Hiring Foreign Workers

Hiring temporary foreign workers is a proven strategy for Canadian employers facing labour shortages and skills gaps. Whether you need to fill low-wage positions in regions with tight labour markets or secure specialized talent from other countries, Canada’s immigration system provides structured pathways for employers to bring workers to their business legally and compliantly.

Canadian employers hire foreign workers through two federal programs:

1. the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), co-administered by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), and
2. the International Mobility Program (IMP), managed by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

The TFWP requires a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), while the IMP covers LMIA-exempt categories.

Under Canada’s 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the government has set the IMP admission target at 170,000 and the TFWP target at 60,000 — signalling a clear federal preference for LMIA-exempt pathways.  To help you decide which hiring process fits your business, we prepared this guide covering every step from recruitment to employer compliance.

How Can Canadian Employers Hire Temporary Foreign Workers in 2026?

The Canadian government offers numerous immigration programs designed for hiring foreign workers. Every program has its differences and is well-suited for the type of foreign worker it was intended for. Below you will find a summary of options for hiring foreign workers in Canada, and later in the article, we will discuss each option in more depth:

Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) Work Permits — The hiring process involves two steps: first, you submit an LMIA application to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to demonstrate you could not fill the position with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident; second, the temporary foreign worker applies for and obtains a Canadian work permit. Most employers use this route when no LMIA exemption applies. Workers on LMIA-based work permits can generally work in Canada for up to 3 years, though low-wage positions may be limited to 1 year. You can either hire high-wage LMIA workers (You can review our previous case handling high-wage LMIA workers for a construction company in Canada) or low-wage LMIA workers.

LMIA-Exempt Work Permits (International Mobility Program) — If the temporary worker’s job description and country of citizenship fall within an LMIA-exempt category under the International Mobility Program, your business can skip the LMIA process entirely. The employer submits an offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal, and the worker applies directly for a work permit. This is often faster and involves fewer recruitment obligations for employers. Your business will benefit from undergoing a simplified process of hiring international employees who can work in Canada for up to 36 months.

Working Without a Work Permit – Not all foreign workers need a work permit to work in Canada. Depending on their occupation, the services they provide, the duration of the contract or assignment for work in Canada, some foreign workers are allowed to work without LMIA and without a work permit.

What Is the Hiring Process for Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada?

If you are ready to hire skilled foreign talent to Canada, diversify your team, and add a competitive edge to your business, you can expect to follow these 4 important steps throughout the entire process:

Step 1: Do you need an LMIA?

Most employers in Canada need a Labour Market Impact Assessment before they can hire a temporary foreign worker, unless the position falls under an LMIA exemption through the International Mobility Program. Your first step is to determine whether the role, the worker’s country of citizenship, and the work location qualify for an exemption. If the business is required to have an LMIA, the next step would be to identify which LMIA the business will need.

If the business is exempted from applying for LMIA, then the next step is to register on IRCC Employer Portal and digitally submit details of the offer online.

Step 2: Submit an LMIA or an LMIA-exempt Offer of Employment

Depending on the type of LMIA you need, you may be able to submit your application immediately or you may need to conduct active recruitment efforts first. For high-wage positions, you must recruit for at least 4 consecutive weeks. For low-wage positions, as of April 2026, the requirement has increased to 8 consecutive weeks of advertising within the 3 months before submission. Employers applying for low-wage LMIAs must also demonstrate recruitment efforts targeting Canadian youth. The processing times will also vary – it can go from 2 weeks to 3~4 months, all depending on the type of LMIA.

LMIA-exempt offer of employment can be submitted as soon as all information is entered. Once submitted, the system will generate a unique code that must be shared with the foreign worker to apply for a work visa.

In case if the job falls under a special category that doesn’t require an LMIA nor a work permit, the foreign worker must have valid travel authorization to Canada: either an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) or a TRV (Temporary Resident Visa).

Step 3: Applying for a Work Permit

The temporary foreign worker can apply for a work permit after the LMIA application is approved, or after the employer submits the online offer of employment through the IRCC Employer Portal in an LMIA-exempt scenario.

The processing time of a work permit will depend on 3 main factors such as:

• the foreign worker’s country of citizenship and/or residence
• the type of LMIA that was approved
• in case of LMIA-exempt category, the title (NOC code) of the offer

Most times the foreign workers are able to bring their family with them to Canada, which will allow their spouses and children of working age to contribute to the Canadian labour market as well.

On many occasions, employers and employees collaborate with an immigration consultant to streamline the process and ensure that error-free and policy-compliant immigration application is submitted.

Step 4: Employer Compliance

Once your foreign worker arrives to Canada and starts working for your business, you need to be aware of these essential items:

1. Maintain the same employment conditions per LMIA and job offer letter (meaning, don’t pay them a lower salary that was not agreed on, nor ask them to perform duties that are not relevant to their role)
2. Keep records of paperwork, documents, forms, etc. for a period of 6 years
3. Inform Employment and Social Development Canada or IRCC in case of any changes to the employment of the temporary foreign worker, including changes to wages, duties, or work location
4. Execute commitments that were agreed on with ESDC for some LMIA applications
5. Ensure the temporary foreign workers are always paid at least the wage stated in the LMIA approval — for high-wage positions, this must be at or above the provincial or territorial median hourly wage

If your business is ever found non-compliant, the consequences can range from a warning, a monetary penalty, to suspension and inability to hire foreign workers in the future.

LMIA Work Permits in Detail

The Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document issued by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), also referred to as Service Canada, that Canadian employers must obtain before a temporary foreign worker can apply for a work permit. The LMIA confirms that hiring a foreign worker will not negatively affect the Canadian labour market. This process is part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

In summary, LMIA protects the Canadian labour market to ensure that priority is always given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents first. If the business can’t find a worker internally from inside Canada, only then can they proceed with an LMIA application.

The LMIA process can be separated into the following milestones:

1. Which type of LMIA do you need, and does it require recruitment efforts?
2. Initiate 4-week recruitment efforts if required
3. Collect documents, complete the application form and submit
4. Interview meeting with the ESDC officer

What Are LMIA-Exempt Work Permits Under the International Mobility Program?

Canadian employers can avoid the entire LMIA process if the temporary foreign worker and the details of the job offer qualify under an LMIA-exempt category within the International Mobility Program (IMP). The IMP is the second major pathway — alongside the Temporary Foreign Worker Program — through which employers bring foreign workers to Canada.

Under the 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the IMP has an admissions target of 170,000 compared to 60,000 for the TFWP, reflecting the government’s preference for LMIA-exempt immigration services. In this case, the foreign worker can apply directly for a work permit and you won’t need to go through the entire LMIA process.

However, you must submit details of the job offer online through the IRCC Employer Portal – the system will issue a unique offer of employment code starting with the letter “A” that will need to be shared with the foreign worker for their work permit application.

Below is a list of some of the most popular pathways under LMIA-exempt route for foreign workers.

Working Without A Work Permit Explained

In several situations, your foreign worker can work in Canada without a Work Permit nor LMIA. This generally applies for short-term assignments and if they are coming in the following scenarios:

• Business Visitors
• Athletes and team members
• Aviation accident or incident inspector
• Civil aviation inspector
• Clergy
• Convention/conference organizers
• Crew (Air, Highway, Maritime, Rail)
• Emergency service providers
• Examiners and evaluators
• Expert witnesses or investigators
• Foreign government officers
• Foreign representatives and family members of foreign representatives
• Health care students
• Judges, referees and similar officials
• Military personnel
• News reporters, media crews
• Performing artists
• Public speakers
• Religious leaders

However, depending on the country of origin, the worker may still require an entry visa to Canada.

VJ Immigration Is Here To Help

Determining which criteria your company needs to meet to hire temporary foreign workers is challenging — especially with the significant regulatory changes taking effect in 2026, including tighter recruitment requirements, CMA-based restrictions on low-wage positions, and the ongoing shift from the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to the International Mobility Program.

A half dozen different types of work permits have differing requirements. Unless your company hires a specific category of individuals, you should plan on going through the LMIA process until other professional immigration advice is received.

Hiring foreign workers for your company in Canada can be complex and nuanced. VJ Immigration is here to help with years of experience across all aspects of this business. We can help you decide which options are best for your business and take you through the process with minimal hassles. Please book a consultation with us to learn more about your options.

The contents of this page should not be used as immigration advice. Please seek assistance from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) if you are considering hiring foreign workers.

Frequently Asked Questions About International Recruitment

Below, you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions:

Can I hire foreign workers?

Generally, any Canadian employer is allowed to hire temporary foreign workers. If you own a business in Canada and want to recruit from other countries, you can do so through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program. You must comply with federal regulations on employing foreign workers, including any necessary documentation such as an LMIA or an employer compliance fee, and you may need to meet province-specific obligations depending on your work location.

How can a Canadian employer hire foreign workers?

There are 2 ways to hire a foreign worker to work for your company in Canada:

• Through the LMIA process, where companies must receive approval from the ESDC before the foreign worker can apply for a work permit and work for your company.
• LMIA-exempt route, which allows the foreign worker to apply for a work permit directly without needing an LMIA.

See the table below for more info:

How long does it take to bring a foreign worker to Canada?

It can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 12 months to bring a temporary foreign worker to Canada. This depends on whether you need a Labour Market Impact Assessment and which work permit stream applies. As of 2026, ESDC processing times average about 10-12 business days for the Global Talent Stream, 46 business days for low-wage positions, and 60 business days for high-wage positions — plus additional time for the work permit application itself.

An experienced immigration consultant can make a huge difference in processing time, which means you are likely to have your worker ready for when you need them to start their job.

Do companies in Canada sponsor foreign workers?

No, Canadian employers do not sponsor foreign workers to come to work in Canada for them. This is a big misconception in the immigration space. Canadian employers can give job offers to foreign workers and apply for an LMIA, but in no way they sponsor those employees.

What is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is a federal program run by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) that allows Canadian employers to hire foreign nationals when qualified Canadians or permanent residents are not available to fill positions. The employer must first obtain a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment to demonstrate they made genuine recruitment efforts. The program covers high-wage, low-wage, Global Talent Stream, Agricultural, and Permanent Residence LMIA streams.

What is the International Mobility Program?

The International Mobility Program (IMP) allows Canadian employers to hire a temporary foreign worker without obtaining an LMIA. It covers categories such as intra-company transferees, workers under international trade agreements (CUSMA, CETA, CPTPP), Francophone skilled workers, and significant benefit work permits. The IMP is growing in importance: under Canada’s 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan, the IMP target is 170,000 admissions compared to 60,000 for the TFWP.

What support do employers need to provide to temporary foreign workers?

Canadian employers are responsible for maintaining the employment conditions stated in the LMIA and job offer, including wages, duties, and work location. Employers must keep all documentation and records for 6 years, report any changes to ESDC or IRCC, and ensure they do not recover LMIA application fees or recruitment costs from the worker. Non-compliant employers face penalties ranging from warnings to monetary fines and bans from hiring through the TFWP.