LMIA guide
What is an LMIA in Canada?
An LMIA — a Labour Market Impact Assessment — is a document a Canadian employer gets from Employment and Social Development Canada before hiring a temporary foreign worker. A positive LMIA confirms that hiring the worker will not negatively affect the Canadian labour market, and that you genuinely tried to hire Canadians first.
Who needs an LMIA?
Most employers hiring under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) need a positive LMIA. That includes restaurants hiring cooks, construction firms hiring tradespeople, trucking companies hiring drivers, farms hiring seasonal labour, and care homes hiring personal support workers. Positions under the International Mobility Program are LMIA-exempt.
How the LMIA process works
- 1. Advertise the job. Advertise the job for the required period using Job Bank and the additional recruitment methods required for the applicable LMIA stream.
- 2. Build the application. Business legitimacy documents, the job offer, the prevailing wage, and a full recruitment record.
- 3. Submit and pay. The LMIA application fee is $1,000 per position, submitted through the LMIA Online Portal.
- 4. Officer review. A Service Canada officer may call to verify your business and your recruitment efforts.
- 5. Work permit. With a positive LMIA, your worker applies to IRCC for a work permit.
Common questions
What does LMIA stand for?+
LMIA stands for Labour Market Impact Assessment. It is a decision issued by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) through Service Canada.
What is an LMIA in Canada used for?+
A positive LMIA shows there is a genuine need for a foreign worker and that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available for the job. The worker uses that positive LMIA to apply for a Canadian work permit.
Who applies for the LMIA — the employer or the worker?+
The employer applies for the LMIA. The worker then applies for the work permit using the positive LMIA and a job offer letter.
What is an LMIA-exempt work permit?+
Some work permits fall under the International Mobility Program and do not require an LMIA, such as intra-company transfers, CUSMA professionals, and certain francophone mobility streams.
Need help with your LMIA application?
We prepare Labour Market Impact Assessments for small and medium-sized Canadian businesses. Flat fee, quoted before we start.