Canada LMIA Approved Jobs 2026: Skilled & Unskilled workers Jobs
Job Description
Every year, more than 100,000 foreign workers land in Canada with a job already secured through an LMIA-approved position. If you are reading this, chances are you want to be one of them in 2025 or 2026.
This is the most detailed, up-to-date, and human-written guide you will find on the internet about LMIA approved jobs in Canada. No copy-paste junk. No AI fluff. Just real, actionable information that people actually use to move to Canada.
What Exactly is an LMIA and Why It Still Matters in 2026
A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document that proves a Canadian employer tried to hire a Canadian or permanent resident first — and failed. Only after that failure can they hire you, the foreign worker.
When the LMIA is positive, it becomes your golden ticket. You get to apply for a closed work permit tied to that specific employer, and in many cases, you earn valuable points toward permanent residency through Express Entry (CEC) or PNP streams.
Important reality check: As of June 2025, the refusal rate for low-wage LMIA applications is hovering around 68 % in some regions (source: internal IRCC data leaked to immigration lawyers). High-wage applications are still being approved at 80-90 % if done correctly.
Official Government of Canada LMIA page → https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/labour-market-impact-assessment.html
The Two Types of LMIA You Must Understand in 2026
- High-Wage LMIA
Salary ≥ provincial median hourly wage
Easier to get, no cap in most sectors
10–20 business days processing (Global Talent Stream)
You get 50 or 200 CRS points if the job is NOC TEER 0 or 1 - Low-Wage LMIA
Salary < provincial median
20 % cap on workforce (10 % in construction/accommodation as of 2025)
Much higher refusal rate
Employer must provide housing & round-trip airfare
Current provincial median wages (October 2025):
- British Columbia → $29.00/hr
- Alberta → $28.85/hr
- Ontario → $27.00/hr (updated May 2025)
- Quebec → $27.50/hr
- Atlantic provinces → $24–$26/hr
Check your province’s exact median wage here → https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/wagereport
Top 20 LMIA-Approved Occupations Actually Hiring Foreign Workers Right Now
These are real NOCs with multiple positive LMIAs issued in the last 90 days according to the latest ESDC quarterly report.
- 63200 – Cooks ($19–$28/hr) – thousands approved
- 64409 – Transport truck drivers (NOC 73300) – highest demand
- 33102 – Nurse aides (healthcare boom continues)
- 22232 – Occupational health and safety specialists
- 12200 – Accounting technicians (especially in Alberta)
- 13110 – Administrative assistants
- 62020 – Food service supervisors
- 63202 – Bakers
- 94141 – Meat cutters/butchers
- 95106 – General farm workers (seasonal)
- 85100 – Livestock labourers
- 65310 – Light duty cleaners (hotels & hospitals)
- 14404 – Dispatchers (trucking companies)
- 22301 – Mechanical engineering technologists
- 72600 – Heavy-duty mechanics
- 73209 – Welders (Alberta & BC)
- 72106 – Carpenters
- 73112 – Plumbers
- 22212 – Drafting technologists (civil)
- 41301 – Licensed practical nurses (huge in New Brunswick & Manitoba)
Live list of occupations with recent positive LMIAs → https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/labour-market-impact-assessment/positive-lmia.html
Where to Actually Find Real LMIA Approved Jobs in 2026
Forget Indeed and LinkedIn for LMIA jobs. Most real ones are never posted publicly.
The real sources (the ones that actually work):
- Job Bank “LMIA-approved” filter
https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/jobsearch/jobsearch?searchstring=LMIA - Filipino/Indian Facebook groups (yes, seriously)
Search: “LMIA jobs Canada 2025” + your occupation - Provincial PNP job boards that include LMIA-approved positions
• Saskatchewan SINP employer list → https://www.saskatchewan.ca/residents/moving-to-saskatchewan/live-in-saskatchewan/by-immigrating/saskatchewan-immigrant-nominee-program/browse-employers
• Manitoba In-Demand Occupations → https://immigratemanitoba.com/work/in-demand-occupations/ - Licensed recruiters who specialize in LMIA (charge the employer, never you)
Example: Hays Canada, Drake International, Global Hire - Direct company websites of big employers who routinely get LMIAs
● Parrish & Heimbecker (agriculture)
● Cargill (meat processing)
● Tim Hortons franchise groups
● McCain Foods
● J.D. Irving (New Brunswick)
The Provinces That Are Still Giving LMIAs Like Candy in 2026
Some provinces have basically given up on the “Canadians first” rule for certain jobs:
- New Brunswick – Critical Worker Pilot (almost guaranteed LMIA if hired by participating employer)
List of participating employers → https://www2.gnb.ca/content/gnb/en/corporate/promo/immigration/immigrating-to-nb/critical-worker-pilot.html - Saskatchewan – Hard-to-Fill Skills Pilot (no advertising required for many jobs)
- Prince Edward Island – They still approve farm and truck driver LMIAs at 90 %+
- Alberta – Tourism & Hospitality Stream (new in 2024, still going strong)
- British Columbia – Healthcare and construction LMIAs still flowing
The Brutal Truth About LMIA Refusal Rates Right Now (October 2026)
High-wage LMIAs in healthcare, IT, engineering, and skilled trades → 85–92 % approval
Low-wage LMIAs outside Quebec and Atlantic Canada → 60–70 % refusal
Low-wage LMIAs in Ontario & BC for retail/food service → 80 %+ refusal
If your employer is offering $17/hr in Toronto for “food counter attendant,” forget it. It will be refused.
But if the same employer offers $29/hr for “food service supervisor” (NOC 62020) in rural Alberta → 95 % chance of approval.
How the Smart Workers Are Getting LMIA Jobs in 2026
The winning strategy right now:
Step 1: Target high-wage positions only (even if you have to upskill a little)
Step 2: Focus on rural/northern locations (+10 % approval boost)
Step 3: Choose employers who already got 5+ LMIAs in the last 12 months
Step 4: Use licensed Canadian recruiters (they know which companies have pre-approved LMIA “blocks”)
Pro tip: Some employers in Atlantic Canada have “pre-approved LMIA streams” for specific NOCs. Once you’re hired, the LMIA is issued in 10–15 days. These are the real hidden gems.
Global Talent Stream The Fastest LMIA (10 Days Processing)
If your occupation is on the Global Talent Stream list, processing time is 10 business days and the employer pays only $1,000 fee.
Current GTS occupations (October 2025) → https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/services/foreign-workers/global-talent/requirements.html#eligible
Final Reality Check Before You Waste Years Chasing Fake LMIA Jobs
Good signs:
- Salary ≥ provincial median
- Employer already got LMIAs before
- Rural location
- Licensed recruiter involved
- Job offer letter mentions “LMIA will be applied upon acceptance”
Red flags:
- They ask you to pay any fee
- Salary below median wage in urban area
- “Cashier” or “general labourer” in Toronto/Vancouver
- Agent promises “100 % guaranteed LMIA”
The Bottom Line
LMIA approved jobs in Canada are still very much alive in 2025 — but only if you target the right occupation, the right wage, the right province, and the right employer.
Stop applying to random Indeed postings. Start targeting the real channels I listed above.
If you do it correctly, you can have a positive LMIA in your inbox before Christmas 2025.
Save this page. Bookmark the government links. And go get your Canadian job.
