Which Type of LMIA Stream to Choose
We have all the answers to your LMIA questions. Find out what you need, when it’s required and how much that will cost!
There are seven different LMIA programs. It’s important to choose the right type of LMIA application since it’s your key to success. The list of the available programs is as follows:
- High-Wage Stream
- Low-Wage Stream
- Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
- Agricultural Stream
- LMIA to Support a Permanent Residency Visa Application
- Global Talent Stream
- LMIA for In-Home Caregivers
General LMIA Applications
High-wage and low-wage programs fall into the so-called ‘general applications’ category. These two programs are not tied to any specific industry, and the only difference is the salary level of the foreign worker: if the hourly wage is higher or equal than the provincial median wage, then it’s a high-wage professional. If it’s below the provincial median, it automatically falls into the low-wage stream.
New Rules for High-Wage and Low-Wage Programs
The wage offered for a position determines whether an employer must apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) under the high-wage or low-wage stream.
Starting June 27, 2025, the provincial and territorial wage threshold increased by 20%. Refer to the updated table of median hourly wages published by Statistics Canada. Here are the median hourly wages across Canadian provinces and territories in 2026.
Median hourly wages by Province or Territory
Paperwork for a High-Wage Stream LMIA
- Labour Market Impact Assessment application form for high-wage positions
- proof of business legitimacy
- proof of recruitment
Paperwork for a Low-Wage Stream LMIA
- Labour Market Impact Assessment application form for low-wage positions
- Proof of business legitimacy
- Proof of recruitment
- Employment Contract (PDF 37.1 KB)
High-Wage vs. Low-Wage Stream
Difference between a high-wage and a low-wage stream is the worker’s salary. If the employer will pay more than the median hourly wage in the province, then a high-wage stream should be selected. Conversely, if your worker’s salary is below the median hourly wage, a low-wage program should be selected.
Agricultural LMIA Applications
There are two programs that fall into this category: seasonal agricultural worker program and the agricultural stream. Let’s take a closer look at them.
Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program
- Mexico
- Anguilla
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Barbados
- Dominica
- Grenada
- Jamaica
- Montserrat
- St. Kitts-Nevis
- St. Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Trinidad and Tobago
Seasonal Agricultural Program Requirements
To qualify under the Seasonal Agricultural Program, temporary foreign workers must meet the following requirements:
- Have experience in farming
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Be a citizen of one of the participating countries
- Must meet Canadian immigration laws and the worker’s laws in the workers country.
Need help with LMIA-related paperwork?
Contact us and we’ll be happy to assist
Agricultural Stream
- Production must be in specific commodity sectors (see the list here), and
- The activity must be related to on-farm primary agriculture.
- LMIA application form
- Employment contract
- Proof of business legitimacy
- Proof of advertisement (required in most cases)
- Copy of signed off-site housing contract, if applicable
- Housing inspection report
Difference between the Seasonal Agricultural Program and Agricultural Stream
There are two major differences between these two programs:
- Duration of the work permit. SAP has the standard duration of 8 months (maximum 9 months), with contracts starting from January first to December 15. In contrast, the AS has the standard duration of 2 years (3 years for high-wage programs).
- Country eligibility. SAP covers 12 countries, including Mexico and 11 countries of the Caribbean, whereas the Agricultural stream is open to workers worldwide.
National commodity list
The list below enumerates the exact commodity sectors where both Agricultural programs apply. If you work in any of the below sectors, you should choose one of the Agricultural streams:
- Apiary products
- Fruits, vegetables (including canning/processing of these products if grown on the farm)
- Mushrooms
- Flowers
- Nursery-grown trees including Christmas trees, greenhouses/nurseries
- Pedigreed canola seed
- Seed corn
- Grains
- Oil seeds
- Maple syrup
- Sod
- Tobacco
- Bovine
- Dairy
- Duck
- Horse
- Mink
- Poultry
- Sheep
- Swine
LMIA to support Permanent Residence
Note: Consider the new rules for low-wage LMIA applications.
Starting September 26, 2024, additional restrictions apply to certain low-wage LMIA applications:
- Applications for low-wage positions in Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher are generally not processed.
- In most sectors, employers may hire temporary foreign workers for a maximum of 10% of their workforce through the low-wage stream.
- In the construction and healthcare sectors, the cap is 20%.
- The maximum employment duration under the low-wage stream is 1 year.
This stream is intended for employers who wish to hire skilled foreign workers while also supporting their pathway to permanent residence. A Dual Intent LMIA allows the employer to support both a temporary work permit application and a future permanent residence application.
Employers may support candidates applying through one of the following Express Entry programs:
Federal Skilled Worker Program (FSWP)
The job offer must:
- fall under TEER 0, 1, 2 or 3
- be full-time (minimum 30 hours per week)
- be non-seasonal
- last for at least one year after the applicant becomes a permanent resident
Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP)
The job offer must:
- be in an eligible skilled trade occupation
- be full-time (minimum 30 hours per week)
- be non-seasonal
- last for at least one year after permanent residence is granted
Canadian Experience Class (CEC)
Although Canadian Experience Class applicants may receive a valid job offer supported by an LMIA, eligibility for CEC is primarily based on qualifying Canadian work experience.
Important: Canada now uses the 2021 National Occupational Classification (NOC) system based on TEER categories.
Important update: As of March 25, 2025, valid job offers, including those supported by an LMIA, no longer provide additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points in Express Entry. However, a valid job offer may still be required for certain immigration programs or provincial nomination streams.
Need help with LMIA-related paperwork?
Global Talent Stream
The Global Talent Stream is designed to help Canadian innovative businesses advance by hiring top worldwide talent. The main advantage of this program is that work permits are issued within 2 weeks within application.
To apply for LMIA under the Global Talent Stream, the company must:
- Operate in Canada
- Be focused on Innovation
- Must show its willingness and capability to grow and scale
- Seek to fill a unique and specialised position within the company
- Have identified a unique and skilled foreign worker to fill a position
Global Talent Occupations List (as of 2026)
- Computer and information systems managers
- Civil engineers
- Electrical and electronics engineers
- Mining engineers
- Aerospace engineers
- Computer engineers (except software engineers and designers)
- Mathematicians and statisticians
- Data scientists
- Cybersecurity specialists
- Business system specialists
- Information systems specialists
- Web designers
- Database analysts and data administrators
- Software engineers and designers
- Computer systems developers and programmers
LMIA for In-Home Caregivers
Whenever Canadian permanent residents and citizens are unavailable to fill the vacancy, households can hire foreign nationals to look after children, senior citizens or persons with special needs.
Such caregivers must meet the following requirements:
- Be employed on a full-time basis (at least 30 hours per week)
- Work in a private household where care is being provided
- Meet the requirements of ESDC and IRCC
Under this LMIA stream, employers can apply if they are looking to hire professionals under one of the following job codes:
- child care provider, live-in caregiver, nanny (NOC 44100)
- registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse (NOC 31301)
- licensed practical nurse (NOC 32101)
- attendant for persons with disabilities, home support worker, live-in caregiver, personal care attendant (NOC 44101)
All application process is held through the LMIA Online Portal.
LMIA Processing Fee
The processing fee for an LMIA application is CAD$1,000 per position. This fee is non-refundable, even if the application is withdrawn or refused. Some employers may be exempt from paying the fee, such as those hiring for certain caregiver positions or under specific programs.
What is the LMIA Processing Time in Canada?
As of June 2026, processing times for Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications vary depending on the application stream. To help avoid unnecessary delays, employers should ensure that applications are complete and include all required supporting documents and signatures. Starting the LMIA process as early as possible is strongly recommended, particularly for streams with longer processing times, such as the Permanent Residence Stream.