LMIA Processing Time in 2026: Stream-by-Stream Breakdown
Current LMIA processing times in 2026 by stream — Global Talent, high-wage, low-wage, primary agriculture, in-home caregiver. What slows them down and how to check the official tracker.
LMIA processing time depends almost entirely on the stream. Global Talent can land in two weeks; standard streams routinely take months.
Where official times come from
ESDC publishes "LMIA processing times" monthly, averaged across files completed in the prior month, broken out by stream. Approximate ranges below are typical for 2026 — verify on canada.ca before relying on them for planning.
Global Talent Stream
The fastest LMIA stream in Canada. Targeted service standard is around 2 weeks for complete files. Used heavily for tech roles on the Global Talent Occupations list (most TEER 0/1 software, data and engineering NOCs).
High-wage stream
Standard high-wage LMIAs typically run several months end-to-end. The strongest predictor is the quality of the recruitment file (job ads, applicant logs, interview notes).
Low-wage stream
Often slower than high-wage because of extra requirements (cap on percentage of low-wage workers per employer, transport, housing). Plan for several months minimum.
Primary agriculture / SAWP
Among the fastest of the standard streams. SAWP (Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program) is designed to align with planting and harvest cycles.
In-home caregiver
The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots are separate from standard LMIAs but follow similar timelines.
Why your LMIA might be slower
- Incomplete recruitment evidence (the most common cause).
- NOC mismatch between the role description and actual duties.
- Wage below the prevailing wage for the NOC + region.
- Employer compliance issues from a previous LMIA.
Related: LMIA Canada explained · low-wage vs high-wage LMIA.
Disclaimer: Jobeefy is not an immigration service. Confirm processing times with the official ESDC tracker or your immigration representative.