Employers using Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) faced longer waits for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) in August. Most TFWP streams saw delays increase, with some rising by more than two months.
The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program was the only stream to improve. Its average wait fell by two days.
Moreover, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), the federal department responsible for reviewing LMIA applications, released its August 2026 figures on September 10.
ESDC updates these figures every month. They show the average number of business days needed to assess an application.
How Did LMIA Waits Change From July To August?
Several factors can affect how long an LMIA application takes to be reviewed. These include the type of stream, whether the application is complete, and the number of files waiting for assessment.
The figures do not include the advertising period employers must complete before submitting an LMIA application. Depending on the stream, this requirement can range from 14 days to eight weeks.
The table below compares the figures from July and August:
| TFWP Stream/Program | August 2026 | July 2026 | Difference |
| Global Talent Stream | 10 days | 10 days | — |
| Agricultural stream | 25 days | 23 days | +2 days |
| Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program | 6 days | 8 days | -2 days |
| High-wage stream | 90 days | 88 days | +2 days |
| Low-wage stream | 82 days | 73 days | +9 days |
| Permanent resident stream | 156 | 86 days | +70 days |
The permanent resident stream recorded the largest increase. Its wait rose by 70 days after a downward trend that had continued for several months.
The low-wage stream also saw a major increase. Its average wait was 70.8% higher than it was earlier in 2026.
The high-wage stream reached its highest level of the year in August. This stream covers positions where the offered wage is at least 20% above the relevant provincial or territorial wage threshold.
Agricultural employers also faced longer waits. By August, the average wait for the agricultural stream was almost twice as long as it had been in February.
Moreover, the Global Talent Stream remained at 10 days. This stream is designed to help employers hire highly skilled workers in specialized and in-demand occupations.
Note: Low-wage LMIA applications are subject to a federal moratorium in areas where unemployment is 6% or higher. The list of affected areas is reviewed every quarter, with the next update scheduled for October 10.
Why LMIAs Matter For Temporary Foreign Worker Hiring?
Employers that want to hire foreign workers through the TFWP generally need a positive or neutral LMIA from ESDC before the worker can apply for a work permit.
An LMIA helps determine whether hiring a foreign worker is likely to have a negative effect on Canada’s labour market. It also confirms that the employer made the required efforts to find a Canadian citizen or permanent resident for the position.
Employers must meet the requirements of the TFWP stream they are using before submitting an LMIA application. These requirements can include rules for advertising a position and recruiting workers.
Once an LMIA is approved, the employer gives the foreign worker the LMIA decision letter and job offer letter needed for the work permit application.
ESDC may recommend how long the employment should last, but Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) decides the final expiry date of the work permit.
Foreign workers generally have six months from the date the LMIA is issued to submit their work permit application.
People looking for jobs in Canada can also check the Canada Job Bank for positions connected to approved or pending LMIA applications. More than 5,600 such postings were available at the time of writing.
Some foreign workers already in Canada may also qualify for concurrent measures. These measures can allow them to submit a work permit application while their employer’s LMIA is still being reviewed.
Canada Plans Lower TFWP Admissions
The federal government plans to admit 60,000 workers through the TFWP in 2026. This is lower than the 82,000 target set for 2025.
During the first six months of 2026, Canada admitted 23,190 temporary foreign workers. This was 42.1% lower than the same period in 2025 and 55.7% lower than in 2024.
The reduction is part of the federal government’s wider plan to bring temporary residents below 5% of Canada’s population by 2027.
A lower number of TFWP admissions could eventually lead to fewer LMIA applications and reduce pressure on the system.
Canada has also reduced its target for the International Mobility Program (IMP), which allows certain foreign workers to receive work permits without an LMIA.
The IMP target fell from 285,750 workers in 2025 to 170,000 in 2026. Between January and June 2026, 74,940 workers entered Canada through the LMIA-exempt program. This was 12.1% lower than the same period in 2025 and 61.1% lower than in 2024.
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