Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processing times declined across several streams of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) in September, with decreases ranging from one to 77 days.
The most substantial decline was recorded under the TFWP’s permanent resident stream, where LMIA processing times reached their lowest level of 2026.
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Among TFWP streams that recorded increases, LMIA processing times rose by no more than eight days.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), which oversees the assessment of LMIA applications, released its processing time figures for September 2026 on October 7.
ESDC updates these estimates each month, with processing times expressed as the average number of business days taken to assess an application.
How have LMIA processing times changed from August to September?
The time required to process an LMIA application depends on a number of factors, such as the stream under which it is submitted, whether all required documentation has been provided, and the number of applications awaiting assessment.
The table below shows the changes in LMIA processing times by TFWP stream from August to September:
| TFWP stream/program | September 2026 | August 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Talent Stream | 9 days | 10 days | -1 day |
| Agricultural Stream | 22 days | 25 days | -3 days |
| Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program | 7 days | 6 days | +1 day |
| High-wage Stream | 98 days | 90 days | +8 days |
| *Low-wage Stream | 82 days | 82 days | — |
| Permanent resident stream | 79 days | 156 days | -77 days |
The figures above exclude the advertising period required before an employer can submit an LMIA application, which, depending on the stream, can range from 14 days to eight weeks.
Processing times for high-wage LMIAs hit a 2026 high of 98 days in September, up 75% from January, while the permanent resident stream fell to a 2026 low of 79 days, down 71%.
The low-wage stream was the lone TFWP stream to hold steady in September, with LMIA wait times remaining at a 2026 high of 82 days.
For the first time since May, LMIA wait times increased under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program, breaking a three-month downward trend.
LMIA processing times for the agricultural stream fell to 22 days, matching June’s level and marking the stream’s first decline since February.
For the Global Talent Stream, wait times now sit below the 10-day service standard for LMIA processing.
*The processing of low-wage LMIA applications is suspended in regions where unemployment reaches or exceeds 6%. The federal government updates the list of affected regions every quarter, with the next adjustment scheduled for January 8, 2027.
How does an LMIA fit into the foreign worker hiring process?
Canadian employers seeking to hire foreign nationals through the TFWP need a positive or neutral LMIA from ESDC before the worker can apply for an employer-specific work permit.
A positive or neutral LMIA indicates that the employer has made the required efforts to recruit a Canadian citizen or permanent resident for the position, and that hiring a foreign worker is unlikely to negatively affect the Canadian labour market.
Before submitting an LMIA application for processing, employers must comply with the requirements of the relevant stream, including those concerning the duration of job advertisements and the recruitment methods used.
After ESDC issues a positive or neutral LMIA, the employer must give the foreign worker both the LMIA decision letter and a job offer letter to include in their work permit application.
ESDC’s assessment also includes a recommendation on the appropriate length of employment, although Canada’s immigration department ultimately establishes the expiry date of the work permit.
With LMIAs valid for no longer than six months, workers must submit their work permit applications before the LMIA expires.
Job seekers interested in LMIA-supported positions can consult the Canada Job Bank, where more than 5,800 vacancies were listed by employers with approved or pending LMIA applications at the time of writing.
Certain foreign nationals may be eligible to apply for their work permits while the employer’s LMIA is still being assessed, through IRCC’s concurrent processing measures.
Canada’s temporary foreign worker admissions
The federal government has set a target of 60,000 admissions under the TFWP for 2026, down from 82,000 in 2025.
From January to July 2026, Canada welcomed 26,735 workers through the TFWP, representing a decline of 31.4% compared with the same seven-month period in 2025 and 56.0% compared with 2024.
The decline aligns with Ottawa’s broader objective of reducing temporary residents to less than 5% of Canada’s population by the end of 2027.
Lower admissions under the TFWP may also lead to fewer LMIA applications, potentially easing processing pressures over time.
A similar reduction has been made to the International Mobility Program (IMP), with its 2026 admissions target lowered to 170,000 from 285,750 in 2025. Between January and July 2026, the LMIA-exempt work permit program recorded 86,620 worker arrivals, down 11.7% from the same period in 2025 and 59.5% from 2024.
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