Canada Work Permit and LMIA Rules 2026: A Guide for Pakistani Applicants

Published August 25, 2026 · by Hijrat — visa consultants, Islamabad & Rawalpindi

Canada is still one of the most searched work destinations among Pakistani jobseekers, but the honest picture in 2026 is narrower than it was two years ago. Ottawa has cut intake under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and tightened what employers must prove before they can hire abroad. If you are planning from Islamabad or Rawalpindi, it is worth understanding how the route actually works before you spend money on it.

What an LMIA is, and who pays for it

A Labour Market Impact Assessment is a document a Canadian employer obtains from Employment and Social Development Canada showing that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident was available for the role. You cannot apply for one yourself. Once the employer holds a positive LMIA, you apply separately to IRCC for the work permit itself. The LMIA fee is CAD 1,000 per position and it is the employer’s legal responsibility — it is against Canadian law to pass that cost to the worker. Any agent in Pakistan asking you to pay for an LMIA, or offering to sell you one, is a serious warning sign.

What changed in 2026

Canada set its 2026 Temporary Foreign Worker Program target at roughly 60,000 admissions, while the LMIA-exempt International Mobility Program was set closer to 170,000 — close to three IMP places for every TFWP place. From April 2026, employers must advertise roles for eight consecutive weeks and show genuine efforts to recruit young Canadians. Low-wage stream LMIA applications are also not being processed in around 30 census metropolitan areas where unemployment sits at six percent or higher, with carve-outs for primary agriculture, construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, residential care and in-home caregivers. Spousal open work permits have narrowed as well: spouses of workers in TEER 3 and lower occupations largely no longer qualify.

Fees to budget from Pakistan

The work permit application fee is CAD 155 per person and biometrics are CAD 85. Where an open work permit applies, there is a further CAD 100 holder fee. Beyond the government fees, budget for VFS service charges, the panel medical examination, document attestation and certified translation, and travel to a biometrics centre. Government fees are revised periodically and the rupee rate moves, so confirm the current amounts on Canada.ca on the day you pay rather than relying on any figure you read online.

How long it really takes

Applications from Pakistan commonly run longer than the headline figure IRCC’s online tool displays, largely because of security screening. Many first-time applicants report sixteen to twenty-four weeks end to end, and a police character certificate is requested in a meaningful share of cases. Plan around that timeline — do not resign from your current job on the assumption of a fast decision.

The sequence for most applicants looks like this:

1. Secure a genuine, written job offer from a Canadian employer.
2. The employer applies for and receives a positive LMIA, or confirms the role falls in an LMIA-exempt category.
3. You apply online to IRCC with the LMIA number and your offer letter.
4. You give biometrics and complete the medical examination if instructed.
5. You wait for the decision and, if approved, receive the port of entry letter before travelling.

Documents worth preparing early

A passport with adequate validity, degree and experience letters properly attested, a police character certificate, medical reports, proof of funds and certified translations where required. Attestation and translation are the steps that most often delay Pakistani files, so start them before your application is ready rather than after. Our attestation service page and visa documentation guide set out what each document needs.

If the work route is not realistic yet

Given the 2026 restrictions, a work permit is not the right first step for everyone. Some applicants are better served by the study permit route, which can lead to a post-graduation work permit, or by a short visitor visa for genuine family or business travel. Others find a stronger match in Gulf or European destinations listed on our visa services page.

This article is general information, not legal advice. Canadian immigration rules, fees and processing times change frequently, and every decision rests with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada and Employment and Social Development Canada. Verify all fees and requirements on Canada.ca before applying. Hijrat is not affiliated with the Government of Canada.