Canada work visa: how long the LMIA-based Work Permit (TFWP) takes, what it costs, and whether it leads to permanent residence

Q: What education does LMIA-based Work Permit (TFWP) require?

Not published on the page we read. Read 2026-09-24. ESDC Temporary Foreign Worker Program hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers.html, date modified 2026-09-16), the eligibility URL https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/eligibility.html which redirected to the Work in Canada hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada.html, date modified 2026-06-01), the fee list (https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp, date modified 2026-09-21), and the processing-times tool (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html, date modified 2026-09-24) do not state a diploma or other minimum. "Foreign academic positions" on the TFWP hub is a stream link, not a credential floor.

Q: How much money do you have to show for LMIA-based Work Permit (TFWP)?

Not published on the page we read. Read 2026-09-24. ESDC Temporary Foreign Worker Program hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers.html, date modified 2026-09-16), the eligibility URL https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/eligibility.html which redirected to the Work in Canada hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada.html, date modified 2026-06-01), the fee list (https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp, date modified 2026-09-21), and the processing-times tool (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html, date modified 2026-09-24) do not state a settlement-funds figure. The TFWP hub sends employers to separate streams (high and low-wage, primary agriculture, Global Talent Stream, caregivers, academic, Quebec, Recognized Employer Pilot, and applications to support permanent residency). Those stream pages were not opened.

Work Permit

Temporary employer-specific work permit. The Work in Canada hub lists "Employer-specific work permit" with "Job offer required" and does not say LMIA in that line. The ESDC hub is the employer Labour Market Impact Assessment application, split across streams. This permit is not permanent residence.

Source: Employment and Social Development Canada · verified 2026-09-24

Does LMIA-based Work Permit (TFWP) lead to permanent residence?

Residency: Temporary — not a permanent-residence route on its own
Source: Employment and Social Development Canada · verified 2026-09-24

Do you need a job offer for LMIA-based Work Permit (TFWP)?

Job offer: Required
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · verified 2026-09-24

What education does LMIA-based Work Permit (TFWP) require?

Education

Not published on the page we read

Read 2026-09-24. ESDC Temporary Foreign Worker Program hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers.html, date modified 2026-09-16), the eligibility URL https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/eligibility.html which redirected to the Work in Canada hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada.html, date modified 2026-06-01), the fee list (https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp, date modified 2026-09-21), and the processing-times tool (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html, date modified 2026-09-24) do not state a diploma or other minimum. "Foreign academic positions" on the TFWP hub is a stream link, not a credential floor.

Source: Employment and Social Development Canada · verified 2026-09-24

How much money do you have to show for LMIA-based Work Permit (TFWP)?

Funds

Not published on the page we read

Read 2026-09-24. ESDC Temporary Foreign Worker Program hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers.html, date modified 2026-09-16), the eligibility URL https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/eligibility.html which redirected to the Work in Canada hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada.html, date modified 2026-06-01), the fee list (https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp, date modified 2026-09-21), and the processing-times tool (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html, date modified 2026-09-24) do not state a settlement-funds figure. The TFWP hub sends employers to separate streams (high and low-wage, primary agriculture, Global Talent Stream, caregivers, academic, Quebec, Recognized Employer Pilot, and applications to support permanent residency). Those stream pages were not opened.

Source: Employment and Social Development Canada · verified 2026-09-24

How much does LMIA-based Work Permit (TFWP) cost to apply for?

Application fee

CAD 155

Work permit (including extensions) – per person: CAD 155. The same fee table’s performing-artists group maximum (465), open work permit holder fee (100), and restore-status charge (401.25) are not this route. Biometrics (85 per person) and the employer compliance fee (230) are separate and are not included in 155.

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · verified 2026-09-24

How long does LMIA-based Work Permit (TFWP) take to process?

Processing time

No commitment to a processing time

Open the authority's page for this fact

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · verified 2026-09-24

We tell you when we re-read a route you follow, in the note from that check, with the official link.

Not published on the pages we read

We checked for each of these and the page carried no figure. The absence is recorded with the reason, so this page states nothing the authority does not.

Processing time
Check-processing-times page, date modified 2026-09-24, read 2026-09-24. "Select your application type to get an idea of how long it’ll take us to process your application." "Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee." Temporary residence options include "Work permit (from outside Canada)", "Work permit in Canada", and "Work permit extension in Canada". "Work permit (from outside Canada)" then asks "Where are you applying from?" No single time is shown until a country is chosen. No month range is stored.
Page we read
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada · verified 2026-09-24
Funds requirement
Read 2026-09-24. ESDC Temporary Foreign Worker Program hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers.html, date modified 2026-09-16), the eligibility URL https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/eligibility.html which redirected to the Work in Canada hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada.html, date modified 2026-06-01), the fee list (https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp, date modified 2026-09-21), and the processing-times tool (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html, date modified 2026-09-24) do not state a settlement-funds figure. The TFWP hub sends employers to separate streams (high and low-wage, primary agriculture, Global Talent Stream, caregivers, academic, Quebec, Recognized Employer Pilot, and applications to support permanent residency). Those stream pages were not opened.
Page we read
Source: Employment and Social Development Canada · verified 2026-09-24
Minimum education
Read 2026-09-24. ESDC Temporary Foreign Worker Program hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers.html, date modified 2026-09-16), the eligibility URL https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/eligibility.html which redirected to the Work in Canada hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada.html, date modified 2026-06-01), the fee list (https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp, date modified 2026-09-21), and the processing-times tool (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html, date modified 2026-09-24) do not state a diploma or other minimum. "Foreign academic positions" on the TFWP hub is a stream link, not a credential floor.
Page we read
Source: Employment and Social Development Canada · verified 2026-09-24
Minimum work experience
Read 2026-09-24. ESDC Temporary Foreign Worker Program hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers.html, date modified 2026-09-16), the eligibility URL https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada/permit/temporary/eligibility.html which redirected to the Work in Canada hub (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/work-canada.html, date modified 2026-06-01), the fee list (https://ircc.canada.ca/english/information/fees/fees.asp, date modified 2026-09-21), and the processing-times tool (https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html, date modified 2026-09-24) do not state a number of years. "Hire a skilled temporary foreign worker" is the permanent-residency stream blurb, not a years minimum.
Page we read
Source: Employment and Social Development Canada · verified 2026-09-24

What changed when we last checked this record

Read 2026-09-24. ESDC hub heading: "Hire a temporary foreign worker with a Labour Market Impact Assessment." The worker job-offer sentence is on the Work in Canada hub, not on that ESDC page, and that sentence does not say LMIA. Work hub heading: "Work in Canada temporarily." No prPathway is stored. A link labeled "Pathways to permanent residence" and the stream "Applications to support permanent residency" are not a month count.

Source: Employment and Social Development Canada · verified 2026-09-24

Other verified Canada routes

Other employer-sponsored work routes: UAE work visa: Private-sector employment residence

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