Employers using Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) faced longer Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processing times across almost all streams in August 2026, with some delays extending by more than two months.
LMIA processing times – August 2026
| TFWP stream / program | August 2026 (days) | July 2026 (days) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Talent Stream | 10 | 10 | – |
| Agricultural stream | 25 | 23 | +2 |
| Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program | 6 | 8 | –2 |
| High‑wage stream | 90 | 88 | +2 |
| Low‑wage stream | 82 | 73 | +9 |
| Permanent‑resident stream | 156 | 86 | +70 |
- The permanent‑resident stream saw the largest increase, rising by 70 days—the biggest jump this year across all streams.
- Low‑wage LMIA processing times grew by 70.8 % since early 2026, marking the second‑largest increase.
- The high‑wage stream reached a new annual high of 90 days.
- Agricultural‑stream wait times in August were nearly double those recorded in February.
- The Global Talent Stream continued to meet its 10‑day service standard.
Low‑wage LMIA moratorium
Low‑wage LMIA processing is subject to a federal moratorium in regions where unemployment is 6 % or higher. The list of affected regions is updated quarterly, with the next revision scheduled for 10 October 2026.
How LMIAs fit into the TFWP hiring process
- Employer requirement – A positive or neutral LMIA must be obtained from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) before a foreign national can apply for a work permit.
- Recruitment proof – The LMIA confirms that the employer has undertaken required advertising and recruitment efforts to fill the position with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and that hiring a foreign worker will not adversely affect the labour market.
- Application flow – After ESDC approves the LMIA, the employer provides the foreign worker with the LMIA decision letter and a job offer letter. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) then sets the final expiry date of the work permit.
- Timing – Foreign nationals have six months from the LMIA issuance date to submit a work‑permit application.
- Job listings – The Canada Job Bank lists over 5,600 positions tied to approved or pending LMIA applications.
- Concurrent processing – Certain foreign nationals in Canada may submit a work‑permit application while the LMIA is still pending, under concurrent‑processing measures.
Temporary foreign worker admissions
- TFWP target – 60,000 workers for 2026, down from a target of 82,000 in 2025.
- First‑half 2026 intake – 23,190 workers entered Canada, a 42.1 % decline from the same period in 2025 and a 55.7 % decline from 2024.
- Policy goal – The reduction supports the government’s aim to keep temporary residents below 5 % of the national population by 2027.
- International Mobility Program (IMP) – Admissions target cut from 285,750 in 2025 to 170,000 in 2026. Between January and June 2026, 74,940 IMP workers entered Canada, 12.1 % fewer than the same period in 2025 and 61.1 % fewer than in 2024.
These trends suggest that longer LMIA processing times, especially in low‑ and high‑wage streams, may further constrain employer access to foreign labour as overall admission targets continue to decline. Employers should factor the extended timelines into hiring plans and consider alternative pathways, such as LMIA‑exempt categories under the IMP, where applicable.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
