The permanent resident stream sees a major reversal
After several months of declining processing times, the trend reversed sharply in August. The average wait increased by 70 days, bringing the processing time to 156 days.
The low-wage stream is now up more than 70% compared with the beginning of 2026, while the high-wage stream reached a new yearly high. Agricultural stream wait times are also nearly double what they were in February.
The Global Talent Stream remained at 10 days, meeting ESDC’s service standard for specialized or in-demand occupations. The SAWP was the only program to see an improvement, with processing times falling from eight days to six.
Why LMIAs matter when hiring temporary foreign workers
Canadian employers generally need a positive or neutral LMIA from ESDC before a temporary foreign worker can apply for a work permit.
The LMIA process assesses whether hiring a foreign worker is justified based on the Canadian labour market. Employers must show they have made the required efforts to recruit Canadians or permanent residents and have met the recruitment and advertising requirements for their specific TFWP stream.
If the LMIA is approved, the employer provides the worker with the LMIA decision letter and job offer letter for their work permit application. Foreign nationals generally have six months from the date the LMIA is issued to apply.
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), rather than ESDC, determines the work permit’s final expiry date. Some eligible foreign nationals already in Canada may also qualify for concurrent processing, allowing them to apply for a work permit while their employer’s LMIA is still being reviewed.
The Canada Job Bank also lists positions linked to approved or pending LMIA applications, with more than 5,600 postings available at the time of writing.
Canada is cutting back on temporary foreign worker admissions
The federal government has set a 2026 TFWP target of 60,000 admissions, down from 82,000 in 2025. During the first six months of 2026, 23,190 temporary foreign workers entered Canada: 42.1% fewer than in the same period in 2025 and 55.7% fewer than in 2024.
The decline supports the federal government’s goal of bringing temporary residents below 5% of Canada’s population by 2027. Fewer TFWP admissions could also eventually mean fewer LMIA applications.
The LMIA-exempt International Mobility Program (IMP) is also being scaled back, with its 2026 target falling to 170,000 admissions from 285,750 in 2025. Between January and June, 74,940 workers entered through the IMP, down 12.1% from 2025 and 61.1% from 2024.
What employers should take from the August numbers
August shows just how quickly LMIA wait times can change.
While the Global Talent Stream continues to meet its 10-day service standard and the SAWP actually became slightly faster, employers using several of the other streams are facing longer waits. The biggest change was in the permanent resident stream, where the average processing time increased dramatically after several months of improvement.
If you’re planning to hire temporary foreign workers, keep an eye on ESDC’s latest processing times and factor current wait times into your hiring timeline.
