LMIA & Employer Services
An LMIA is an employer application, judged on the employer’s evidence. Recruitment records, wage justification and compliance history matter more than the candidate does.
Employer application to ESDC
Businesses hiring a foreign worker
Recruitment, wage and compliance history
Hiring foreign workers, compliantly
A Labour Market Impact Assessment is an assessment by Employment and Social Development Canada of whether hiring a foreign worker will have a positive, neutral or negative effect on the Canadian labour market. A positive assessment allows the worker to apply for an employer-specific work permit.
It is fundamentally an employer-side process. You must generally demonstrate genuine recruitment efforts aimed at Canadians and permanent residents, offer a wage consistent with the prevailing rate for the occupation and region, and satisfy requirements around working conditions and the genuineness of the business.
Employers also take on ongoing obligations. Employer compliance inspections can occur, and findings of non-compliance carry penalties including monetary fines and bans from the programme. Getting the file right at the outset is considerably cheaper than defending it later.
Who we act for
This is an employer-side process, judged on your recruitment records and compliance history rather than on the candidate. These are the situations we are usually brought into.
Not sure which one fits?
That is exactly what the free assessment answers, in writing, at no cost.
Small and medium businesses
Employers hiring their first foreign worker, who need the process explained and the file built correctly from scratch.
Employers retaining existing staff
Businesses converting a temporary worker into a longer-term hire, or supporting a permanent residence application.
Businesses facing a compliance review
Employers who need their records assessed against programme requirements before an inspection rather than during one.
Employers exploring exemptions
Not every hire needs an LMIA. We assess exemption categories before starting a process you may not need.
How we run an employer file
Exemption and stream analysis
We determine whether an LMIA is required at all, and if so which stream applies, the requirements differ substantially between them.
Recruitment planning
Advertising must meet specific requirements as to method, duration and content. We set the plan before recruitment starts, because it cannot be fixed retrospectively.
Wage and documentation review
Prevailing wage, job duties, business legitimacy and the transition plan where required are prepared and cross-checked.
Filing and compliance readiness
The application is submitted with a complete record, and we advise on the documentation you must retain in case of inspection.
Not sure this is the right route?
Send us your situation and Jagdeep Kailey, RCIC #R535381, will tell you which routes are realistically open to you. Free, and no obligation.
What ESDC assesses
- Genuine recruitment efforts that meet the advertising requirements for the stream
- A wage that meets or exceeds the prevailing rate for the occupation and region
- The genuineness of the job offer and of the business itself
- Working conditions consistent with Canadian standards for the occupation
- The employer's history of compliance with programme conditions
- Effects on the Canadian labour market, including any transition plan requirements
LMIA streams, advertising requirements, wage rules and processing standards are set by ESDC and revised regularly, sometimes substantially. We confirm current requirements before recruitment begins.
Get a free assessment
A written review of your situation, read personally by a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant. You will get an honest answer, including when the answer is not yet.
What we do for employers
Every file is handled personally by Jagdeep Kailey, RCIC #R535381. Here is where that makes a measurable difference on this route.
Exemption check first
Intra-company transfers and international agreement categories can remove the LMIA requirement entirely. We check before you spend on recruitment.
Recruitment done to specification
Advertising that does not meet the requirements cannot be corrected after the fact. We set the plan before you post.
Inspection readiness
We tell you what records to keep and for how long, so a compliance review is an administrative exercise rather than a crisis.
Worker and employer coordinated
We manage both sides of the transaction so the LMIA and the subsequent work permit application are consistent with each other.
Where employer applications fail
These are the problems we see most often in files that arrive after something has already gone wrong. Almost every one is preventable at the preparation stage.
Where these applications fail
- Advertising that does not meet the required method, duration or content standards
- A wage offer below the prevailing rate for the occupation and region
- Job duties written to fit a candidate rather than to describe the actual role
- Inadequate documentation of why Canadian applicants were not suitable
- Poor record-keeping, discovered only when an inspection begins
- Starting recruitment before confirming which stream and requirements apply
Frequently asked
Hover or tap any question to open it.
How long does an LMIA take?
Processing times vary considerably by stream and are published by ESDC. Recruitment must generally be completed before filing, so the full timeline is longer than the processing time alone. We build a realistic schedule at the outset.
Can I hire someone without an LMIA?
Sometimes. Intra-company transfers, international agreement categories, post-graduation work permit holders and open work permit holders can all be hired without one. We assess this first.
What happens in a compliance inspection?
You may be asked to demonstrate that you provided substantially the same wage, working conditions and occupation as offered, and to produce supporting records. Non-compliance findings carry penalties including fines and programme bans.
Does an LMIA lead to permanent residence for my worker?
Not directly, but it can support one. A qualifying job offer may affect an Express Entry ranking, and several provincial nominee streams are employer-driven. We advise on both together.
Do I need to advertise if I already have someone in mind?
In most streams, yes. Recruitment requirements apply regardless of whether you have a candidate, and the recruitment must be genuine. Skipping or performing it superficially is a common reason for refusal.
You may also need
Work Permits
Employer-specific and open work permits, extensions, and maintaining status while an application is pending.
Business Immigration & ICT
Intra-company transfers for businesses expanding into Canada, moving executives, managers and specialists.
Provincial Nominee Programs
Provinces nominate candidates who meet their own labour market needs, often at scores well below federal rounds.
Start with a free assessment
Tell us about your situation and Jagdeep Kailey, RCIC, will review it personally. No cost, no obligation.