The Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) is a federal government department responsible for helping Canadians find work, get training, and manage their careers. The department also helps to protect workers' rights and improve working conditions.
ESDC achieves its mandate by working with a variety of partners, including provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous organizations, business associations, and labour unions. The department also delivers a range of programs and services, such as job search assistance, employment insurance, and the Canada Pension Plan.
The Employment and Social Development Canada has updated the processing times for the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications under various streams. Based on statistics from all processing centres, the current average LMIA processing times decreased for almost all streams except the low-wage stream:
Global Talent Stream - 10 business days
Agricultural stream - 13 business days (15 days less)
Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program - 5 business days (9 days less)
Permanent residence stream - 18 business days (31 days less)
In-home caregivers – 38 business days (15 days more)
High-wage stream - 40 business days (23 days less)
Low-wage stream - 58 business days (1 day less)
An LMIA Application
An LMIA is an application process that allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers. The process is designed to ensure that Canadian workers have the first opportunity at available jobs and that foreign workers are only hired when no qualified Canadians are available.
To hire a foreign worker, an employer must first obtain an LMIA from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). The LMIA will assess the impact of the foreign worker on the Canadian labour market and will determine whether the foreign worker can fill a job that cannot be filled by a Canadian worker.
If you are a Canadian employer and you want to hire a foreign worker, you will need to go through the LMIA process. The LMIA application process can be complex, and it is important to ensure that all of the required information and supporting documentation are included.
The process for an LMIA applications
The process for applying for an LMIA is as follows:
The employer must first advertise the position to ensure that there are no qualified Canadians or permanent residents available to fill the position
The employer then applies to Service Canada, which includes a detailed job description and other information about the position
A government officer will then review the application and may contact the employer to gather more information
If the application is approved, the employer will receive a confirmation letter which they can then use to apply for a work permit for the foreign worker
The foreign worker can then apply for a work permit, which will be valid for the duration of the LMIA
If you are looking to apply for a work permit in Canada, please contact us at Mesidor Canadian Immigration Services. Our team of experienced professionals will be happy to assist you through the process.