Employer Requirements

High Skilled

Low Skilled

LMIA Exempt

High Skilled

  • Municipal/provincial/territorial/ business license;
  • Business registration or legal incorporation documents;
  • Employment contract;
  • a formal letter from a legal business confirming the existence of a contract for a good and/or service with the employer applying for an LMIA;
  • Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) documents (T2 Schedule 100 Balance Sheet Information and T2 Schedule 125 Income Statement Information) for the most recent 2 years;
  • Good standing for service in Canada and good financial standing attestation by a lawyer/notary public or chartered accountant;
  • Commercial lease agreement of the physical presence of the company;
  • Provincial/territorial workplace safety and insurance (e.g. workers compensation board) clearance letter;
  • Transition Plans for high-wage positions;
  • Proof of advertising of recruitment efforts (e.g. Job Bank records, newspaper ads) for a minimum of 4 consecutive weeks, 3 months prior to submission;
  • Offer the posted prevailing wage for the employee;
  • Must be in compliance with previous undertakings of Temporary Foreign Workers;
  • Application fee – $1,000.

Low Skilled

LMIA Exempt

Pay the employer compliance fee of $230;

The following types of workers are exempt from an LMIA, but need a work permit:

  • Workers covered under international agreements (professionals, traders, and investors)
  • People taking part in exchange programs (youth exchange programs, teacher exchange programs, and other joint programs);
  • Accompanying spouses;
  • Workers who are eligible for a work permit through a federal-provincial/territorial agreement;
  • Workers nominated by a province or territory for permanent residence;
  • People already working in Canada who have applied for permanent residence through the Federal Skilled Worker Program, Federal Skilled Trades Program or Canadian Experience Class;
  • Repair personnel for industrial or commercial equipment;
  • Workers transferred within a company;
  • Academics;
  • Co-op students;
  • Religious workers;
  • Workers who are essential to a television or film production;
  • Performers or workers in a related job in dance (such as ballet and contemporary), opera, orchestral music or live theatre whose employer must:
    • be a Canadian non-profit performing arts company or organization;
    • receive federal funding, and
    • show that reciprocal opportunities exist for Canadians and permanent residents abroad in the same discipline.

Read more about work permit Canada.