LMIA Processing Time: How long does it take for LMIA to be approved?

The processing time for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in Canada depends on the circumstances and the stream of the application. The Global Talent Stream and the Agricultural Stream are two examples of LMIA streams that have different processing times.

According to Nationwide Visas, the Global Talent Stream takes around 8 to 9 business days, while the Agricultural Stream takes around 16 business days. However, the processing time for an LMIA application can range from a couple of weeks to a few months.

The human resources authorities typically take about two months to process an LMIA request once it is received. So between advertising and the LMIA process, there is about three months of processing.

It’s important to note that processing times of LMIA applications can vary depending on the number of applications received by the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

While the TFWP is committed to processing all LMIA applications as quickly as possible, employers can help reduce processing times by ensuring their LMIA application is complete before it is submitted.