LMIA Processing Times Are Rising in 2026 — Here’s What Employers and Workers Should Know

If you’re waiting on a Labour Market Impact Assessment this year, you’re not imagining it — processing times have been climbing steadily throughout 2026, even as Canada admits fewer temporary foreign workers overall.

Here’s the picture as of the most recent government data:

High-wage stream applications now take around 60-88 business days, up significantly from earlier in the year. The permanent residence stream sits even longer, at roughly 244 business days — nearly a full calendar year just for the LMIA stage.

This is happening despite reduced admissions targets. Canada plans to admit only 60,000 temporary foreign workers through the TFWP in 2026, down from 82,000 in 2025 — part of a broader federal goal to keep temporary residents under 5% of Canada’s population by 2027. Fewer overall admissions haven’t translated into faster processing, largely due to existing backlogs.

Wage thresholds shifted in July 2026. New provincial wage thresholds took effect on July 17th, determining whether a position falls under the high-wage or low-wage stream — a job that qualified as high-wage last year could fall into a different stream this year purely due to updated numbers.

LMIA-exempt pathways are worth exploring. The International Mobility Program, which doesn’t require an LMIA at all, now covers up to 170,000 positions in 2026 — nearly three times the LMIA-based stream’s capacity, with typical processing of just six to ten weeks and a lower government fee.

For employers trying to plan hiring timelines, and for workers waiting on an offer, understanding which stream actually applies to your situation can save months. Talk to us about whether an LMIA-exempt pathway might be a faster fit.

Canada Migration Services Inc