Understanding LMIA - Labour Market Impact Assessment

What is an LMIA?

An LMIA is an abbreviation for the labour market impact assessment is a type of documentation that employers might need should they wish to hire a foreign worker to meet with Canada immigration laws. The LMIA proves that the worker is necessary to fulfill the role and that there are no available Canadians to fulfill it.

If an LMIA is needed then it must be applied for by the employer. This then allows the prospective employee to get a work permit. To get the prospective worker into the country or allow them to remain in the country faster they can apply for express entry so long as they meet certain eligibility criteria.

How it affects our work permit?

Foreign job applicants that have a labour market impact assessment that is positive are able to get express entry to Canada. The process of getting a permit to legally work within Canada starts with getting an LMIA and a job offer from a prospective employer.  The labour market impact assessment if positive shows that the prospective employer cannot get the skills they need from Canadian applicants, but can fill the role with a non-Canadian. There are numerous factors that depend on whether or not an LMIA being granted. It acts as an authorization for Canadian employer to look for employees outside of their Country and gives them entry via Canada immigration so that they can start work a lot faster. The reason for this is work permit applicants get additional points if they have an LMIA giving them priority over those that do not.

How many points one gets in express entry if he has a positive LMIA?

Job applicants with a valid job offer can receive between 50 and 200 additional points. This highest amount of 200 points is only given for in demand jobs with a labour market impact assessment that is positive.

Why people need LMIA?

In order to get a work permit to hire a non-Canadian national for temporary work, employers need to obtain an LMIA to prove that they have tried to fill the job role with a Canadian national but have found no one with the skills and or qualifications to meet the necessary standards. The labour market impact assessment stops companies and individuals from hiring non-nationals work at a lower wage while the job could be filled by someone already living in the country.

Getting a work permit without an LMIA is not easy even with a job offer; this is especially the case for those looking to fill a role where the skills/education is not in high demand as it would be easier to fill the roles with Canadian nationals. By getting an LMIA employers are being given permission to make a job offer to foreign nationals. Having one also speeds up the work permit application allowing them to hire a foreign national sooner rather than later. Having an LMIA is also of benefit to people looking to settle permanently or longer term in Canada as they will have previous experience of living and working in the country. This adds additional points to applications for permanent residency so long as eligibility quotas are met.