LMIA wait times track higher
Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) wait times under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) were up nearly across the board in October.
The Permanent Resident Stream recorded the most significant increase, with processing times rising by more than two weeks.
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The Agricultural Stream was the sole TFWP stream to post shorter LMIA processing times, down two days from September.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the federal department responsible for processing LMIA applications, published its October 2026 figures on Nov. 12.
These figures are updated monthly and indicate the average number of business days the department takes to process an LMIA application.
How have LMIA processing times changed from September to October?
Several factors can affect LMIA processing timelines, including the stream through which an application is submitted, the completeness of its supporting documentation, and the number of applications in inventory awaiting review.
The table below shows LMIA processing times for October and how they differ from those reported in September:
| TFWP stream/program | October 2026 | September 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Talent Stream | 9 days | 9 days | — |
| Agricultural Stream | 20 days | 22 days | -2 days |
| Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program | 11 days | 7 days | +4 days |
| High-wage Stream | 102 days | 98 days | +4 days |
| *Low-wage Stream | 86 days | 82 days | +4 days |
| Permanent Resident Stream | 94 days | 79 days | +15 days |
The processing times listed above do not account for the mandatory advertising period preceding an LMIA application, which can range from 14 days to eight weeks depending on the stream.
The permanent resident stream, which recorded the longest LMIA wait time of any stream from January to June, is now eight days faster than the high-wage stream.
At 102 days, high-wage LMIA processing times have surpassed 100 days for the first time in 2026.
Similarly, low-wage LMIA wait times climbed to a 2026 high of 86 days—ending a one-month plateau and reaching 76% above January’s level.
SAWP processing times surpassed those of the Global Talent Stream for the first time since May.
For the agricultural stream, LMIA wait times declined for the second consecutive month, reaching their lowest level since March.
The Global Talent Stream saw LMIA timelines hold steady at nine days, remaining below the 10-day service standard for the second consecutive month.
* Low-wage LMIA applications are not processed in census metropolitan areas (CMAs) with unemployment rates of 6% or higher, except for certain exempt occupations, a list that expanded to include early childhood educators on Nov. 6. The federal government updates the list of affected CMAs quarterly, with the next revision scheduled for Jan. 8, 2027.
The significance of an LMIA in the hiring of temporary foreign workers
Before an employer can hire a temporary foreign worker through the TFWP, they are required to secure a positive LMIA from ESDC, which confirms that
- There was no Canadian citizen or permanent resident available to perform the job, indicating a need for a foreign worker; and
- The hiring of a foreign worker will not have a negative effect on Canada’s labour market.
Before submitting an LMIA application, the employer is required to satisfy stream-specific requirements, including those concerning job advertisement durations and recruitment methods.
Once an LMIA is issued, the employer must give the foreign worker a copy of the decision letter and the LMIA number, both of which are required to apply for a work permit—along with a job offer letter and contract.
ESDC’s assessment includes a recommended employment duration, but it is Canada’s immigration department (IRCC) that ultimately establishes the work permit’s expiry date.
As LMIAs remain valid for a maximum of six months, foreign workers must apply for their work permits before the LMIA’s expiry date.
Job Bank, Canada’s official employment website, provides a resource for foreign nationals seeking LMIA-supported positions, with over 6,200 vacancies listed by employers holding approved LMIAs or awaiting application decisions as of time of writing.
IRCC's concurrent processing provisions allow qualifying in-Canada applicants to submit work permit applications before the associated LMIA is approved, subject to requirements concerning their existing permit's expiry and the timing of the employer's LMIA application.
Canada’s temporary foreign worker admissions
In 2026, the federal government set a target of 60,000 worker admissions through the TFWP, a reduction of 22,000 from the previous year’s target of 82,000.
Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, 2026, the program recorded 29,485 worker admissions, down 31.6% year over year and 56.5% compared to the same period in 2024.
That puts the TFWP at 49.1% of its 2026 target through the first eight months of the year, leaving 30,515 admissions needed to reach it.
The 2027–2029 Immigration Levels Plan, released on Nov. 5, lowers the TFWP target to 50,000 in 2027, with notional targets at the same level for 2028 and 2029.
The plan also introduces a time-limited measure to grant permanent residence to up to 200,000 people already in Canada, including up to 100,000 workers who are eligible for Express Entry or the Provincial Nominee Program, or awaiting decisions under select programs now closed to new applications.
The reductions come against the backdrop of federal efforts to bring the proportion of temporary residents in Canada below 5% by the end of 2027, a commitment the new plan reiterates.
The International Mobility Program (IMP) also saw a reduction, with its 2026 target set at 170,000, down from 285,750 in 2025, and it will remain at that level in 2027.
From January through August 2026, the LMIA-exempt program recorded 100,615 worker admissions, down 9.1% year over year and 56.8% compared to the same period in 2024.
Combined, the two programs admitted 130,100 workers over the eight-month period, or 56.6% of this year’s target of 230,000.
The total worker target falls to 220,000 in 2027.
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