Canada immigration guide

LMIA Guide & Approved Position Summary

Review LMIA basics, employer-driven work permit planning, and provincial approved-position summaries.

What is LMIA?

LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment) is a document that Canadian employers need before hiring a foreign worker. ESDC assesses whether there is a need to fill the job with a foreign worker.

PositiveEmployer can hire foreign worker

NegativeCanadian workers available

$1,000Application Fee

2-12Weeks Processing

6Stream Types

LMIA Streams

* At or above = High-Wage, below = Low-Wage stream

* Use search & filters for large city datasets

LMIA Process

Job Advertising

Advertise on Job Bank + 2 platforms for 4+ weeks

Screening

Interview all Canadian applicants, document rejections

Submit LMIA

Submit to ESDC with $1,000 fee

Decision

2-12 weeks review, then decision issued

Work Permit

Apply for work permit with Positive LMIA

LMIA Map

Summary by approved positions per province

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Planning resources

Immigration data to check next

High-wage vs low-wage threshold

For high- or low-wage LMIA, compare the offered wage with the provincial or territorial hourly wage threshold.

BC: CAD $36.60/hr
ON: CAD $36.00/hr
Effective: June 27, 2025

View wage thresholds

LMIA stream selection

Choose the stream before preparing recruitment, wage evidence, transition planning, and employer compliance material.

Examples: High/low wage, PR support, GTS
Also check: NOC duties and location

Open TFWP streams

Processing times

LMIA and work-permit timing can change separately, so confirm both the employer-side and worker-side timelines.

Check IRCC times