The recent update from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) on Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) processing times reveals significant changes. While most streams under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) experienced longer wait times, the permanent resident (PR) stream saw a notable improvement of almost one month.
Changes in LMIA Processing Times
The processing time for an LMIA application varies based on factors such as the selected stream, application completeness, and current processing volumes. Below is a comparison of ESDC’s latest LMIA processing times for May compared to the previous month, April.
ESDC’s data does not include the time needed to meet minimum advertising requirements for a position, which can range from 14 days to eight weeks depending on the stream, in the three months preceding the LMIA submission.
| TFWP Stream/Program | April 2026 | May 2026 | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Global Talent Stream | 8 days | 10 days | +2 days |
| Agricultural Stream | 21 days | 22 days | +1 day |
| Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program | 10 days | 11 days | +1 day |
| High-Wage Stream | 64 days | 64 days | — |
| Low-Wage Stream | 58 days | 61 days | +3 days |
| Permanent Resident Stream | 140 days | 114 days | -26 days |
The only TFWP stream that saw a decrease in LMIA processing time was the Permanent Resident stream.