“LMIA job” is one of the most searched phrases among people hoping to work in Canada, and one of the most abused by fraudsters. The Labour Market Impact Assessment sits at the centre of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program, and understanding it is the best protection you have.
This guide explains what an LMIA is, how the rules stand in late 2026 after two years of tightening, what a genuine employer must provide and what you have to do yourself.
Read also: How to Work as a Nurse in Canada With a Foreign Qualification: Registration, Exams and Immigration
What an LMIA is
An LMIA is a document a Canadian employer obtains from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) before hiring a foreign worker. A positive LMIA confirms that there is a real need for the worker and that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available for the job.
Three points are often misunderstood:
- The employer applies, not you. A worker cannot apply for or buy an LMIA
- An LMIA is not a work permit. It is the employer’s permission to hire. You still apply for your own work permit to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
- It is tied to one employer, one job and one location. The resulting work permit only allows you to do that job for that employer
Who pays
The employer pays a processing fee of CAD $1,000 for each position requested. Canadian rules state that the employer cannot recover this fee from the worker. Employers and recruiters acting for them are also forbidden from charging workers recruitment fees, directly or indirectly, and doing so leads to a refused application.
If anyone asks you to pay for an LMIA, whether it is described as a processing fee, a deposit, a legal fee or a “refundable guarantee”, the arrangement is illegal. Selling LMIAs is one of the most common immigration frauds involving Canada.
The streams
| Stream | Who it covers |
|---|---|
| High-wage | Jobs paying at or above the provincial wage threshold |
| Low-wage | Jobs paying below the threshold |
| Primary agriculture | Farm work, including the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program for certain countries |
| Global Talent Stream | Specialised technology and other highly skilled roles, with fast processing |
| Caregivers | In-home care for children, seniors or people with medical needs |
| Permanent residence support | Skilled workers whose job offer supports an immigration application |
High-wage or low-wage: the 2026 thresholds
The stream depends on how the offered wage compares with a threshold set for each province. Since late 2024 the threshold has been the provincial median hourly wage plus 20 percent, which pushed many more jobs into the low-wage stream. New figures took effect on 17 July 2026.
| Province | Threshold from 17 July 2026 (per hour) |
|---|---|
| Ontario | $36.92 |
| British Columbia | $38.40 |
| Alberta | $37.50 |
| Quebec | $36.00 |
Other provinces and territories have their own figures, published on the ESDC website. The distinction matters because the low-wage stream comes with many more restrictions on the employer, and more protections for you.
Restrictions on low-wage hiring
- Refusal to process in high-unemployment cities. ESDC will not process low-wage LMIA applications for jobs located in a census metropolitan area where the unemployment rate is 6 percent or higher. The list of affected cities is updated every quarter and has included several of Canada’s largest urban areas
- A cap on numbers. In most sectors, no more than 10 percent of the workforce at a location can be temporary foreign workers in low-wage positions. Construction, food manufacturing, hospitals and residential care have a 20 percent cap
- Shorter permits. Low-wage positions are generally approved for up to one year at a time
- Advertising first. The employer must advertise the job on the national Job Bank and through at least two other methods for a minimum of eight weeks before applying
The practical effect is that genuine low-wage LMIA jobs are now concentrated in rural areas and smaller towns, and in agriculture, food processing, health care and construction. An “LMIA job” as a cashier or warehouse worker in Toronto or Vancouver should be treated with great suspicion.
What a low-wage employer must provide
These obligations are part of the program requirements, and they tell you what a real offer looks like:
- Return transportation. The employer pays for your travel to Canada and back to your home country at the end, and cannot deduct it from your wages
- Suitable and affordable housing. The employer must provide housing or make sure it is available. Affordable means costing less than 30 percent of your before-tax income
- Health insurance. Private emergency medical cover from your first day until you qualify for the provincial health plan, at the employer’s expense
- A signed employment contract on or before your first day, matching the wage, duties and conditions in the LMIA
- The prevailing wage for the occupation and region, reviewed annually
- Workplace safety insurance
High-wage employers have fewer obligations of this kind, though they must still pay the prevailing wage and, in many cases, set out a plan for reducing their reliance on foreign workers over time.
From job offer to work permit
- The employer advertises and applies for the LMIA. Processing takes from a couple of weeks for the Global Talent Stream to several months for other streams.
- You receive the documents. The employer sends you a copy of the positive LMIA decision letter, which carries an LMIA number, together with a signed job offer and contract.
- You apply for a work permit online through your IRCC account. The fee is CAD $155, plus $85 for biometrics.
- You provide supporting evidence: passport, proof that you meet the job requirements such as qualifications and reference letters, and police certificates and a medical examination where required.
- IRCC decides. The officer must be satisfied that you can do the job and that you will leave Canada when your authorised stay ends.
- You travel and receive the work permit at the port of entry.
A positive LMIA does not guarantee a permit. Applications are refused when the officer doubts that the applicant has the experience claimed or doubts the genuineness of the offer. Honest, well-documented work history is essential.
How to check an offer is real
- Ask for the LMIA decision letter and check that the employer name, job title, wage and location match your contract
- Look up the employer. A genuine business has a physical address, a working phone number and a registration you can find in the federal or provincial corporate registry
- Search Job Bank. Low-wage and high-wage employers must have advertised the role there
- Check the list of non-compliant employers published by the Government of Canada, which names businesses that have been fined or banned from the program
- Check the representative. If a consultant is involved, confirm they are licensed by the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, or are a lawyer in good standing with a provincial law society
- Never pay for the job. You pay only your own government fees, directly to IRCC through your own account
Your rights once you are working
Temporary foreign workers are covered by the same employment standards as Canadians in their province: minimum wage, overtime, rest periods and a safe workplace. Your employer cannot hold your passport or work permit, cannot make you repay recruitment costs and cannot punish you for reporting a problem.
If you are being abused or are at risk of abuse, you can apply for an open work permit for vulnerable workers, which lets you leave that employer and work for another. Complaints can be made confidentially through the Service Canada tip line.
Does it lead to permanent residence?
The program is temporary, but Canadian work experience is valuable. After a year of skilled work you may qualify for the Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry, and many Provincial Nominee Programs have streams for workers already employed in the province. Lower-skilled workers have fewer options and depend mainly on provincial or sector-specific pilots. Ask the employer at the outset whether it has supported previous workers through a provincial nomination.
Work permits that do not need an LMIA
Some workers come through the International Mobility Program, which is exempt from the LMIA. Examples are intra-company transferees, French-speaking workers going to communities outside Quebec, spouses of certain skilled workers and students, and graduates of Canadian institutions on post-graduation work permits. If you fit one of these categories, the process is usually quicker and cheaper for the employer.
Related guides
- How to Verify a Job Offer From Abroad: 12 Checks Before You Pay or Travel
- How to Work as a Nurse in Canada With a Foreign Qualification: Registration, Exams and Immigration
- How to Write a CV and Cover Letter for Jobs Abroad: Country-by-Country Rules and Examples
Official sources
- Government of Canada: Temporary Foreign Worker Program
- ESDC: high-wage and low-wage positions and wage thresholds
- Employers who have been found non-compliant
- Job Bank
Figures were checked in October 2026. Wage thresholds, caps and the list of regions where low-wage applications are not processed are updated during the year, so confirm the current rules on Canada.ca. This article is general information and not immigration advice.
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