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LMIA work permits

LMIA work permits3 min read
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This permit is part of theTemporary Foreign Worker Program· needs an LMIA

In one sentence. An LMIA is how an employer shows that hiring from abroad will not take a job a Canadian could fill. Here is how LMIA work permits work, what changed for low-wage jobs, your rights as a worker, and how it fits with permanent residence now.

If an employer has offered you a job in Canada and mentioned an "LMIA", you are looking at the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. It is the route where your employer does the first, heavy step: proving to the government that no Canadian or permanent resident was available. It can feel like a lot of paperwork happening out of your sight. This guide shows you each step, what your employer must pay and provide, and the rights you have from your very first day.

In one sentence: your employer applies to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for a Labour Market Impact Assessment, and with a positive LMIA you apply to IRCC for a work permit tied to that employer, that job and that location.

What an LMIA is

An LMIA is ESDC’s decision on whether hiring a foreign worker will have a positive or negative effect on Canada’s labour market. A positive LMIA confirms that no Canadian or permanent resident is available for the job. You then apply to IRCC with the LMIA letter and its Annex A. Many work permits need no LMIA at all: if you have an open work permit, or your job is exempt, you are in the International Mobility Program instead.

From job offer to work permit

  1. 01

    The employer recruits in Canada first

    For a high-wage job, the employer must advertise for at least 4 weeks in a row, within the 3 months before applying.

  2. 02

    The employer applies for the LMIA

    The fee is $1,000 for each position. It is not refunded, and it can never be paid by you or taken back from you.

  3. 03

    ESDC decides

    A positive LMIA confirms the employer can hire you for that job. The employer sends you the LMIA letter and Annex A.

  4. 04

    You apply for your work permit

    You apply to IRCC for an employer-specific permit, using the LMIA letter, Annex A and your job offer.

  5. 05

    You start work

    Your permit names your employer, your job and your work location, and you must work within those terms.

What your work permit shows

  1. 1The document number, at the top right.
  2. 2Your application number and unique client identifier (UCI).
  3. 3Your personal details. Check them against your passport.
  4. 4The expiry date. Apply to extend before it passes.
  5. 5For an employer-specific permit: your employer, occupation and work location.
  6. 6Your conditions, such as who you may work for and where.
  7. 7The permit itself says it does not let you re-enter Canada. To travel back, you may also need a visitor visa or eTA.
Illustration by Track Your App, not an official document. IRCC’s own sample is linked in the sources.

There is no LMIA fee for some jobs: caring for a person with medical needs in their home, caring for a child under 13 in a household earning $150,000 or less, and certain on-farm primary agriculture jobs.

High-wage or low-wage

ESDC sorts every LMIA by the wage. If the job pays at least the median hourly wage in its province or territory plus 20%, it is high-wage; below that, it is low-wage. The difference matters: a high-wage LMIA can support a permit of up to 3 years, and the employer needs a plan to transition to Canadian workers. A low-wage LMIA allows a maximum of 1 year, and the employer must pay your round-trip transportation and make sure affordable housing is available, costing less than 30% of your before-tax income.

Province or territoryHigh-wage from
Alberta$37.50
British Columbia$38.40
Manitoba$31.33
New Brunswick$31.73
Newfoundland and Labrador$33.60
Northwest Territories$48.00
Nova Scotia$31.96
Nunavut$45.00
Ontario$36.92
Prince Edward Island$31.20
Quebec$36.00
Saskatchewan$34.62
Yukon$45.60
The high-wage line by province and territory, per hour (ESDC, as of July 17, 2026)

The limits on low-wage jobs in 2026

  • A cap: low-wage foreign workers can make up no more than 10% of the workforce at a work location, or 20% in construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, and nursing and residential care.
  • No low-wage LMIAs in metropolitan areas with an unemployment rate of 6% or more. ESDC updates the list every quarter; the current one runs to January 7, 2027, and the next update is on January 8, 2027.
  • In Montréal and Laval, certain low-wage LMIAs are not processed until December 31, 2026.
  • Some jobs are exempt from these limits, including primary agriculture.
These limits apply to employers, not to people already working. If you hold a valid permit, it stays valid until it expires. They matter most when an employer is planning a new low-wage hire or a renewal.

The Global Talent Stream

For specialized and in-demand tech jobs, the Global Talent Stream is the fast lane: ESDC aims to process the LMIA in 10 business days, and IRCC aims to process the work permit in 2 weeks, each 80% of the time. Category A is for firms referred by a designated partner; Category B is for occupations on the Global Talent list. Employers commit to a Labour Market Benefits Plan.

Your rights as a worker

  • Your employer cannot take your passport, your work permit or any of your personal documents.
  • Your employer cannot make you pay to get or keep your job, or pay back recruitment fees. The only costs that are yours are your work permit, your medical exam and your biometrics.
  • You must get a signed employment agreement on or before your first day of work.
  • Your employer must pay for private emergency health insurance until your provincial or territorial coverage starts.
If you are being abused, or are at risk of abuse, in your job, you can apply from inside Canada for an open work permit for vulnerable workers, which lets you leave that employer. You can also report a problem in confidence to ESDC’s tip line at 1-866-602-9448.

LMIAs and permanent residence, after November 3, 2026

This changed recently. As of November 3, 2026, IRCC no longer requires an LMIA, or an LMIA exemption, for a job offer in Express Entry. Job offer points now sit inside a new Labour Market Integration factor, which awards points for an offer in a high-wage occupation (100, 70 or 50 points, depending on how far it is above the median wage), or points for Canadian work experience, but not both. Our guide to the 2026 CRS changes explains the new points in full. Some ESDC pages still mention "dual intent" LMIAs for Express Entry; follow IRCC’s criteria, which are the newer ones.

Frequently asked questions

Who pays for the LMIA?

The employer. The $1,000 fee for each position can never be paid by you or taken back from your wages. If anyone asks you to pay for an LMIA, that is a red flag.

Can I change employers on an LMIA work permit?

Not without a new permit. Your permit is tied to one employer, job and location. A new employer usually needs its own LMIA, or an LMIA exemption, before you can apply for a new permit.

Does the 10% cap mean I will lose my job?

No. The cap and the regional pause apply to new low-wage LMIA applications. A permit you already hold stays valid until its expiry date.

Does an LMIA job still help with Express Entry?

Since November 3, 2026, Express Entry job offers no longer need an LMIA. What earns points now is a job offer in a high-wage occupation, or your Canadian work experience, through the new Labour Market Integration factor.

Coming to work in Canada through an employer takes courage and trust. Know your rights, keep copies of your contract and pay slips, and remember that ESDC’s and IRCC’s own pages are the final word on the rules.

You don’t have to face the wait alone.

Thousands of people have shared their real timelines so the next person isn’t left guessing in the dark. Add yours, keep your own application and your family’s together in one place, and see a grounded estimate of how long your decision might take, drawn from people who are walking the same path.

  • Share your timeline and help the next applicant find their footing.
  • Track your own and your family’s applications together, in one calm place.
  • See a realistic estimate of your wait, based on people on the same journey.
Browse the tracker

It’s free, and what you track stays private to you. Sharing your timeline with the community is always your choice.

Key takeaways

  • Your employer applies to ESDC for an LMIA and pays $1,000 per position; that fee can never come from you.
  • A job paying below the provincial median wage plus 20% is low-wage: permits last up to a year and hiring is capped.
  • Since November 3, 2026, Express Entry job offers no longer need an LMIA.
Sources

Last reviewed: Nov 7, 2026

This is a plain-language summary of official IRCC information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules do change, so please confirm anything that affects you on canada.ca.
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