The LMIA Labor Market Impact Assessment is documentation that is required when applying for certain Canadian work permits. Essentially, your prospective Canadian employer must prove that there are no Canadian workers or permanent residents available to undertake the task and that only foreign workers available are YOU!
LIMA Process
Employers must publicise the position for at least 4 weeks and potentially interview candidates who are Canadian citizens or permanent residents in order to get an LMIA. Based on whether the targeted employees are designated as "high-paid" or "low-paid," the LMIA process differs. Temporary foreign employees paid under the provincial median wage are classified as low-wage, while those paid at or over the median wage are classified as high-wage.
Generally, all businesses must show that they attempted to fill the position with a qualified Canadian citizen or permanent resident before hiring foreign labor. Furthermore, once their employees begin working in Canada, employers can be scrutinised for compliance with federal requirements. The LMIA application is extensive and requires substantial paperwork and data tabulation. For instance, a numerical breakdown of the number of Canadian applicants for the post, the number of employment offers made, and the number of ineligible applicants. Employers must submit a written explanation as to why any Canadian who is not currently working is ineligible for the position.
LMIA Work Permit
To obtain a Canadian work visa, overseas workers and employers must often go through a two-step process. First, the candidate must apply to the ESDC for a LIMA work permit, followed by another application to Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) for a work permit. The ESDC issues the LMIA, which enables Canadian firms to hire foreign workers after evaluating numerous labor market protective considerations. Only when applying for a closed work permit, also known as an employer-specific work permit, is the LMIA required. Typically, you select a Canadian employer, the Canadian employer verifies that no one can fill the gap in Canada, then you apply for a closed work permit, and if approved, you will work in Canada for that particular employer. An LMIA is not required for an open work permit since you do not need to find an employer before arriving in Canada and you can change employers quite as many times as you want throughout the period of your work visa.
How long does it take to obtain a LIMA work permit?
For some LMIA applications, ESDC has adhered to a standard turnaround time of 10 working days. The 10-day processing period will be available exclusively for applications relating to high-demand jobs such as skilled trades, employment that pay more than 10% of what Canadians earn in that province or territory, and jobs with short-term contracts that are less than 120 days. The ESDC office is in charge of processing LMIA applications, and there are ESDC offices in every province in Canada.
What is the duration of LIMA?
The LMIA is only valid for 6 months after it is issued. LIMA work permits for foreign workers would only be allowed for one year for all low-paying jobs. You will need a copy from your employer in order to apply for your work permit.
Where should you go to get your LIMA work permit?
My Global Steps Immigration Inc. is a full-service Canadian Immigration and Employment business headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and led by Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultants (RCIC). We handle all forms of immigration cases, including LMIA Work Permit and LMIA for Foreign Workers applications. Contact us right now for additional information on the LMIA process or help in bringing foreign workers to Canada.
