LMIA — Labour Market Impact Assessment for Employers
A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is the employer-side approval that most Canadian work permits require — confirming no Canadian or permanent resident is available for the job before a foreign worker can be hired.
An LMIA is a document from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC/Service Canada) that an employer must obtain before hiring most foreign workers on an LMIA-based work permit. A positive LMIA confirms the job offer is genuine and that hiring a temporary foreign worker will not negatively affect the Canadian labour market. The employer pays a $1,000 CAD processing fee per position (never the worker), advertises the role on Job Bank for 4 weeks (high-wage) or 8 weeks (low-wage) plus at least 2 additional recruitment methods, and — for low-wage roles — must show targeted recruitment of youth aged 15-30. Some pathways (Global Talent Stream, intra-company transfers, C11 entrepreneurs) are LMIA-exempt entirely.
- Employer Fee
- $1,000 CAD per position, non-refundable
- Advertising Period
- 4 weeks (high-wage) / 8 weeks (low-wage)
- High/Low-Wage Split
- Provincial median wage + 20%
- Never Paid By
- The worker — employer pays 100%
- LMIA-Exempt Options
- GTS, ICT, C11 & more
Compare Other Programs
Other routes in this category that may fit your situation
Who Is This For?
- Employer: The job, wage, and working conditions are genuine and match exactly what is offered
- Employer: You have advertised the position and conducted genuine recruitment of Canadians and permanent residents first
- Employer: You can show that hiring a foreign worker will not have a negative impact on the Canadian labour market
- Employer: You are not on ESDC's list of ineligible or non-compliant employers
- Worker: You have a genuine, specific job offer from a Canadian employer tied to the LMIA application
- Worker: You meet the job's stated requirements (education, experience, licensing where applicable)
How It Works
- 1
Determine your wage stream
Compare the offered wage to your province or territory's median hourly wage plus 20% to see whether high-wage or low-wage rules apply.
- 2
Recruit and advertise
Post the job on Job Bank for the required period (4 or 8 weeks) plus at least 2 additional recruitment methods; low-wage roles also need youth-targeted outreach.
- 3
Submit the LMIA application
File with ESDC/Service Canada along with the $1,000 CAD per-position fee once requested.
- 4
Respond to any follow-up requests
ESDC may ask for payroll records, proof of recruitment, or a Labour Market Benefits Plan (high-wage streams).
- 5
Receive the LMIA decision
A positive LMIA lets the worker apply for their work permit; a negative one does not.
- 6
Apply for the work permit
The worker applies to IRCC with the positive LMIA as a required supporting document.
Why ITC iLand for This Program?
Since 1998, ITC iLand has guided employers and workers through the LMIA process — building compliant recruitment records, choosing the right wage stream, and avoiding the documentation gaps that trigger ESDC follow-up requests or refusals. Our licensed RCICs also know when an LMIA-exempt pathway is the faster, better fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
The processing fee is $1,000 CAD per position. It must be paid by the employer and can never be charged to the worker, directly or indirectly — that's a compliance violation. A narrow exemption exists for families hiring a foreign in-home caregiver for a child under 13, with household income of $150,000 or less.
The offered wage is compared to your province or territory's median hourly wage plus 20%. At or above that threshold, high-wage rules apply (4 weeks of advertising, a Labour Market Benefits Plan). Below it, low-wage rules apply (8 weeks of advertising, targeted youth recruitment, and caps on how many low-wage positions an employer can fill).
No. Several pathways are LMIA-exempt entirely, including the Global Talent Stream, intra-company transfers, and C11 entrepreneur work permits — they still require a genuine job offer and, for most, an offer of employment submitted through the Employer Portal, but skip the LMIA process itself.
It varies significantly by stream and province — check current estimates on our Processing Times tool. If your current work permit is expiring while your employer's LMIA is still pending, you may qualify for up to 90 days of continued work authorization under concurrent processing.
A negative LMIA means ESDC has determined the job doesn't meet the program's requirements and cannot support a work permit application on that basis. The employer can address the stated reasons and reapply, or explore whether an LMIA-exempt category fits the role instead.
There is Always A Way