Toronto hiring considerations
Toronto employers should confirm the actual worksite, occupation and prevailing wage before recruitment. A role carried out in multiple sites or at client premises should be documented as such, rather than listing only the head office. ESDC’s low-wage refusal-to-process rules use defined economic regions and change over time; a Toronto postal address alone is not enough to determine whether an application can be processed.
Recruitment before submission
Most high-wage and low-wage applications require genuine recruitment and a record of how Canadians and permanent residents were considered. Confirm advertising content, duration and required recruitment methods before launching ads. Retain dated copies, applicant records and objective selection reasons. A fabricated labour shortage or a pre-arranged recruitment exercise can undermine the application.
Business evidence and costs
Prepare the job description, proposed wage, hours, location, business activity records and evidence of the ability to meet the offered terms. Stream-specific transition plans, housing or transport requirements may apply. The usual LMIA government processing charge is $1,000 per position, subject to exemptions. It cannot be recovered from the worker; professional fees are quoted separately.
From LMIA to work permit
A positive LMIA is not permission for a worker to start employment and does not guarantee permanent residence. The worker must meet the applicable work-permit requirements and follow the decision letter’s expiry and instructions. Check ESDC’s current LMIA processing times and IRCC’s separate permit processing tool instead of treating recruitment, LMIA and permit processing as one promised timeline.
How YF helps Toronto employers
We review the appropriate route, recruitment evidence, wage and business documents and identify whether a legitimate LMIA exemption should be considered. We also discuss record-keeping so the employment terms in the application can be demonstrated during an inspection. Contact us with your proposed position, actual worksite and hiring deadline; we respond within 1 business day. Arrange any appointment first. This page is not a promise of walk-in hours or a separate local team.
Related services
General information, not individual advice. Government rules change and no result is guaranteed.