LMIA wait times improve for select Temporary Foreign Worker Program streams
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has released its latest processing time update for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs).
Nearly all Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) streams saw movement in LMIA processing times. Wait times under the permanent resident stream saw the sharpest decline (over three months), while the low-wage stream experienced a 10-day increase.
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ESDC, the federal department responsible for reviewing LMIA applications, updated its LMIA processing times for April 2026 on May 15, 2026.
How have LMIA processing times changed?
The average processing time for an LMIA application depends on a variety of factors, including the specific stream of the application, its completeness, and the volume of applications currently in the system.
The table below compares April 2026 processing times for LMIA applications, compared to February 2026 (the previous data update).
| TFWP stream/program | February 2026 | April 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global talent stream | 12 days | 8 days | -4 days |
| Agricultural stream | 15 days | 21 days | +6 days |
| Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program | 10 days | 10 days | — |
| High-wage stream | 60 days | 64 days | +4 days |
| Low-wage stream | 48 days | 58 days | +10 days |
| Permanent resident stream | 244 days | 140 days | -104 days |
The permanent resident stream saw a sharp improvement in LMIA processing but still records the longest wait time among all TFWP streams.
The biggest jump in LMIA processing time is attributable to the low-wage stream—intended for the hiring of workers with a wage below the provincial or territorial wage threshold.
LMIA applications under the Global Talent Stream (which facilitates faster LMIA and work permit processing for select employers and workers) are once again being processed within ESDC’s 10-day service standard following improved wait times.
The Agricultural Stream saw LMIA processing times rise by almost one week, extending wait times for employers hiring workers in on-farm primary agriculture. The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program continues to stagnate at 10 days.
Among the TFWP streams, the high-wage stream experienced the most limited increase in wait time, rising by four days.
Note: Under the TFWP’s low-wage stream, LMIA processing is limited to regions where the unemployment rate is 6% or lower, with regional eligibility reassessed by the federal government each quarter.
The role of LMIAs in the hiring of temporary foreign workers
Before a foreign national can apply for a closed work permit through the TFWP, the hiring employer must first receive a neutral or positive LMIA from ESDC. This document, sometimes referred to as a “confirmation letter,” demonstrates that:
- The employer could not find a Canadian citizen or permanent resident to fill the job; and
- Hiring a foreign worker is not expected to negatively impact Canada’s labour market.
Once the hiring employer receives a neutral or positive LMIA, the foreign national is provided with the LMIA decision letter and an offer of employment.
The foreign national can then use these documents to submit an employer-specific work permit application to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).
The length of time a foreign national may work and remain in Canada depends on the validity period of their LMIA-backed work permit. This permitted work period is separate from the LMIA itself and is based on the “work duration” recommended by ESDC in connection with the employer’s LMIA application.
Certain individuals may be eligible to apply for a work permit before their employer receives an LMIA application decision under IRCC’s concurrent processing measures. To learn more, see our previous coverage.
Foreign nationals looking for work in Canada can use the Canada Job Bank to search job postings from employers who have already obtained, or applied for, an LMIA. The platform currently lists more than 4,700+ such positions.
Temporary foreign worker admissions in Canada
Canada’s 2026 admissions target for temporary foreign workers under the TFWP is 60,000, representing a decrease from the 82,000 admissions targeted in the previous year.
This reduction forms part of the federal government’s broader objective to keep temporary residents below 5% of Canada’s population by 2027.
Between January and March 2026, Canada admitted 8,240 new workers through the TFWP, marking a 31.2% decrease from the same period in 2025.
As fewer work permits are issued through the TFWP, the number of LMIA applications submitted may also decline, which could help shorten processing times.
Planned worker admissions through the International Mobility Program (facilitating LMIA-exempt work permits) have also been scaled back, decreasing from 285,750 in 2025 to 170,000 in 2026.
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