Employers must get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from the government before hiring foreign workers (LMO). An LMIA is awarded when a Canadian firm cannot find a local worker. Advertising employment in Canada and hiring Canadians shows that applicants are unqualified.
Employment and Social Development Canada will approve the LMIA if an employer applies. A valid LMIA, or "confirmation letter," affirms the requirement to hire a foreign worker. The potential employee can apply for a work permit with a job offer letter, contract, LMIA copy, and number after the business receives it.
2022 LMIA Canada Regulations
2021 saw minor LMIA process adjustments! The new LMIA system classifies jobs as high-wage or low-wage. If the remuneration is below the median wage in the province where the job will be performed, it is low-wage.
LMIA requests cost $1000 per worker, up from $275 for LMOs.
LMIA Rules
High-Wage Employment
All Canadian employers hiring high-paid foreign workers at or above the provincial/territorial median hourly rate must have a transition plan.
Schedule C of the lmia for express entry is the Transition Plan. The Transition Plan is an employer's commitment to TFWs' occupation and work location.
Low-Wage Hiring
An LMIA does not require a Transition Plan for low-wage hires. A business can only hire so many low-wage workers, unlike high-wage ones.
Canadian firms with more than 10 employees will be limited to 10% low-wage temporary immigrant labor.
Canadian firms will have two years to adjust to this cap.
Hiring an LMIA:
Temporary foreign workers can cover labor and skill gaps under the TFWP. Give each temporary foreign worker a copy of the LMIA confirmation letter and advise them to apply for a work permit.
Hiring Without LMIA
IMP allows you to hire temporary foreign workers without an LMIA. This program requires you to pay employees.
employer compliance fee
offer employment using the Employer Portal LMIA Processing Time
In 2021, Canada received many LMIA applications, which could delay processing, notably in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
To estimate application review time, below are recent LMIA stream processing times:
Avg. Processing Time
Global Talent Stream* 8 business days
Agriculture 13 days
SAWP
Weekdays
Permanent Residence 17 days
Homecare
13 workdays
High-Wage 33 days
Low-Wage 29 days
Global Talent Stream and expedited applications have an 80% service standard of 10-business days. The business day after application receipt is the service standard date.
Visit our page for more Canada Visa Processing Times.
After An LMIA is Approved, What Is the Next Step?
After your LMIA application is granted, send the foreign worker this letter and Annex A. Foreign workers can then apply for work permits! Work permit processing periods vary by application location.
Worker permits require
a contract, LMIA, and job offer letter
Canadian Work Permits.
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