Work Permits Update — May 18, 2026
Monday, May 18, 2026
Under the 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan, LMIA-exempt (International Mobility Program) work permit targets increased 32% to 170,000, while LMIA-based (Temporary Foreign Worker Program) targets were cut 27% to 60,000 — meaning Canada now plans to issue roughly 3 LMIA-exempt permits for every 1 LMIA-based permit.
Effective April 1, 2026, stricter LMIA requirements took effect for employers, including extended recruitment periods and mandatory targeted outreach to youth groups before a foreign worker can be hired.
The open work permit for TR-to-PR pathway applicants (from the 2021 pathway) has been extended to December 31, 2026, allowing eligible applicants still awaiting a PR decision to continue working for any employer in any occupation.
What You Should Do
- If you are an employer planning to hire a foreign worker through the TFWP, review the updated LMIA requirements effective April 1, 2026 at canada.ca/lmia — you must now demonstrate extended recruitment efforts and targeted outreach to youth groups before submitting your LMIA application.
- If you applied for PR under the 2021 TR-to-PR pathway and your application is still pending, apply for the extended open work permit before December 31, 2026 at canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/tr-pr-pathway/open-work-permit.html to maintain your status and work authorization.
- If you are a foreign worker or employer assessing work permit options, check whether you qualify for an LMIA-exempt category (e.g., PGWP, intra-company transfer, CUSMA/CETA trade agreements) at canada.ca/international-mobility-program — LMIA-exempt pathways now account for the large majority of new work permit targets and avoid costly LMIA processing.
Sources
Topics Covered
LMIA-Exempt Work Permit Expansion: The 2026–2028 Immigration Levels Plan raises the IMP (LMIA-exempt) target by 32% to 170,000, while cutting TFWP (LMIA-based) targets by 27% to 60,000, making LMIA-exempt pathways the dominant route for temporary workers in Canada.
2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan: The 2026–2028 plan sets total temporary worker arrivals at 230,000 (170,000 IMP + 60,000 TFWP), representing a structural rebalancing away from LMIA-based hiring and toward LMIA-exempt international mobility.
More Work Permits Updates
Work Permits Update — June 8, 2026
Jun 8, 2026
Work Permits Update — June 4, 2026
Jun 4, 2026
Work Permits Update — June 1, 2026
Jun 1, 2026
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