Employer Solutions

LMIA's and Recruitment Services for Employers

What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment aka a LMIA?

Canadian employers generally require a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to hire an international worker, unless there is an opportunity for a LMIA exempt category such as programs/occupations that are covered under International Trade Agreements.

Workers covered under treaties such as CUSMA, CETA, CPTPP, and other bilateral agreements can obtain LMIA‑exempt work permits. These agreements allow professionals, technicians, investors, and certain business visitors from partner countries to work in Canada without an LMIA. These streams still have major compliance requirements that employers need to be aware of.

If the occupation, or job is not covered in one of the international trade agreements, the employer must apply for the LMIA through Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). An ESDC agent will assess the application and make a final decision on the application.

A positive LMIA determination demonstrates that exhaustive recruitment efforts were made by the employer here in Canada and that there is a genuine need for a foreign worker to fill the advertised job and that the hiring of a temporary foreign worker will have no negative impact on the Canadian labour market. The mandatory advertising for each position is very specific and changes depending on the type of LMIA, occupation, location and more.

The international worker will typically need a positive or neutral LMIA when submitting a work permit application, unless LMIA exemptions apply and the employer has registered the offer via the Employer Portal.

A permanent resident applicant can also benefit greatly when a LMIA has been obtained. It can support an application for permanent residence in one of the economic programs, the Federal Skilled Trades Program, Canada Experience Class and the Federal Skilled Trades Program.

The LMIA process and requirements have evolved considerably in the past few years and will continue to evolve. The entire process has been overhauled, the applications are a work in progress and the advertising that needs to be done to support an application is so particular that it is no wonder employers are daunted by the process! Here is where we come in though, because at Canadian Portal Immigration our experienced staff work diligently to prepare the entire application, from start to finish.

We take care of drafting all the required advertising based on the job description that you provide us with. We will search out the appropriate types of acceptable advertising venues to highlight your available jobs and we ensure that all suitable applicants are sent to you for your review. We keep your company documents confidential and secure and ensure that the file is submitted on time and on point!

Sometimes an employer also need assistance in understanding what type of LMIA application is right for them. We can help with that. Not all employers are created equal and not all employers are eligible for all types of LMIA’s so we will assess your individual needs and provide solutions.

Applying for any LMIA can be a complex process. It requires a solid understanding of the objectives, requirements, procedures and rules around employer compliancy.

If you, an employer, have already found a suitable employee, we can assist you in retaining that worker or we can assist you in adding to your staff to fill in legitimate labour shortages. Just tell us what you need and we will find a solution for your specific organization.

International Recruitment

If you are in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario or Saskatchewan and find that you need assistance finding suitable international talent, contact us to find out more about our international recruitment solutions. We are registered as required in Alberta with the Fair-Trade Act as an international employment recruiter and have the mandatory, similar registrations for BC and Saskatchewan as well. Ontario also has a new mandatory registration to offer recruitment effective Summer of 2024 .

We have excellent international talent that would be recruited and headhunted, specifically for the jobs that you must fill.

If you do not qualify now, as a result of the changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that were announced effective September 26th 2024, we are also able to offer alternative candidates that qualify for the Francophone mobility work permit, which makes it easier for Canadian employers to hire without a labour market impact assessment, if you meet certain requirements and you are destined to live and work outside the province of Quebec.