Major changes, updates and processing times of LMIA applications for January 2025
- PR LMIA processing delays: Service Canada is experiencing significant delays in the processing of PR LMIA applications, with actual processing times being considerably longer than those indicated online. It is important to note that PR LMIAs encompass the majority of skilled LMIA applications submitted before September 26th. Below is the official communication received from the Service Canada center responsible for processing these applications:
LMIA applications to support Permanent Residency, please be advised:
We are assigning LMIA applications received between March 17, 2024, to March 23, 2024. You will be contacted for processing once your application comes up in the queue. Please do not submit your application.
We conduct monthly follow-ups with them, however, keep receiving an automated response. If you wish to reach out, their contact information is provided below. We find this situation to be quite frustrating, misleading, and inequitable for both employers and employees. Our firm has lodged an official complaint with the Director of the Temporary Foreign Worker program, and you can guess: no response. In cases of work permit refusals due to insufficient LMIAs, employees have the option to restore their status within 90 days. Nevertheless, this restoration process may take 4-6 months, during which employees will be unable to work.
PR LMIA processing center contact information:
Phone number 1-800-367-5693
Email: esdc.atl.pd.tfwp.gd-bg.ptet.ep.atl.edsc@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
- Low-wage / High-wage processing time:
We still don’t have enough data regarding Low-wage / High-wage LMIA processing time submitted past changes that occurred on September 26th. We approved some low-wage LMIA applications within 3-4 months, and only 1 High-wage LMIA application during that time, however, we don’t have a lot of approved applications to draw a conclusion. The official processing time is here, however, we don’t believe that 64-67 business days is accurate.
- Low wage LMIA criteria:
As previously confirmed by the Service Canada Certain Low wage LMIA applications submitted as of September 26, 2024, won’t be processed. This refusal to process applies to LMIA applications submitted for positions with:
- a wage below the provincial or territorial wage threshold, and
- a work location in a census metropolitan area with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher
We have seen some unemployment rates decreasing recently. For example, the city of Vancouver has an unemployment rate of 5.9% now and is eligible for processing of these applications. Full information about unemployment rates can be found here:
Every industry is capped at 10% except the following industries that have 20% cap:
- NAICS 23 – Positions in construction
- NAICS 311 – Positions in food manufacturing
- NAICS 622 – Positions in hospitals
- NAICS 623 – Positions in nursing and residential care facilities
- specific in-home caregiver positions under:
- NOC 31301 – Registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse
- NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurse
- NOC 44100 – Home childcare providers
- NOC 44101 – Attendant for persons with disabilities, home support worker, live-in caregiver, personal care attendant
- ESDC and IRCC are evaluating the impact of the inclusion in future measures
- High wage criteria: at the moment there is no cap for these applications, there is a possibility to apply for a 3-year work permit, and there is no obligation of transportation to employers. The minimum rate of pay per province is as displayed here.Please note that we can apply for open and pre-approved LMIA under any stream.
The Government of Canada is further increasing fines for noncompliance with the program.
As per recent Canadian government announcements, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is set to see a reduction in 2025, aiming to decrease the proportion of temporary residents in Canada to 5% of the total population, which includes both international students and foreign workers, through stricter eligibility criteria and reduced intake caps across various streams, particularly focusing on low-wage positions.
The alterations were perceived as abrupt and disruptive by numerous businesses. It remains to be seen whether these changes will aid Canadians in reducing their cost of living.
