Hiring a temporary foreign worker (TFW) in the trades is possible, but it is slow, paperwork-heavy and tightened sharply over 2024 and 2025. In most cases you must first obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), through Service Canada, proving you genuinely could not fill the role with a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. The LMIA application fee is $1,000 per position. A positive LMIA is only step one; the worker then has to apply for and receive a work permit separately. Realistically, budget four to six months from starting recruitment to having the worker on site, and be honest with yourself about whether you can wait that long.
The LMIA: what it tests
The LMIA exists to protect the Canadian labour market. ESDC assesses whether hiring a foreign worker will have a neutral or positive effect, which in practice means you must show a real, documented effort to hire locally first: advertising the position, recording the applications, and demonstrating you could not fill it. You also commit to paying the prevailing wage for the role and the region. The $1,000 fee is per position and is generally non-refundable even if the LMIA is refused.
High-wage versus low-wage stream
Which stream you fall into is decided by whether the wage you offer is at or above the provincial or territorial median wage for that role:
- High-wage stream (at or above the median wage): standard advertising and recruitment proof required. There is no cap on the proportion of TFWs in your workforce under this stream.
- Low-wage stream (below the median wage): much tighter. Since September 2024, low-wage LMIAs are refused in census metropolitan areas with an unemployment rate of 6 percent or higher, with construction among the limited exceptions. There is a 10 percent cap on the share of TFWs at a worksite, and construction may be allowed up to 20 percent. The maximum employment duration was cut to one year.
A 2026 change to know: from 1 April 2026, employers applying for a low-wage LMIA must advertise the position for at least 8 consecutive weeks in the three months before applying, and must specifically target youth in the recruitment effort.
Processing times are long, and they are only part of the wait
ESDC publishes monthly average LMIA processing times. As of May 2026 the averages were roughly: high-wage about 64 business days (around 13 weeks); low-wage about 61 business days (around 12 weeks); the Global Talent Stream about 10 business days; the agricultural stream about 22 business days. These are the assessment times only. After a positive LMIA, add several more weeks for the worker to obtain their work permit. From recruitment to a worker on your site, plan for 16 to 24 weeks minimum, and treat any figure as an average that can slip.
Trade credentials still apply
A positive LMIA does not waive the trade rules. The worker must be admissible to Canada and must hold, or be able to obtain, the qualifications for the trade. For a compulsory Red Seal trade, that usually means a Canadian Certificate of Qualification, a job offer from a registered employer, or recognition of their foreign credential by the province. On a Quebec construction site, a foreign worker must still get a CCQ competency certificate before they can legally work, with credential recognition handled through the relevant Quebec body first (see Quebec: the CCQ and Act R-20).
Be honest about the burden
This is not a quick fix for a labour shortage on a job starting next month. Beyond the LMIA fee and the months of waiting, you take on ongoing compliance: you must be able to prove your business is legitimate (since October 2024, an accountant's or lawyer's attestation alone is no longer enough), keep records, pay the committed wage, and meet the program's conditions for the whole permit period. Inspections happen and the penalties for non-compliance are serious. For many small trade businesses, raising wages to attract local workers, or investing in apprenticeships, is faster and cheaper than the TFW route. Where the work genuinely cannot be filled and you can wait, the program is a real option, but go in with eyes open and get professional immigration advice.
A possible upside for the worker
A foreign national who completes a work-permit period in an eligible trade may become eligible for permanent-residence pathways, including the Federal Skilled Trades Program through Express Entry, which requires at least 12 months of full-time (or equivalent part-time) qualifying work experience in an eligible trade within the past five years, among other criteria. For a worker who fits, the TFW route can be a step toward staying permanently, which can make them a more committed hire.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a positive LMIA means a work permit. They are two separate applications; the worker can still be refused a permit.
- Underestimating the timeline. Sixteen to twenty-four weeks is the floor, not the average best case.
- Ignoring trade credential recognition. The worker must qualify for the trade, and in Quebec must get a CCQ card.
- Skipping the ongoing compliance. Wage commitments, record-keeping and proof of business legitimacy are inspected; non-compliance carries heavy penalties.
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