The Labour Market Opinion Process Explained

Before hiring a temporary foreign worker, Canadian employers must receive a positive Labour Market Opinion (LMO). A positive LMO is an assessment that states that an employer’s hiring of a foreign worker will either not affect the Canadian Labour Market, or even have a positive effect on it.

Employers must demonstrate the following in order to receive a positive LMO from the government:

• They must prove that efforts have been made to hire Canadian citizens or Permanent Residents for the position;
• The wages and working conditions meet or exceed the prevailing standards in the employer’s region; and
• They must outline any potential benefits to the Canadian labour market that will occur because of hiring the foreign worker

After receiving a positive LMO, the employer should send a copy to their identified foreign worker. The positive LMO must be included in the worker’s application for a Temporary Work Permit.

A single LMO can be issued for one or multiple employees. In the case of multiple employees, the LMO will only be issued to employees who will be filling identical positions as identified by the Canadian National Occupation Classification. There are some cases where an employer may be exempt from the requirement to secure an LMO.

To find out if you or your business is eligible to apply for an LMO, email us at admin@workgobalcanada.com