scotia | CAD 31.96 | CAD 30.00 |
| Nunavut | CAD 45.00 | CAD 42.00 |
| Ontario | CAD 36.92 | CAD 36.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | CAD 31.20 | CAD 30.00 |
| Quebec | CAD 36.00 | CAD 34.62 |
| Saskatchewan | CAD 34.62 | CAD 33.60 |
| Yukon | CAD 45.60 | CAD 44.40 |
A job paid at or above the threshold goes through the high-wage stream. A job paid below it goes through the low-wage stream. Every LMIA must still pay at least the prevailing wage. Processing times in the table above are ESDC averages in business days for September 2026 (page updated 7 October 2026) and change from month to month. Source: ESDC wage-threshold and processing-time pages.
ESDC list for applications submitted from 9 October 2026 to 7 January 2027
ESDC does not process low-wage LMIA applications, meaning those that pay below the provincial threshold, when the work location is in a census metropolitan area (CMA) with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher at the time of submission. ESDC updates the list every three months from Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey data. The next update is due on 8 January 2027. The unemployment rate ESDC lists for this period is shown in brackets.
Still eligible: primary agriculture occupations; construction (NAICS 23), food manufacturing (NAICS 311), hospitals (NAICS 622) and nursing and residential care (NAICS 623); specific in-home caregiver positions in a private household (NOC 31301, 32101, 44100 and 44101); positions that support permanent residence only; and short-duration positions of generally 120 calendar days or less, which need a written exemption request. A work location in a census agglomeration that is not a CMA also remains eligible. Source: ESDC refusal to process list.
How CRS points work for LMIA workers from 3 November 2026
No CRS points from the LMIA: Job offer points were removed on 25 March 2025. Since 3 November 2026, Express Entry job offers no longer need an LMIA, and an LMIA adds nothing on its own.
Canadian experience earns points later: Skilled work in Canada on the LMIA permit scores 40 to 80 points for one to five or more years (35 to 70 with a spouse), plus 20, 40 or 70 points after 12 months in an occupation paying 1.3, 1.5 or 2 times the median wage. One year of skilled Canadian work can also open the Canadian Experience Class.
High-wage job offer, no LMIA: From 3 November 2026, a job offer in an occupation on IRCC's high-wage list earns 50, 70 or 100 points. You get points for either Canadian experience or the job offer, never both, up to 150 (140 with a spouse). The CRS maximum is 1,270.
Typical sequence: LMIA, work permit, 12 months of skilled work in Canada, then Express Entry (Canadian Experience Class) or a provincial nominee application. See our November 2026 CRS guide.
How employers apply for and obtain LMIA approval
You must receive a genuine job offer from a Canadian employer. The job offer must include position details, salary, duties, and employment duration.
Your employer submits an LMIA application to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). They must pay the $1,000 non-refundable fee.
Employers must prove they advertised the position to Canadian citizens and permanent residents first. This typically involves 4 weeks of job posting.
ESDC reviews the application, recruitment efforts, and justification for hiring a foreign worker. ESDC's published averages for September 2026 run from 9 business days (Global Talent Stream) to 98 business days (high-wage stream).
ESDC issues either a positive or negative LMIA. If positive, you can now apply for a work permit.
Using the positive LMIA, you apply for a work permit to IRCC. Include the LMIA letter, job offer, passport, and police certificates.
What employers must submit with LMIA application
Fastest processing: 9 business days on average in September 2026. Like every LMIA stream, it earns no CRS points by itself.
Average processing: 98 business days in September 2026. Pay must be at or above the provincial threshold, with a transition plan. No CRS points from the LMIA itself.
Average processing: 82 business days in September 2026. Capped at 10% of the workforce (20% in named sectors) and refused for work locations in the 30 metropolitan areas listed above (6% or higher unemployment). No CRS points.
Understanding why applications get denied
Failed to demonstrate genuine recruitment efforts to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
Canadian citizens or PRs applied and were equally or more qualified. ESDC concluded the position could be filled by a Canadian worker.
Offered salary is below prevailing wage for the region and position.
ESDC determined hiring a foreign worker would negatively impact Canadian workers' employment opportunities.
Application contains false or misleading information. Can result in employer bans.
Employer has history of violating LMIA terms or employing workers beyond agreement scope.
Where to search for employer-sponsored positions
Job Boards with LMIA Opportunities:
Common questions about LMIA process and work permits
The employer pays the $1,000 LMIA fee. ESDC states that the fee can't be paid by, or recovered from, the temporary foreign worker, so an employer who asks you to reimburse it is not following the program rules. The fee is non-refundable even if denied.
No. Only Canadian employers can apply for LMIA. As a worker, you cannot initiate the process yourself. You need a genuine job offer from a Canadian employer willing to sponsor you.
A positive LMIA assessment letter is typically valid for 6 months. You must apply for your work permit within this period. If it expires, the employer must reapply, which costs another $1,000.
The work permit is tied to the employer specified in the LMIA application. If you want to change employers, you need a new job offer and a new LMIA (costing another $1,000).
Every LMIA must pay at least the prevailing wage. High-wage LMIAs pay at or above the provincial median wage plus 20% (for example CAD 36.92 an hour in Ontario for LMIAs received from 17 July 2026) and need a transition plan. Low-wage LMIAs are capped at 10% of the workforce (20% in named sectors) and refused for work locations in the 30 metropolitan areas where unemployment is 6% or more (list valid 9 October 2026 to 7 January 2027). Neither earns CRS points.
An LMIA adds no CRS points. It leads to a work permit, and after 12 months of skilled work in Canada you may qualify for the Canadian Experience Class. That experience earns CRS points (up to 150 for a single applicant). Separately, from 3 November 2026 a job offer in a high-wage occupation earns 50, 70 or 100 points with no LMIA; IRCC counts the higher of the two, not both.
If denied, you lose the $1,000 fee. Your employer can appeal (optional) or reapply with updated recruitment evidence. Many denials can be overturned with better documentation.
No, but it's highly recommended. You can stay and work in Canada indefinitely on work permits, but PR offers more benefits (healthcare, social benefits, ability to sponsor family, no employer dependency).
No. LMIA is not guaranteed. Even with strong recruitment efforts and justified salary, ESDC may deny the application if they determine it will negatively impact Canadian workers.
Our immigration specialists can help you connect with Canadian employers willing to sponsor LMIA applications and navigate the entire work permit to PR pathway.
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