Canada Removes LMIA Requirement for Express Entry Job Offers for Foreign Workers

• Canada announced major changes to how it assesses job offers under its Express Entry immigration system
• The update removes the requirement for a Labour Market Impact Assessment to qualify for a job offer under Express Entry
• The changes affect several immigration programmes, including the Federal Skilled Workers Programme and the Canadian Experience Class

Canada is overhauling a key part of its immigration process for foreign workers, with significant changes to its Express Entry system taking effect on 3 November 2026.

What is changing under Express Entry

The biggest shift is that applicants will no longer need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) for a job offer to count towards their Express Entry profile. Under the new rules, holding an LMIA will also no longer earn applicants additional Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points or give their profile any priority in the selection queue.

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Job offers will also be more flexible going forward. Positions can be new or existing roles, and applicants can work with any employer, not just those specifically tied to previous permit conditions. Immigration officers will, however, still evaluate whether a job offer is genuine before it is accepted.

Anyone who already has a job offer in their profile should update it before 3 November 2026. The system will automatically recalculate existing profiles once the changes come into force, though this process could take up to two weeks. Invitation rounds will be paused during that period.

How to update your profile during the transition

While the rules change on 3 November, the online system will not immediately reflect the update. Applicants with a job offer but no LMIA will still need to select "yes" under the LMIA question in their profile and enter a placeholder LMIA number of 00000, with an issuance date of 2026-01-01 and an expiry date of 2029-01-01.

For those with a new arranged employment offer, the profile must include the start date, employer name and address, the relevant National Occupational Classification (NOC) code, and an LMIA number where applicable.

A valid job offer must be recent, in writing, and detail pay, duties and working conditions. It cannot come from an embassy, high commission or consulate in Canada, and a work permit alone does not qualify as a job offer.

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Who benefits and what stays the same

Under the Federal Skilled Workers Programme, a valid job offer must still be full-time, continuous, paid and non-seasonal, with a minimum of 30 hours per week and at least one year of employment guaranteed upon permanent residency approval. The offer must fall within NOC TEER categories 0, 1, 2 or 3.

In cases where an LMIA is still required, the responsibility for obtaining it falls entirely on the employer, not the applicant. There are only two situations where an employer is exempt: if the applicant has already worked full-time for them on an LMIA-based permit, or if the role is categorised as LMIA-exempt.

The changes apply across several programmes, including the Federal Skilled Trades Programme, the Canadian Experience Class and the Provincial Nominee Programme.

Read the full details here.

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Source: Briefly News