Labour Market Impact Assessment
Labour Market Impact Assessment
Government authorization is required for Canadian firms who want to hire an international employee.
Type of LMIA:
- High Wage Position
- Low Wage Position
LMIA Process
Depending on whether an employee is considered “high-wage” or “low-wage,” the LMIA process differs. The process begins with the submission of two applications, the first to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for evaluation and the second to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for the processing of a work permit after ESDC accepts a positive LMIA.
Applicant Requirement for Canadian Employers
- LMIA application processing charges were incurred.
- Before filing an LMIA application, the job must have been posted on Canadian Job Bank for a minimum of 4 weeks.
- Employers are required to demonstrate that they have employed at least two additional recruitment strategies in addition to posting job listings on the Canadian Job Bank.
- Employers must concentrate their promotional efforts on First Nations and groups of Canadians with disabilities.
- Unless another language is necessary, job advertisements must specify the official languages of English and French.
- Employers are required to provide ESDC with a transition plan for high-paying positions. This transition plan demonstrates how hiring foreign labour will strengthen the Canadian workforce.
- Employers are not permitted to lay off or shorten the hours of Canadian employees in order to hire an outsider.
- The employer must provide details regarding the job description, the number of Canadians who applied, the Canadians who were interviewed, and other factors (in detail) to support the requirement for a foreign worker rather than a Canadian citizen.