What Are the LMIA Recruitment and Advertising Requirements?
Before you can file an LMIA application, you must show ESDC that you tried to hire Canadians and permanent residents first. Your recruitment rules depend on one thing: whether the job is high-wage or low-wage.
A small error at the start, like the wrong stream or a missing detail in your ad, can lead to a refusal months later. This guide covers the recruitment step only. For documents, the LMIA Online portal and what happens after you submit, see our LMIA application process guide.
High-wage vs low-wage LMIA recruitment at a glance
| Requirement | High-wage | Low-wage |
|---|---|---|
| Wage offered | At or above the provincial/territorial threshold (median wage + 20%) | Below the threshold |
| Job Bank ad | Required | Required |
| Minimum ad period | 4 consecutive weeks | 8 consecutive weeks (since April 1, 2026) |
| When | Within the 3 months before you apply | Within the 3 months before you apply |
| Extra methods | At least 2, suited to the occupation; 1 must be national in scope | At least 2, each aimed at a different underrepresented group, plus youth outreach (ages 15–30) |
| Job Match invites | Every match rated 4 stars or more, within the first 30 days | Every match rated 2 stars or more, within the first 30 days |
| Ongoing ad | 1 of the 3 activities runs until ESDC decides | 1 of the 3 activities runs until ESDC decides |
Source: ESDC program requirements for high-wage and low-wage positions, checked October 2026.
Key takeaway
Since April 1, 2026, low-wage ads must run for at least 8 consecutive weeks, double the old 4-week rule. If you plan your timeline on the old rule, your application will not meet the requirement.
6 Steps to Pass LMIA Recruitment and Advertising
Based on our experience, these are the six steps that lead to a recruitment record ESDC will accept.
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1
Identify your wage stream
High-wage or low-wage decides every recruitment rule that follows.
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2
Confirm NOC code and wage
Match the duties, then find the prevailing wage for the work location.
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3
Register on Job Bank
Set up your employer account early; verification takes time.
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4
Prepare the ad
Include every item ESDC requires.
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5
Choose your methods
Job Bank plus at least 2 more methods that fit your stream.
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6
Recruit and keep records
Invite matches, screen, interview and document everything.
Step 1: Is Your Job High-Wage or Low-Wage?
Compare the hourly wage you will pay with the provincial or territorial wage threshold. The threshold is the provincial median hourly wage plus 20%. At or above it, you apply under the high-wage stream. Below it, you apply under the low-wage stream.
For applications received on or after July 17, 2026, the threshold is $36.92 an hour in Ontario, $38.40 in British Columbia and $37.50 in Alberta. ESDC updates these figures each year, so check the current table before you start.
Low-wage limits to check first
ESDC will not process most low-wage LMIAs for jobs in a census metropolitan area with unemployment of 6% or higher. The list changes every three months. A 10% cap on low-wage foreign workers per work location also applies. Check the refusal to process list before you spend 8 weeks advertising.
Step 2: How Do You Confirm the NOC Code and Wage?
Canada classifies every job under the National Occupational Classification (NOC 2021), using five-digit codes grouped by TEER category. Your NOC code sets the wage you must pay and how ESDC reads your ad.
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Find the NOC code that matches the position
If you already have a foreign worker in mind, make sure they meet the employment requirements listed for that NOC code.
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Find the prevailing wage for the work location
Use the Job Bank median wage for that occupation and city, or what you pay current employees in the same job, whichever is higher. This is a different number from the stream threshold in Step 1. Don’t confuse the two.
Our tips for choosing the right NOC code:
- Compare the main duties in the NOC description with the real duties of the job. At least half should match.
- Check the example job titles for that code. Do they make sense for your position?
- AI tools can give you a starting point, but always confirm against the official NOC description.
- If you have a foreign worker in mind, ask for their input. They will be doing the job.
Step 3: Register Your Job Bank Employer Account
Every LMIA stream requires an ad on Job Bank. Create your Job Bank employer account before anything else. Verification can take time, and your ad period cannot start until the account is active.
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Choose the default or basic Job Match setting
ESDC requires this. The strict setting can hide candidates you are expected to invite.
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Leave Direct Apply turned on
You must consider applications that come in through Direct Apply. Turning it off can count against your recruitment efforts.
Step 4: What Must Your LMIA Job Ad Include?
A missing detail in your ad can lead to a refusal. ESDC requires every ad to include the following.
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Company operating name
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Business address
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Job title
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Job duties
List duties for each position if you are advertising more than one vacancy.
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Terms of employment
For example, permanent, full-time or project-based.
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Language of work
If you need a language other than English or French, explain why the business needs it.
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Wage
Include any raises, performance pay or bonuses. A wage range is allowed, but the lowest figure must meet the prevailing wage.
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Benefits package (if any)
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Work location
Local area, city or town.
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Contact information
Phone, email, fax or mailing address.
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Skills requirements
Education and work experience.
Our tip
Build one ad template that covers every item above and reuse it across all your recruitment methods. In our practice, this simple step prevents most ad-content errors.
Step 5: Which Recruitment Methods Count for Your Stream?
Job Bank is only one of at least three recruitment activities. The rules for the other two depend on your stream.
Advertise on Job Bank for at least 4 consecutive weeks within the 3 months before you apply.
Use at least 2 more methods that suit the occupation, meaning they reach people with the right education, experience or skills. At least one must be national in scope, so anyone in Canada can find it.
At least 1 of your 3 activities must stay active until ESDC issues a decision.
Advertise on Job Bank for at least 8 consecutive weeks within the 3 months before you apply (required since April 1, 2026).
Use at least 2 more methods, each aimed at a different underrepresented group:
- vulnerable youth
- Indigenous peoples
- newcomers to Canada
- persons with disabilities
- asylum claimants with valid work permits
You must also show efforts to reach youth aged 15 to 30, such as youth job boards or schools. At least 1 of your 3 activities must stay active until ESDC issues a decision.
ESDC accepts methods such as:
- general job sites and online classifieds
- sites for a specific occupation (e.g., accounting, engineering)
- newspapers, newsletters, journals or magazines
- local stores, places of worship and community centres
- employment centres and job fairs
- schools, training institutions and internships
- recruitment agencies, unions and professional associations
- recruitment within your company
In our practice, ESDC has accepted files where all methods were online, as long as they met the stream’s rules.
For every method, keep:
- a copy of the ad as posted
- the date it went live
- proof of how long it ran
- a list of applicants
- interview notes and reasons for each decision
Step 6: How Do You Run the Recruitment Period and Keep Records?
Once your ads are live, your job is to give qualified Canadians and permanent residents a real chance, and to prove it.
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Invite Job Match candidates within the first 30 days
High-wage: every match rated 4 stars or more. Low-wage: every match rated 2 stars or more.
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Sort applicants as they come in
Canadian citizens and permanent residents must be considered. For low-wage files, asylum claimants with valid work permits are a target group, so assess them the same way. Applicants living abroad don’t need to be considered.
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Interview qualified candidates and take notes
Record what you asked and how each candidate compared with the job requirements.
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Write down why each candidate was not hired
ESDC looks for a clear, legitimate reason tied to the job requirements.
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Hire a qualified Canadian if you find one
The purpose of recruitment is to fill the job locally first. Turning away a qualified Canadian or permanent resident without a valid reason can lead to a refusal.
Our tip
Set a weekly calendar reminder to send Job Match invitations and review new applicants. It keeps the work manageable and your records complete.
Which Recruitment Mistakes Get LMIAs Refused?
These are the recruitment errors we see most often in our practice.
Planning on the old 4-week rule
Why it hurts
Low-wage ads now need 8 consecutive weeks. A 4-week record does not meet the requirement.
What works instead
Map your timeline on the 8-week rule and keep it within 3 months of filing.
Using the wrong stream
Why it hurts
The stream sets your ad period, your extra methods and your Job Match star rating. Get it wrong and the whole record fails.
What works instead
Check the current wage threshold (median + 20%) on the day you plan to apply.
Missing ad details
Why it hurts
An ad without the wage, location or duties does not count as valid recruitment.
What works instead
Use one template with all 11 required items for every method.
Ignoring Job Match or Direct Apply
Why it hurts
ESDC expects you to invite matches within 30 days and consider Direct Apply applicants.
What works instead
Use the default Job Match setting and review applicants every week.
Letting every ad expire
Why it hurts
One activity must stay active until ESDC decides. If all ads end early, your recruitment falls short.
What works instead
Keep your Job Bank ad or another method running until you get a decision.
Thin interview records
Why it hurts
Without notes, you can’t show why a Canadian applicant was not hired.
What works instead
Record each interview and the job-related reason for every decision.
Key Takeaways From Our LMIA Recruitment Practice
Here is what we tell every employer before they post a single ad.
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Confirm your stream first
The wage threshold decides your ad period, methods and Job Match rules.
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Choose the NOC code by duties, then titles
Make sure your foreign worker meets the NOC employment requirements.
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Use one ad template
Put every ESDC-required item in one place and reuse it.
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Diversify your methods, but meet your stream’s rules
Online methods work in our practice if they meet the national-scope or underrepresented-group rules.
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Set weekly reminders
Invite Job Match candidates and review applicants every week.
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Keep one ad running until the decision
Never let all your recruitment end before ESDC decides.
Frequently Asked Questions About LMIA Recruitment
High-wage ads must run for at least 4 consecutive weeks. Since April 1, 2026, low-wage ads must run for at least 8 consecutive weeks. In both streams, the ad period must fall within the 3 months before you apply, and one activity must stay active until ESDC decides.
Yes. Every stream requires a Job Bank ad unless you give ESDC a written reason for using an alternative. You must also use Job Match and consider Direct Apply applicants.
For LMIA applications received on or after July 17, 2026, it is $36.92 an hour. That is the Ontario median wage plus 20%. If your wage is at or above this figure, you apply under the high-wage stream.
In our practice, yes, if each method meets your stream’s rules. For high-wage jobs, one method must be national in scope. For low-wage jobs, two methods must target different underrepresented groups and you must show youth outreach.
No. You must screen applicants and consider qualified Canadians and permanent residents. Interview those who meet the job requirements and write down why each one was or wasn’t hired.
You should seriously consider hiring them. The LMIA asks whether a Canadian or permanent resident is available for the job. Rejecting a qualified local candidate without a valid, job-related reason can lead to a refusal.
Where Should You Go Next?
Recruitment is one part of the LMIA. These guides cover the rest.
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