Labour Market Impact Assessment

Who Needs an LMIA?

Employers of some types of temporary workers will need to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before the worker can apply for a work permit. An LMIA is a document from Employment and Social Development Canada that gives the employer permission to hire a temporary worker.

A positive LMIA will show that there is a need for a foreign worker to fill the job. It will also show that no Canadian worker is available to do the job. A positive LMIA is sometimes called a confirmation letter.

To apply for a work permit, you will need:

• a job offer letter;
• a contract;
• a copy of the LMIA; and
• the LMIA number.

Find Out If You Need an LMIA

Most employers need an LMIA before they can hire a temporary foreign worker. Before you start the hiring process, you must determine if you need an LMIA.

An LMIA confirms:

• there is a need for a temporary foreign worker, and
• no Canadians are available to do the job.

To see if you and the temporary foreign worker you want to hire are exempt from needing an LMIA or work permit, do one of the following:

• review the LMIA exemption codes and work permit exemptions;
• select the LMIA exemption or work permit code that seems most relevant to your hiring situation and read the detailed description;
• if an exemption code applies to you, you’ll need to include it in your offer of employment; or
• contact the International Mobility Workers Unit (IMWU) (Available only if you’re hiring a temporary foreign worker who is both currently outside Canada and from a country whose nationals are visa-exempt).

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