In many employer-driven cases, the Canadian employer must first complete the Labour Market Impact Assessment process before the worker applies for a work permit. The LMIA is not itself a work permit.
Who this route suits
Foreign workers with qualifying Canadian employers and employers recruiting for roles that require an LMIA.
What is an LMIA?
A Labour Market Impact Assessment is a document from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) that confirms a Canadian employer needed to hire a foreign worker because no Canadian citizen or permanent resident was available for the job.
The employer's role
The employer initiates the LMIA process. They must advertise the position, demonstrate recruitment efforts, and meet wage and working conditions requirements. The LMIA is addressed to the specific employer and role.
After a positive LMIA
Once an employer obtains a positive LMIA, the worker can apply for an employer-specific work permit. The permit ties the worker to that employer, role, and location.
Important to know
Separate the employer's LMIA stage from the worker's permit application.
Frequently asked questions
- How long does an LMIA take?
- Processing times vary by stream and priority. Standard LMIA applications can take weeks or months. High-wage, low-wage, agricultural, and in-home caregiver streams have different processing channels.
- Can I change jobs on an LMIA work permit?
- No. An LMIA-based permit is employer-specific. Changing employers requires a new work permit application and, in most cases, a new LMIA.
Check before you apply. General information only. Requirements, fees, and occupation lists change. The relevant authority makes the final decision on every application. Confirm current requirements with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
Related routes
Working in a regulated profession in Canada?
A visa does not give permission to practise a regulated profession. Registration is a separate process.