Last Updated:October 13, 2026
Supervised by Yuki Shiraishi (Immigration Consultant)
What Is an LMIA?
LMIA stands for Labour Market Impact Assessment, a document that a Canadian employer obtains from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) before hiring a foreign worker. If no Canadian citizen or permanent resident can be found for the position, ESDC determines that there is a need to hire a foreign national and issues a positive LMIA letter to the employer. With a positive LMIA letter, a work permit application can be made.
Types of LMIA
High and Low Wage LMIA
Hire temporary foreign workers in a wide range of occupations on a temporary basis.
LMIA to Support Permanent Residence Applications
Hire skilled workers and support their permanent residence applications.
Global Talent Stream LMIA
Hire carefully selected talent with unique skills or in-demand talent to expand and grow the business.
Caregiver LMIA
Hire foreign workers to care for children, seniors, or people who need medical care.
Agricultural LMIA
Hire temporary foreign agricultural workers for occupations and activities related to primary agriculture.
LMIA-REP
A 3-year pilot program: employers using REP receive benefits such as a simplified LMIA process and extended validity of approved LMIAs. For details, please see this link: LMIA-REP
Low-Wage LMIA Application Restrictions
No Low-Wage LMIAs in CMAs with an Unemployment Rate of 6% or Higher
LMIA applications for low-wage positions are not processed in census metropolitan areas (CMAs) with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher. The rates below apply to LMIA applications submitted from October 9, 2026, to January 7, 2027, and are updated every three months.
| Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) | Unemployment Rate (October 9, 2026, to January 7, 2027) |
|---|---|
| St. John’s (NL) | 6.4% |
| Halifax (NS) | 6.1% |
| Moncton (NB) | 8.1% |
| Saint John (NB) | 5.5% |
| Fredericton (NB) | 6.2% |
| Saguenay (QC) | 3.7% |
| Québec (QC) | 4.3% |
| Sherbrooke (QC) | 4.2% |
| Trois-Rivières (QC) | 5.7% |
| Drummondville (QC) | 3.8% |
| Montréal (QC) | 7.2% |
| Ottawa-Gatineau (ON/QC) | 7.9% |
| Kingston (ON) | 6.3% |
| Belleville – Quinte West (ON) | 6.4% |
| Peterborough (ON) | 6.3% |
| Oshawa (ON) | 9.8% |
| Toronto (ON) | 7.5% |
| Hamilton (ON) | 7.4% |
| St. Catharines-Niagara (ON) | 6.5% |
| Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (ON) | 7.6% |
| Brantford (ON) | 6.3% |
| Guelph (ON) | 7.5% |
| London (ON) | 9.1% |
| Windsor (ON) | 7.9% |
| Barrie (ON) | 6.2% |
| Greater Sudbury (ON) | 6.2% |
| Thunder Bay (ON) | 4.6% |
| Winnipeg (MB) | 5.9% |
| Regina (SK) | 6.7% |
| Saskatoon (SK) | 6.5% |
| Lethbridge (AB) | 6.0% |
| Calgary (AB) | 6.4% |
| Red Deer (AB) | 6.9% |
| Edmonton (AB) | 7.6% |
| Kelowna (BC) | 8.6% |
| Kamloops (BC) | 3.6% |
| Chilliwack (BC) | 5.6% |
| Abbotsford-Mission (BC) | 7.6% |
| Vancouver (BC) | 7.0% |
| Victoria (BC) | 5.8% |
| Nanaimo (BC) | 6.6% |
Key Points of the LMIA Assessment
- The need for the position within the company
- The legitimacy of the requirements for the position
- The offered wage
- Working conditions
- Efforts to hire Canadians and permanent residents (job advertising required)
- The legitimacy of the job offer
- The economic contribution of the employment to Canada
- The employer’s suitability for hiring foreign workers
The General LMIA Application Process
01Identify the foreign candidate
The employer decides which staff member they want to support with a visa.
02Make a job offer
Give the staff member a job offer that includes the occupation, wage and employment conditions. Find a position that could realistically exist in the workplace and matches the staff member’s background, and offer at least the average wage for that occupation.
03Post local job advertisements
Post advertisements that meet ESDC’s requirements on multiple platforms for at least 4 weeks.
04Review applicants to the job advertisement
If no Canadian citizen or permanent resident who can be hired is found among the applicants, the employer can apply for an LMIA.
05Apply for the LMIA online
You fill in the application form and upload supporting documents on the online portal. Within a few days of applying, you will receive a request for the application fee, which you pay by credit card.
06Review by ESDC
After ESDC reviews the documents, there is often a telephone interview with the employer, in which they are asked to explain the application and clarify any unclear points.
07Positive LMIA letter issued
If the application is approved, a positive LMIA letter is issued. This letter is required for work permit and permanent residence applications, so the employer should give a copy of it to the staff member.
An LMIA Earns Extra Points in Express Entry
Express Entry is a points-based system in which education and work experience earn points. Canadian work experience of 1 year or more is scored as points when applying for permanent residence and is beneficial in the immigration process. With an LMIA, you are considered to have ‘a valid job offer in Canada’ in Express Entry, which adds 50 points and gives your permanent residence application an advantage.
[Latest Update]
LMIA points in Express Entry will be abolished in spring 2025.
Immigration Consultant
Yuki Shiraishi
Born in Japan. After earning a Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, she worked for six years in New York as a marketing consultant at a major travel agency, while also studying in an MBA program at the City University of New York. After returning to Japan, she managed the visa center of the same travel company, handling various international visa applications for foreign clients.
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