Canada LMIA From Pakistan: How the Employer Process Works, High-Wage vs Low-Wage (2026)
A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is an application that a Canadian employer, not the worker, makes to Employment and Social Development Canada to prove that hiring a foreign worker will not hurt Canadian jobseekers. The employer pays a $1,000 processing fee per position, must advertise first, and files under the high-wage or low-wage stream depending on how the offered wage compares with the provincial threshold. Only after a positive LMIA does a worker in Pakistan apply for the work permit. This guide explains how the employer side works as of November 2026, what changed for Express Entry on 3 November, why low-wage jobs are now so hard to get approved, and how to recognise the LMIA frauds that target Pakistani families. It explains the published rules; it is not advice on any individual case.
On this page
- What is an LMIA, and who applies for it?
- How does the employer choose high-wage or low-wage?
- What does an LMIA cost, and who pays?
- Which advertising must the employer do first?
- What does the high-wage stream require?
- Why is the low-wage stream so restricted?
- How long does it take?
- What does the worker do after a positive LMIA?
- Does an LMIA still help with Express Entry?
- How do LMIA scams work in Pakistan?
- High-wage and low-wage side by side
- A worked example with dates
- Frequently asked questions
What is an LMIA, and who applies for it?
An LMIA is a decision by Employment and Social Development Canada, usually called ESDC and delivered through Service Canada, on whether a Canadian employer may hire a temporary foreign worker for a specific job. A positive LMIA says there is a genuine need and no Canadian or permanent resident is available. A negative one says the opposite.
The employer makes the application through LMIA Online, using its Job Bank for employers account. The worker is named on the application in most cases, but the worker does not apply, does not pay and does not deal with ESDC. That point confuses many families in Pakistan who are told they are "applying for an LMIA". You cannot apply for one. Only an employer can.
The LMIA is only half of the process. Once the employer has a positive decision, the worker applies separately to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for an employer-specific work permit, and IRCC decides that application on its own merits.
Not every job needs one
Some work permits are LMIA-exempt, for example under international trade agreements, for intra-company transferees, or under specific programs. Others are open work permits that need no job offer at all, such as the one some spouses of students can get. Our guide to the Canada spouse open work permit covers one of those routes. This article is about jobs where an LMIA is required.
How does the employer choose high-wage or low-wage?
By comparing the offered wage with the hourly wage threshold for the province or territory where the job is. ESDC defines that threshold as the provincial or territorial median hourly wage plus 20%. At or above it, the employer must use the high-wage stream. Below it, the low-wage stream.
For LMIAs received from 17 July 2026, the published hourly wage thresholds run from roughly $31 an hour in the lower-paying provinces to $48 in the Northwest Territories, with Ontario a little under $37 and British Columbia a little over $38. The table is updated each year, so the employer must use the figures for the date its application is received.
ESDC adds a warning that matters for anyone being offered an unusually generous salary. Offering a higher wage is not enough by itself to qualify for the high-wage stream; the wage must be consistent with what Canadians and permanent residents in the same job and location are paid. An employer that inflates a wage to dodge low-wage restrictions risks a negative decision.
What does an LMIA cost, and who pays?
As of 13 November 2026, Employment and Social Development Canada charges the employer a processing fee of $1,000 for each position requested on an LMIA application, and the fee is not refunded if the LMIA is negative or the application is withdrawn. Some applications are exempt, such as certain caregiver positions hired by families, but most ordinary employer applications pay it.
The program requirements state that the processing fee cannot be paid by, or recovered from, the temporary foreign worker, and that an employer must ensure nobody recruiting on its behalf charges or recovers recruitment fees from the worker. The same principle appears in the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations, which make it a condition on the employer. If someone asks you, the worker, to pay for the LMIA or for being recruited, that is a breach, and it is usually a sign that the "job" is not what it claims to be.
Employers often pay a licensed consultant or lawyer to prepare the application. That is their choice and their cost. The rules also say an employer must not recover the cost of a paid third-party representative from the worker.
Which advertising must the employer do first?
Before applying, the employer has to show it tried to hire locally. As of 13 November 2026, ESDC requires the minimum advertising for a high-wage position to run for at least 4 consecutive weeks within the 3 months before the LMIA application, while the low-wage stream requires at least 8 consecutive weeks in the same 3-month window.
The advertising has to happen on Job Bank, or the employer must explain why another method was used, plus additional methods that reach the right audience. For the high-wage stream at least one method must be national in scope. For low-wage positions ESDC also expects targeted recruitment of under-represented groups such as youth. The employer keeps records of the ads and the results, including how many Canadians applied and why they were not hired.
This step alone adds one to two months before anything is submitted. When an agent promises an LMIA "in four weeks", ask how the advertising fits into that.
What does the high-wage stream require?
- A transition plan. The employer commits to activities that reduce its reliance on temporary foreign workers, such as training Canadians, and must report on its results if it applies again for the same position.
- Prevailing wage. The offered wage must match the going rate for the occupation and region.
- Business legitimacy. ESDC checks that the business is real, operating and able to pay. Documents such as tax returns and financial statements are often requested.
- Recruitment evidence. Proof of the advertising and its outcome.
- An employment contract setting out duties, wage, hours and conditions, consistent with the LMIA.
High-wage positions are not subject to the 10% low-wage cap or the 6% unemployment refusal rule. That is why most skilled professionals from Pakistan who do get LMIA-based jobs are in this stream.
Why is the low-wage stream so restricted?
Because the federal government tightened it repeatedly from 2024 onwards to reduce reliance on temporary foreign workers in lower-paid jobs. Three restrictions matter most.
The unemployment rule
As of 13 November 2026, ESDC will not process a low-wage LMIA where the wage is below the provincial or territorial threshold and the work location is in a census metropolitan area with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher, subject to listed exemptions. The unemployment table is refreshed every three months, so a city can move in or out of the rule during the year.
The 10% cap
As of 13 November 2026, the low-wage program requirements set a 10% cap on the proportion of temporary foreign workers an employer can hire in low-wage positions at a given work location. Small employers have a special calculation, and some sectors and short-duration jobs are exempt or treated differently.
Shorter employment
When ESDC announced the 2024 changes, it also cut the maximum duration of employment in the low-wage stream to one year, from two. For a worker that means more frequent renewals and less certainty.
The practical effect is that genuine low-wage LMIA jobs in Canada's major cities have become scarce. A Pakistani family offered a low-wage LMIA job in a big city should ask how the employer cleared these rules before spending anything.
Been offered a Canadian job "with LMIA" and want to understand what the published rules say before you pay for anything? Send the offer on WhatsApp at +92 321 4656927 and we will walk you through the rules that apply and the questions to put to the employer.
How long does it take?
Processing is slow and moves month to month: ESDC's own average for October 2026 was around 100 business days for the high-wage stream and in the mid 80s for the low-wage stream, before counting the advertising period. ESDC says employers can apply up to six months before the expected start date and recommends planning around last month's averages.
Add the worker's side. Once the LMIA is positive, IRCC processing for an employer-specific work permit from Pakistan takes its own time, which varies and should be checked on IRCC's processing time tool on the day. All told, six to twelve months from first advertisement to arrival is a realistic planning range, and longer is common.
What does the worker do after a positive LMIA?
- Receive the LMIA decision letter and job offer from the employer, with the LMIA number.
- Apply online to IRCC for an employer-specific work permit, uploading the job offer, passport, education and experience evidence, and any language or licensing documents the job needs.
- Pay the government fees. As of 13 November 2026, the IRCC fee list sets the work permit fee at $155 per person and biometrics at $85 per individual.
- Give biometrics at a visa application centre in Pakistan and complete a medical exam if instructed.
- Wait for IRCC's decision. IRCC assesses whether you can do the job, whether you will leave at the end of your authorised stay and whether you are admissible.
- Travel and receive the permit at the port of entry, then start work for the named employer only.
An employer-specific permit ties you to that employer, job and location. Changing employer normally means a new LMIA or an exemption and a new work permit.
Does an LMIA still help with Express Entry?
Not any more, at least not as a points booster. Since 3 November 2026, IRCC no longer requires an LMIA for a job offer to qualify under Express Entry, and having one no longer earns extra Comprehensive Ranking System points or priority. Under the new Labour Market Integration factor, points come from Canadian work experience or a qualifying job offer in an eligible high-wage occupation, not both.
That change removed one of the main reasons LMIAs were sold on the black market. A worker who already has Canadian experience on an LMIA-based permit can still build towards permanent residence through that experience. For the full detail, read our guides to the Express Entry changes from 3 November 2026 and the Federal Skilled Worker route from Pakistan.
How do LMIA scams work in Pakistan?
The pattern is familiar. An agent offers a "confirmed LMIA job" in Canada for a large fee, often paid in instalments. Sometimes there is no employer at all. Sometimes there is a real company that is unaware its name is being used. Occasionally there is an employer willing to sell positions, which is a serious breach that can end with the LMIA revoked and the worker's application refused.
Signs to watch for:
- You are asked to pay for the LMIA, the "file" or the recruitment.
- No interview took place, or it was a brief call with someone who could not describe the job.
- The salary is far above what the role pays in Canada.
- Nobody can show you a written job offer with the employer's legal name, address and business number.
- The person handling it cannot give you a licence number you can check on the official register of authorised representatives.
Paid representation before Canadian immigration authorities is limited by law to authorised representatives, chiefly licensed immigration consultants and lawyers. Ask for the licence number and check it yourself. Providing false documents or misrepresenting facts to IRCC can lead to a five-year ban from applying.
High-wage and low-wage side by side
| Feature | High-wage stream | Low-wage stream |
|---|---|---|
| Wage test | At or above provincial threshold | Below provincial threshold |
| Processing fee | $1,000 per position, employer pays | $1,000 per position, employer pays |
| Minimum advertising | 4 consecutive weeks in the 3 months before applying | 8 consecutive weeks in the 3 months before applying |
| Transition plan | Required | Not required, but other obligations apply |
| Cap on foreign workers | None | 10% of workforce at the location, with variations |
| 6% unemployment refusal | Does not apply | Applies in listed census metropolitan areas |
| Typical processing, October 2026 | About 100 business days | Mid 80s business days |
A worked example with dates
Consider a Toronto engineering firm that wants to hire Ahmed, a structural engineer in Lahore, at a wage above the Ontario threshold. Here is how the published process would run if every step went smoothly.
- December 2026: the employer posts the job on Job Bank and two other channels, including a national one, and keeps the ads up for at least four consecutive weeks.
- Late January 2027: the employer reviews Canadian applicants, records why none was suitable, prepares its transition plan and business documents, and submits the LMIA with the $1,000 fee.
- Roughly May to June 2027: on October 2026 averages, a decision would arrive about 100 business days later. Assume it is positive.
- June 2027: Ahmed applies to IRCC for an employer-specific work permit, pays $155 plus $85 for biometrics, and gives biometrics in Pakistan.
- Later in 2027: IRCC decides, and Ahmed travels to start work.
Ahmed paid nothing towards the LMIA. If anyone had asked him to, that alone would have been reason to stop.
Key takeaways
- An LMIA is the employer's application to ESDC; workers cannot apply for or buy one.
- ESDC charges the employer $1,000 per position, and it cannot be recovered from the worker.
- Offered wage against the provincial threshold decides the stream.
- Low-wage jobs face the 6% unemployment refusal rule and a 10% cap, so genuine offers in big cities are rare.
- Since 3 November 2026 an LMIA adds no Express Entry points.
- Check any representative's licence before paying or sharing documents.
For other Canadian pathways, including study and the post-graduation work permit for Pakistani graduates, start from our Canada hub.
Frequently asked questions
Who applies for the LMIA, me or the employer?
The employer. An LMIA is an application a Canadian employer makes to Employment and Social Development Canada, through LMIA Online, to show that hiring a foreign worker will not harm the Canadian labour market. The worker's own application, for the work permit, comes after a positive LMIA.
How much does an LMIA cost?
ESDC charges the employer $1,000 for each position requested. The fee cannot be paid by or recovered from the worker, and it is not refunded if the LMIA is negative.
Can I buy an LMIA?
No. Charging a worker for an LMIA, or for recruitment, breaks the program rules and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. Offers of an LMIA for a fee are a common fraud aimed at Pakistani families, and paying one puts both your money and your future applications at risk.
What decides whether a job is high-wage or low-wage?
The offered wage compared with the provincial or territorial hourly wage threshold, which is the median hourly wage plus 20%. At or above the threshold, the employer uses the high-wage stream. Below it, the low-wage stream applies, with its stricter caps and refusal rules.
What is a transition plan?
A mandatory part of a high-wage LMIA in which the employer commits to activities that reduce its reliance on foreign workers, such as training or recruiting Canadians and permanent residents. On a later application for the same position, the employer must report on whether it did what it promised.
Does an LMIA still help with Express Entry?
Not in the way it used to. Since 3 November 2026, IRCC does not require an LMIA for an Express Entry job offer, and an LMIA no longer adds points or priority. The LMIA matters mainly for the work permit itself.
How long does an LMIA take?
ESDC publishes monthly averages. In October 2026 they were roughly 100 business days for high-wage and in the mid 80s for low-wage, and that is after the advertising period, which can be 4 to 8 weeks. Planning should allow several months.
Why would an LMIA application not be processed at all?
ESDC refuses to process some applications outright, for example low-wage positions in census metropolitan areas with unemployment of 6% or higher, positions above the 10% low-wage cap, and applications from employers with a recently revoked LMIA.
What happens after a positive LMIA?
The worker applies to IRCC for an employer-specific work permit, using the LMIA number and job offer. From Pakistan this includes the work permit fee, biometrics and any medical exam required, and IRCC makes its own decision on the worker's admissibility and genuineness.
Is every Canadian job offer subject to an LMIA?
No. Some work permits are LMIA-exempt, for example under trade agreements, intra-company transfers or certain open work permits. Whether a particular job needs an LMIA depends on the facts, which is why an employer usually takes advice from an authorised representative.
Who can be paid to handle an LMIA or work permit?
In Canada, paid representation before immigration authorities is limited to authorised representatives such as licensed immigration consultants and lawyers. Ask any representative for their licence number and check it on the official register before you share documents or pay.
Can the employer change the wage to move streams?
ESDC warns that adjusting the offered wage just to fit a stream or avoid a requirement could lead to a negative decision. The wage must be consistent with the prevailing wage for the occupation and with what Canadians in the same role are paid.
Canadian work routes reward patience and punish shortcuts. If you want to understand which published routes could fit your profile, from study and post-graduation work to Express Entry, book free counselling with our Lahore team. Border and Bridges has worked from Johar Town, Lahore since 2016 and is verified by SECP, FBR, ICEF and the British Council. Message us on WhatsApp at +92 321 4656927, call +92 321 4656927, or book your free counselling session.
