Work Visa for Canada

Are you looking to work in Canada through Work Visa, through Express Entry or LMIA Programes for Canada. Innovative Vacations are reknowned Immigration Consultants from India We help you guide through the process to secure job in Canada.Here’s an up‑to‑date overview of Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in Canada, including the latest changes as of mid‑2025:

📌 What is LMIA?

• An LMIA is a document issued by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) that confirms an employer genuinely needs to hire a foreign worker because no qualified Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available (Canada.ca).
• A positive LMIA allows the employer to offer the position and supports the foreign worker’s work permit application (Canada Immigration Services).
• Not all jobs require an LMIA—certain positions are LMIA-exempt under the International Mobility Program (IMP), including:
  • Roles covered by trade agreements like CUSMA/CETA/CPTPP
  • Intra-company transfers, significant benefit jobs, reciprocal employment, research or academic roles, and specific spouse/family categories (Mana Immigration).

🛠 Types of LMIA Streams & Employer Requirements

• High-wage LMIA: Offered wage ≥ provincial median. Requires transition plans showing reduction in foreign worker reliance and compliance with wage standards (Canada Immigration Services).
• Low-wage LMIA: Wage < median. Subject to caps (max 10% of workforce) and geographic restrictions—cannot be processed in areas with unemployment ≥ 6%, including several major CMAs (e.g. Toronto, Montréal) and provinces such as Quebec or Ontario (Elaar Immigration).
• Global Talent Stream, Agricultural Stream, Seasonal Agriculture, and Permanent Residence streams have varying faster processing timelines and specific eligibility criteria (Canada Immigration Services).

Application steps include:

1. Determine LMIA need or exemption.
2. Advertise vacancy for minimum four weeks across multiple platforms.
3. Prepare documentation: recruitment proof, business legitimacy, financials, job offers, and transition plan (if applicable).
4. Submit through the LMIA Online portal after registering with Job Bank (Canada.ca, Canada Immigration Services).

Processing times and fees:

• Fee: CAD 1,000 per position
• Processing times typically:
  • High- and low-wage streams: ~8–29 (or up to 53) business days
  • Global Talent Stream: ~9–10 business days
  • Agricultural streams: ~6–15 business days
  • PR stream: up to ~100 business days (Canada Immigration Services, Nanda)

🔄 Recent 2025 Policy Changes Affecting LMIAs

1. Removal of Express Entry CRS Points for LMIA-based Job Offers (March 25, 2025)

• Starting March 25, 2025, Express Entry candidates no longer receive bonus CRS points (50–200 points) for holding a job offer supported by an LMIA—whether high-wage, low-wage, or exempt job offer (Elaar Immigration).
• This change applies to both new and existing profiles in the Express Entry pool (Reddit).
• Reddit discussions confirm that even LMIA-exempt job offers no longer contribute CRS points (Reddit).

2. Wage Threshold Increase for High-Wage Stream (effective Jun 27, 2025)

• Employers must now pay at least 20% above the provincial median wage to qualify under the high‑wage stream, as part of efforts to promote fair compensation and discourage exploitation of foreign workers (Elaar Immigration).

3. Low-Wage Restrictions by Region

• Applications from regions with unemployment ≥ 6% will be refused for low‑wage positions.
• This applies to many major CMAs including Montréal, Toronto, Hamilton, Edmonton, Calgary, Kitchener, London, etc. Those affected also include parts of Quebec and Ontario (Elaar Immigration).
• Duration of employment for low-wage foreign workers is now capped at 1 year (down from 2) (Elaar Immigration, Canada.ca).

4. Employer Reputation and Documentation

• As of October 28, 2024, employers can no longer rely on legal or CPA attestations to prove legitimacy—robust documentation like licenses, tax filings, payroll records etc. are now required (Elaar Immigration).

5. Temporary Policy for Employer-Specific Closed Work Permit Transfers (May 28, 2025)

• Foreign workers on valid employer-specific work permits may switch employers or occupations without waiting for a new permit decision—if their application has been submitted and they meet certain criteria (e.g., candidacy within Canada, maintained status, authorized work) (Elaar Immigration).

✅ Summary Table

🧾 Practical Advice

• Employers should carefully evaluate whether an LMIA is required vs. LMIA-exempt under IMP.
• Foreign workers/applicants should note that having an LMIA-based job offer no longer gives Express Entry points.
• Be cautious of job offers asking for upfront fees—they’re often scams. Only employers pay the LMIA processing fee ($1,000) (Elaar Immigration, Reddit, ArriveIn).
• If you’re in Quebec and using the facilitated LMIA process, you may be exempt from advertising, but must still meet wage and documentation requirements (Mana Immigration).

If you’d like help with specific use cases—e.g., applying for a high-wage LMIA, determining LMIA exemption, or Express Entry strategy—just let me know!

• The Economic Times
• The Economic Times

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