LMIA Applications for Edmonton Employers

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is Service Canada’s confirmation that hiring a temporary foreign worker will not negatively affect the Canadian labour market. For most employer-specific work permits under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, a positive LMIA is the foundation of the entire file — and it is also where most refusals happen.

Axis Immigration has prepared LMIA applications for Alberta employers since 2015, across trucking and logistics, construction and trades, food service, retail, agriculture, health care and professional occupations. A positive LMIA then supports the employer-specific work permit, and for health employers our medical professionals practice covers the whole pipeline. We manage the file end to end: wage and occupation classification, the advertising and recruitment plan, the application itself, and preparation for a possible Service Canada employer interview.

 High-Wage Stream

A position is high-wage when the offered wage is at or above the provincial or territorial median hourly wage. High-wage files focus on genuine recruitment efforts, the legitimacy of the business, and the employer’s history of compliance. Processing standards, advertising rules and supporting documents are specific — missing one detail can cost months.

 Low-Wage Stream

Positions below the median wage fall under the low-wage stream, which carries additional conditions: a cap on the share of low-wage temporary foreign workers at a work location, transportation and housing obligations, and stricter scrutiny in higher-unemployment regions. We assess cap room and regional eligibility before you spend a dollar on advertising.

 LMIAs and Permanent Residence — What Changed

Until March 2025, an LMIA-backed job offer added 50 or 200 CRS points to an Express Entry profile. Those points were removed on March 25, 2025 — an LMIA no longer raises an Express Entry score, and anyone selling one on that promise is describing a rule that no longer exists. ESDC’s dual-intent (PR-supporting) LMIA stream still operates, but processing now runs roughly a year, so it makes sense only in specific situations: supporting a work permit while a permanent residence application processes, or underpinning certain provincial nominee employer requirements. We tell employers and workers honestly when a dual-intent LMIA still earns its cost — and when a different route gets there faster.

Not every hire needs an LMIA. The International Mobility Program allows LMIA-exempt work permits where a broader benefit to Canada is recognized — for example significant-benefit cases (exemption C10), intra-company transfers, free-trade agreement categories, and Francophone Mobility (C16) for French-speaking workers destined outside Quebec. Employers using the IMP submit an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and pay the employer compliance fee.

Choosing between an LMIA and an exemption is a strategy decision. We map the options against your timeline, the worker’s profile and your long-term plans before recommending a route.

How long does an LMIA take?

Processing times vary by stream and change through the year. Advertising alone usually requires four consecutive weeks before you can apply, so realistic planning starts two to three months before the intended start date. We confirm current Service Canada processing times at your consultation.

What does an LMIA cost the employer?

The government processing fee is payable per position, and the employer must also cover recruitment costs. Employers cannot recover LMIA costs from the worker — doing so is a compliance violation.

Can the worker pay for their own LMIA?

No. The employer must pay the LMIA fee and cannot pass it on to the temporary foreign worker, directly or indirectly.

What happens after a positive LMIA?

The worker uses the positive LMIA and job offer to apply for an employer-specific work permit. We routinely handle both stages together so nothing is lost between them.

Will an LMIA raise my Express Entry CRS score?

No. IRCC removed the 50- and 200-point arranged-employment bonuses on March 25, 2025. An LMIA still authorizes employer-specific work permits and can matter for certain provincial streams, but it no longer adds CRS points.

My LMIA was refused. Can anything be done?

Often, yes. Depending on the reason, options include correcting and refiling, responding to the specific concern, or switching to an LMIA-exempt category. Bring the refusal letter to a consultation and we will map the fastest viable route.