Hiring foreign workers in Canada

There are two broad systems. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) requires a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), where you show that hiring a foreign worker will not displace Canadians. The International Mobility Program (IMP) covers LMIA-exempt work permits, where a trade agreement, reciprocal benefit or other public policy already justifies the hire. The right route depends on the role, the worker's nationality and whether an exemption applies. We assess both and recommend the fastest compliant path.

A Labour Market Impact Assessment is a document from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) confirming that hiring a foreign worker is justified because no Canadian or permanent resident is readily available. You generally need one when no LMIA exemption applies. The process usually involves advertising the role, meeting recruitment requirements, paying the processing fee and submitting an application. We manage the advertising, the application and the supporting documents so it is built correctly the first time.

Yes. The International Mobility Program offers a range of LMIA-exempt routes: intra-company transfers for staff moving within your company, CUSMA permits for US and Mexican professionals, CETA permits for certain Europeans, the Francophone Mobility route for French-speaking workers outside Quebec, and open work permits some candidates already hold. These can be far faster than an LMIA when the worker qualifies, so the first question we ask is whether an exemption fits before defaulting to the LMIA.

It depends heavily on the route. An LMIA-based hire takes longer because of the advertising period and ESDC processing before the worker can even apply for their permit. LMIA-exempt routes are usually quicker, and some, like a CUSMA permit, can sometimes be issued at a port of entry. We give you a realistic timeline for your specific situation up front, and we flag the steps that tend to cause delay so you can plan recruitment around them.

Employers who hire foreign workers take on real obligations: paying the agreed wage, providing the role and conditions described in the offer, keeping records, and being ready for a possible inspection. LMIA-exempt hires usually still require an offer of employment through the Employer Portal and the employer compliance fee. Non-compliance can lead to penalties or a ban from the programs. We help you meet the requirements and keep clean records so you stay onside.

Often, yes. A genuine Canadian job and Canadian work experience strengthen many permanent-residence routes, including Express Entry's Canadian Experience Class and a wide range of Provincial Nominee Program streams built around employer job offers. Supporting a valued worker toward permanent residence is also a strong retention tool. We can plan the work-permit stage with the worker's eventual PR in mind, so the temporary hire builds toward a permanent one.

Yes. Working under a licensed RCIC (CICC #R706497), we advise Canadian employers on the right route, prepare LMIA applications or LMIA-exempt offers of employment, and coordinate with your candidate's work-permit application. Everything is handled online, with clear, fixed-scope fees set out in writing. We are not affiliated with any government; our job is to make your hire compliant, well-documented and as fast as the rules allow.