For employers
LMIA Support
A Labour Market Impact Assessment is ESDC's test of whether hiring a foreign worker will harm the Canadian labour market — and the rules have tightened sharply since 2024. We select the right stream, run compliant recruitment, and prepare the strongest possible file. ESDC officers decide; our job is to make the file easy to approve and hard to fault.
Who it's for
- Employers hiring for high-wage positions at or above the current provincial threshold
- Employers with low-wage positions navigating caps and regional refusal-to-process rules
- Businesses supporting a worker's permanent residence through an LMIA-backed offer
- Agricultural and seasonal employers using the dedicated streams
- Employers whose previous LMIA was refused and who need the file rebuilt
- Companies planning multiple positions that need a coherent, repeatable LMIA process
Common scenarios
First LMIA, high-wage role
You're hiring a skilled role above the wage threshold. We classify the position, verify the wage, run the four-week recruitment correctly, and prepare the transition plan the stream requires.
Low-wage position in a capped environment
The role sits below the threshold, where caps and regional unemployment rules bite hardest. We test feasibility honestly before you spend on recruitment — including whether your location is currently processable.
LMIA to support PR
Your worker needs an LMIA-backed offer for their PR application. We prepare the file for the correct stream with PR support in view.
Evidence checklist
- Proof of business legitimacy: registration, CRA documents, financial statements
- Job offer details: NOC/TEER code, duties, wage, hours, location, duration
- Prevailing wage evidence for the occupation and region, checked against the current stream threshold
- Complete recruitment records: Job Bank posting plus additional required advertising, applicant tracking, interview notes
- Written explanations for rejecting each Canadian applicant
- Transition plan for high-wage positions, or cap compliance calculations for low-wage
- Housing and transportation arrangements where the low-wage or agricultural streams require them
- History of past LMIAs and current foreign workers, with wage compliance evidence
Exact requirements vary by program and profile — treat this as a planning baseline, not advice on your specific file.
Process overview
Stream and wage verification
We classify the occupation, pull the current prevailing wage, and confirm which stream applies under today's thresholds — the single most common planning error.
Compliant recruitment
We design and document the recruitment campaign to the stream's exact specifications, including the minimum four weeks of advertising.
Application assembly
We prepare the LMIA application with every supporting document and a clear labour-market rationale, ready for officer review or an employer interview.
Decision and next steps
On a positive LMIA, we move immediately to the worker's permit application; on concerns or refusal, we diagnose and advise on the rebuild.
Risks & common mistakes
Using last year's wage threshold to pick the stream.
Since November 2024 the high-wage line sits at 20% above the provincial/territorial median, and figures are updated periodically. Verify the current number on the day you plan the file.
Assuming a low-wage LMIA is available in your city.
ESDC refuses to process most low-wage applications in census metropolitan areas with unemployment at or above 6%, and a 10% cap on low-wage workers applies to most employers. Check processability first.
Recruitment that technically ran but wasn't documented.
Officers assess screenshots, applicant logs, and rejection rationales — not your word. If it isn't documented, it didn't happen.
Inconsistencies between the LMIA, the job ad, and the employment contract.
Wage or duty mismatches across documents trigger refusals and inspection findings. One set of facts, consistently stated everywhere.
Related pathways
Frequently asked questions
Next step
Build an LMIA file that officers can approve with confidence.
Every file starts with an honest assessment: what you qualify for, what the evidence needs to show, and what the realistic timeline looks like. We prepare the strongest possible application — and we're direct with you about risk, because the final decision on every application rests with the officer, never with us.
Tell us about your situation
We review every enquiry and reply within one business day.