Formerly known as Labour Market Opinion (LMO), Labour Market Impact Assessment is an application form required to be filed by an employer of Canada who wishes to sponsor a foreign skilled/semi-skilled worker. They are given this opportunity in case they are unable to fill in a job position with the current residents of Canada.

LMIA Online

Labour Market Impact Assessment is arranged by the employer, the application is submitted online and it must indicate that there is a vacant job position in their company/business that can only be filled by a foreign worker as the current permanent residents do not qualify for it. If the employer is successfully issued a positive LMIA then they’ll receive a Confirmation Letter from the Employment & Social Development Canada (ESDC).

Chances of receiving a positive LMIA

If the employer wishes to receive a positive LMIA they must keep in mind some key points that are closely analyzed by the ESDC. These are:

• Make sure that the recruitment of a foreign worker will not negatively impact the current Canadian Labour Market.

• The employer must provide the complete details of the company, job position being offered, remuneration as stated in the contract, current market trends for the particular job position, and the employee being sponsored, by the ESDC.

• The employer must not fail to pay the application fee for each individual application of CAD $1,000.

• A relevant proof that the employer has made enough efforts to find employees in Canada before applying for LMIA.

• The salary offered to the sponsored employee should be equivalent to the prevailing regional standards.

After receiving a positive LMIA

Once the employer is issued a positive LMIA and has received the Confirmation Letter, the next step is taken by the employee being sponsored through this category. The employee must apply for a Work Permit Canada, the necessary documents for which are:

• A certified Job Offer Letter

• A copy of the contract between the employer and the employee

• A copy of the Labour Market Impact Assessment

• LMIA Number

The application for a Work Permit is submitted to Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

LMIA Job Classification

Under the Labor market Impact Assessment the jobs are classified as:

• High Wage Workers - The application of LMIA for this category is slightly different as these are the workers who receive salaries a little higher as compared to the average market remuneration trends.

• Low Wage Workers - The application of LMIA for this category is slightly different as these are the workers who receive salaries a little lower as compared to the average market remuneration trends.

LMIA Processing Time

The usual processing time for a Labour Market Impact Assessment application is 10 business days. The categories that are included under this processing period are:

• Jobs pertaining in high demand

• High Paid Occupations (Top 10%)

• Jobs with a short work period (Less than 120 days)

If you have any queries regarding LMIA or Canada Immigration, you can book a free visa consultancy session today and get your profile assessed by one of our experts.