IRCC.com
Work Permit2 min read

By

May 2026 LMIA Processing Times: A Stream-by-Stream Quick Reference

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has released its latest figures on how long it takes to process a Labour Market Impact Assessment, the document most Canadian employers need before hiring a temporary foreign worker. A positive LMIA confirms there is a genuine need for the worker and that no Canadian or permanent resident is available to fill the role; the worker then uses it to apply for a work permit.

The update, published June 9, 2026, covers May 2026 and compares it with April. All figures are in business days. With one exception, every stream either rose or held flat. Here is where each one stands now, and how it moved month over month.

  • Global Talent Stream — 10 business days (up 2 days). Reserved for certain high-skilled and tech roles, this stream remains the fastest of the six. The increase brings it exactly to its published 10-business-day service standard, so it is now meeting that target rather than beating it.
  • Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) — 11 business days (up 1 day). Used to bring in seasonal workers from participating countries for on-farm work, it stays among the quicker streams despite the slight slip.
  • Agricultural stream — 22 business days (up 1 day). This covers year-round agricultural positions outside SAWP. The one-day change is marginal, but it continues a general upward drift.
  • Low-wage stream — 61 business days (up 3 days). For positions paying below the provincial or territorial median wage, this stream saw the largest increase of any that rose. Employers in this category should plan for the longest realistic wait among the non-PR streams.
  • High-wage stream — 64 business days (unchanged). Covering positions at or above the median wage, this was the only stream to hold perfectly steady from April. It remains the slowest of the temporary streams.
  • Permanent Residence stream — 114 business days (down 26 days). For LMIAs that support a permanent residence application, this was the only stream to improve, and by a wide margin. The 26-day drop is the single largest change in the update, though the stream still carries by far the longest processing time of the six.

One caveat applies across the board. ESDC's published times do not include the minimum advertising and recruitment period an employer must complete before submitting an LMIA, which ranges from 14 days to eight weeks depending on the stream and must be done in the three months beforehand. A real-world timeline therefore runs longer than any single number above.

Processing speed also depends on whether an application is complete and on current volumes, both of which can shift from month to month.

A small portion of this article — research support, fact-cross-checking, and copy-editing — was assisted by AI tooling. Editorial decisions, source verification, and final sign-off remain with our team. We cite primary sources from canada.ca for every factual claim.

Last reviewed: June 26, 2026

IRCC.com is an independent news site and not affiliated with the Government of Canada.

Want the next IRCC update in your inbox?

Weekly digest. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Free tools for this topic

More news

Open Work Permit vs Employer-Specific Work Permit: What's the Difference?

An open work permit lets you work for almost any employer and isn't tied to a job, but you must qualify through a specific route like a PGWP, spousal permit, or bridging permit. An employer-specific permit locks you to one job and usually needs a job offer plus an LMIA. Here's ho

Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP): Eligibility and How It Works

A plain-English guide to the Post-Graduation Work Permit: what it is, who qualifies, how and when to apply, and how to use it as a path toward permanent residence. Covers the once-per-lifetime rule, DLI eligibility, timing deadlines, and what to confirm on IRCC.

Bridging Open Work Permit (BOWP): Who Qualifies and How to Apply

A Bridging Open Work Permit lets eligible Canadian PR applicants keep working while their application is processed. Learn who qualifies, the program stages that trigger eligibility, how to apply online, and why applying before your current permit expires matters most.

Spousal Open Work Permit: Who Is Eligible

A spousal open work permit lets the spouse or common-law/conjugal partner of a Canadian worker, student, or PR/citizen work for almost any employer. Eligibility now depends on which status your partner holds; confirm current rules and fees on the official IRCC website.

LMIA Explained: When an Employer Needs One

A plain-language guide to the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA): what it is, when a Canadian employer actually needs one versus an LMIA-exempt permit, how the process works step by step, and how it can boost an Express Entry profile.

ESDC Posts May LMIA Processing Times: Most Streams Slow, PR Stream Drops 26 Days

ESDC's June 9 update shows most LMIA streams slowed in May 2026: Global Talent Stream hit its 10-day standard, Low-wage rose to 61 days, High-wage held at 64. The PR stream was the lone improver, falling 26 days to 114. Posted times exclude recruitment.

Comments

For general discussion only. We can’t review individual cases or give immigration advice — for that, contact a licensed representative.

Comments post instantly. Spam and abuse are filtered automatically.

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts.