LMIA Jobs in Canada: How LMIA Hiring Works and How to Spot Fake Offers

An LMIA job is a position that a Canadian employer has asked Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) for permission to fill with a temporary foreign worker, through a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). The employer applies and pays the $1,000 processing fee per position, and it is illegal for an employer, or anyone recruiting for them, to make you pay for the LMIA or pay to get the job. Treat any "LMIA job" that asks you for money as a scam, and report it.

This guide explains how LMIA hiring works as of September 2026, based on ESDC and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guidance on canada.ca. It is general information, not immigration advice. For advice about your own case, use a licensed immigration consultant (a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant, or RCIC, registered with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants) or a lawyer. You can check any consultant on the CICC public register.

What is an LMIA?

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a decision from ESDC on whether hiring a temporary foreign worker for a specific job will have a positive or negative effect on Canada's labour market. A positive LMIA shows there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job. It is not a work permit.

IRCC describes an LMIA as "a document that proves there's a need to hire a foreign worker to fill the job" and says most jobs need one (IRCC). ESDC's assessment checks the legitimacy of the business and the job offer, and the impact hiring a foreign worker would have on the Canadian labour market (ESDC).

Not every foreign worker needs an LMIA. The International Mobility Program lets employers hire some temporary foreign workers without one. Which route applies to you is a question for canada.ca or a licensed representative, not a job ad.

How LMIA hiring works, step by step

The employer drives the process. It advertises the job to Canadians and permanent residents, applies to ESDC and pays the fee, receives a positive or negative LMIA, and then gives you the LMIA letter so you can apply to IRCC for a work permit. You cannot apply for an LMIA yourself.

1. The employer recruits in Canada first. For high-wage positions, the job must be advertised for at least 4 consecutive weeks within the 3 months before applying, on Job Bank plus at least 2 other recruitment methods (ESDC). For low-wage positions, the minimum since April 1, 2026 is 8 consecutive weeks, and recruitment must also target youth (ESDC).
2. The employer applies and pays. The fee is $1,000 for each position requested, with a few exemptions such as some caregiver and on-farm agriculture positions. ESDC states that the fee "can't be paid by nor be recovered from the temporary foreign workers".
3. ESDC assesses the offer. The wage must meet the prevailing wage, which is the higher of the Job Bank median wage for the occupation and area, or the wage the employer pays current employees in the same job and location.
4. The employer receives a decision. A positive LMIA is valid for up to 6 months after it is issued. The employer must give you a copy of the LMIA letter and Annex A (ESDC).
5. You apply to IRCC for a work permit. You include those documents in your application for an employer-specific work permit, which lists your employer, location and occupation. IRCC makes the final decision.

Which stream the employer uses depends on the wage offered, compared with an hourly wage threshold set for each province and territory (the provincial or territorial median hourly wage plus 20%). Updated thresholds took effect on July 17, 2026; check the current table on canada.ca.

Rule	High-wage stream	Low-wage stream
Wage offered	At or above the threshold	Below the threshold
Minimum advertising before applying	4 consecutive weeks within 3 months	8 consecutive weeks within 3 months (since April 1, 2026)
Other requirements	A transition plan to recruit, retain and train Canadians and permanent residents	Recruitment must target youth; hiring for a maximum of 1 year; some applications cannot be processed under refusal-to-process measures

Other streams have their own rules, including the Global Talent Stream, primary agriculture, caregiver positions and applications that support permanent residence.

Where to find real LMIA jobs

The official place to start is Job Bank, the Government of Canada job board. Its postings from employers that have applied for an LMIA can show "The LMIA has been requested" or "The LMIA is approved", and Job Bank has a dedicated search for temporary foreign workers. Wherever you find a job, apply directly to the employer.

• Job Bank. Start with Job Bank's jobs for temporary foreign workers, where postings say whether the employer has applied for or received a positive LMIA.
• Employer career sites. Apply through the employer's own careers page or applicant tracking system rather than through a paid middleman (see what an ATS is). Most postings, including the Canadian jobs on LANDTHATROLE, which come from employers' own hiring systems, do not say whether the employer will apply for an LMIA. Ask the recruiter directly and get the answer in writing.
• Check the employer. IRCC publishes a list of employers found non-compliant, and an employer-specific work permit requires a job offer from an employer who is not on it. ESDC also publishes a quarterly list of employers issued a positive LMIA. That list leaves out personal names (such as families hiring caregivers) and lags behind, so not appearing on it does not prove an offer is fake.

Can an employer charge you for an LMIA?

No. Employers must pay the $1,000 LMIA processing fee themselves and cannot recover it from you. Federal regulations also prohibit employers, and anyone recruiting on their behalf, from charging or recovering recruitment fees from temporary foreign workers, before or during employment. A job offer that requires payment is illegal and should be reported.

ESDC's worker rights page says your employer can't "make you pay to get or keep your job or reimburse any recruitment fees they may have paid for your current position". It adds: "You only have to pay for your work permit, medical exam and biometrics (if required)." Job Bank puts it plainly: "Employers should never ask you to pay them to hire you."

The rules cover more than the LMIA fee. ESDC lists recruitment fees as including the cost of using a third-party representative, advertising fees, and fees paid by a foreign national for help finding or securing employment. Employers must make sure that neither they nor anybody recruiting for them charges or recovers these fees from workers, directly or indirectly. Regulatory amendments announced in 2022 apply these protections before and during employment, and also cover employers hiring through the International Mobility Program.

An employer that breaks the fee rules will receive a negative LMIA, and ESDC says employers who abuse workers or the program could face a penalty or be banned from it.

Common signs of a fake LMIA job offer

The clearest sign is a request for money: a fee for the LMIA, the job, "processing" or a "guaranteed" visa. Other warning signs include guaranteed approval, pay that seems too high, no real interview, and payment to a personal account or by gift card or money transfer. IRCC says no one can guarantee you a job or a visa.

Warning sign	Why it matters
You are asked to pay for the LMIA, the job offer or a "placement"	Your employer cannot make you pay to get or keep your job, or recover the LMIA fee or recruitment fees from you
A guaranteed job, visa, LMIA approval or permanent residence	IRCC says no one can guarantee you a job or a visa to Canada, and only immigration officers decide
An "LMIA job offer" sold for Express Entry points	IRCC stopped awarding Comprehensive Ranking System points for job offers on March 25, 2025 (IRCC)
A salary far above what the role normally pays	IRCC warns you to be careful if a salary seems too high to be real; compare it with Job Bank wages for the occupation
Payment to a personal bank account, by prepaid card, gift card or money transfer service	IRCC says its employees never ask for these, and it asks for government fees to be paid to the Receiver General for Canada
An offer with no interview, sent only through a free email address or messaging app	A real employer can show you the job on its own careers site or on Job Bank; ask for that before you send documents
A "consultant" who is not on the CICC register, or who promises faster processing for a fee	IRCC only deals with authorized paid representatives and warns against those who promise guaranteed approval

IRCC's representative check explains who can legally charge for immigration help: lawyers and paralegals in a Canadian law society, Quebec notaries, and consultants who are members in good standing of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants. You do not have to hire anyone; IRCC's forms and guides are free on canada.ca.

How to report LMIA fraud

Report employer abuse or misuse of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to ESDC through its online form or confidential tip line at 1-866-602-9448. You do not have to give your name, and ESDC says it will never tell your employer who made the report. Report online, phone or text scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

• An employer or recruiter charging you for a job or LMIA: use ESDC's online report or tip line. The line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with live agents in more than 200 languages during business hours. Anyone can report, including co-workers and members of the public.
• Online, phone or text scams: report to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and contact local police or the RCMP if you gave out personal or financial information, as IRCC's how to report fraud page advises.
• A consultant or lawyer: IRCC's reporting page says to report the situation to the Canada Border Services Agency's Border Watch Line and file a complaint with the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (for consultants) or the relevant law society (for lawyers and paralegals).
• If you are in danger: call 911.

IRCC says its goal is "to find and stop the people committing fraud, not punish the people who were misled."

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I apply for an LMIA myself?

No. Only the Canadian employer can apply for an LMIA. If it is positive, the employer gives you the LMIA letter and Annex A, and you use them to apply to IRCC for a work permit.

Is it legal to pay for an LMIA job offer?

No. Your employer cannot make you pay to get or keep your job, and cannot recover the LMIA fee or recruitment fees from you. ESDC says you only have to pay for your work permit, medical exam and biometrics (if required).

Does an LMIA job offer give me Express Entry points?

No. IRCC stopped awarding Comprehensive Ranking System points for job offers on March 25, 2025. Check canada.ca for how a job offer affects eligibility for specific programs.

How long is a positive LMIA valid?

A positive LMIA is valid for up to 6 months after it is issued. The worker needs to apply for a work permit before it expires.

Where do I report a fake LMIA job offer?

Report employer or recruiter fraud to ESDC online or at 1-866-602-9448, and report online scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre. IRCC's how to report fraud page on canada.ca lists other contacts.