LMIA processing times edge higher
Wait times for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) have increased across nearly all streams of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), ranging from one to nine days.
Breaking from the broader trend, the permanent resident stream of the TFWP saw a nearly two-week decline in LMIA wait time.
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Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the federal department that oversees the review of LMIA applications, issued its July 2026 processing times update on August 7, 2026.
LMIA processing times are updated monthly by ESDC and represent the average number of business days required to assess an application.
How have LMIA processing times changed from June to July?
The time required to process an LMIA can differ depending on the selected stream, the completeness of the application, and the number of applications in ESDC’s inventory.
The table below compares July processing times against those previously reported for June:
| TFWP stream/program | July 2026 | June 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Talent Stream | 10 days | 9 days | +1 day |
| Agricultural stream | 23 days | 22 days | +1 day |
| Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program | 8 days | 9 days | -1 day |
| High-wage stream | 88 days | 79 days | +9 days |
| *Low-wage stream | 73 days | 71 days | +2 days |
| Permanent resident stream | 86 days | 99 days | -13 days |
The processing time for LMIAs under the high-wage stream continues to rise, climbing from 60 days as of February of this year, to 88 days as of ESDC’s latest update—the highest seen for this stream in 2026.
The wait time for LMIA submissions under the low-wage stream rose modestly in the latest update (up two days), though it remains substantially higher than the 48-day wait time logged in February.
LMIA processing time under the permanent resident stream decreased by nearly two weeks but remains the highest among the streams. Since February, however, it has fallen by more than five months.
The remaining TFWP streams saw only minor movement in the latest update, with LMIA processing times shifting by no more than a day from June to July. Among them, the agricultural stream has seen the most significant shift since February, rising from 15 days to 23 days.
LMIA processing times do not include the mandatory advertising period employers must complete in the three months prior to LMIA submission, which ranges from two–eight weeks depending on the stream.
*The federal government does not process low-wage LMIAs in regions where the unemployment rate is 6% or higher. Ineligible regions are updated quarterly, with the next update to take place on October 10.
How does an LMIA factor into the hiring of a temporary foreign worker?
A Canadian employer must obtain a positive or neutral LMIA from ESDC before a foreign national can apply for an employer-specific work permit under the TFWP.
This confirms that the employer completed the required recruitment efforts to find a suitable Canadian citizen or permanent resident for the role, and that employing a temporary foreign worker is not expected to have an adverse effect on Canada’s labour market.
The employer must first comply with the requirements of the relevant LMIA stream, including rules governing how long the position must be advertised and which recruitment methods must be used.
Once ESDC issues the LMIA, the employer must provide the foreign worker with the LMIA decision letter and a job offer letter, both of which are required when the worker applies to the federal government for an employer-specific work permit.
ESDC recommends an appropriate employment duration based on labour market impact, but Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) determines the work permit’s actual expiry date.
Because an LMIA is valid for up to six months, the worker must submit the work permit application before the LMIA expires.
Job seekers can find LMIA-supported positions through the Canada Job Bank. At the time of writing, more than 6,000 postings were listed from employers with approved or pending LMIA applications.
Under IRCC’s concurrent processing measures, certain foreign nationals can submit a work permit application while the employer is still awaiting an LMIA decision.
Temporary foreign worker admissions in Canada
Canada plans to admit 60,000 temporary foreign workers through the TFWP in 2026, 22,000 fewer than the 82,000 targeted in 2025.
Admissions are already trending downward. From January to April 2026, 19,240 workers entered Canada through the program, down 29.1% from the same period in 2025 and 54% from 2024.
The reduction forms part of the federal government’s effort to bring temporary residents below 5% of Canada’s total population by 2027.
Fewer TFWP admissions could eventually translate into lower LMIA application volumes, which may reduce some of the pressure on processing times.
The government has also lowered planned admissions under the International Mobility Program (IMP), which covers LMIA-exempt work permits, from 285,750 in 2025 to 170,000 in 2026. Between January and May 2026, IMP admissions fell to 58,675—a 13.4% decrease from the same period in 2025, and a 64.8% decrease from the same period in 2024.
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