Do you need to hire a foreign worker? A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) may be necessary

What is an LMIA?
A labour market impact assessment  (LMIA) is a document issued by Employment and Social Development Canada that permits a Canadian employer to hire a temporary foreign worker. In essence, every employer must receive a positive LMIA as it must be determined that the hiring of any foreign worker will have a positive or neutral effect on the Canadian labour market.

An LMIA usually requires an advertising recruitment process to determine if there is a genuine need for a foreign worker at your business. The application is complex with different requirements for high wage and low wage workers.

How to start the LMIA process?
We’re your first step in starting a citizenship application.  Complete an eligibility assessment here

This depends. If you require your employer to apply for an LMIA to qualify for a work permit you must receive a positive decision prior to making a work permit application. In limited situations, a work permit may not require an LMIA.

No, this is illegal. As a temporary foreign worker your employer must pay for all fees associated with an LMIA application and cannot ask for you to pay them back.

Unfortunately there is no predetermined amount of time applicable for every application. Processing times will vary depending on factors such as how many applications are submitted, the type of occupation and wage.