Processing times for Labour Market Impact Assessments have increased across most streams of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program, even as the federal government reduces the number of temporary foreign workers admitted this year. New data released by Employment and Social Development Canada shows longer wait times for several categories of applications as of February 2026. The most significant increase was seen in the high-wage stream, which covers positions that meet or exceed the regional wage threshold. Processing times for this stream rose sharply from 46 business days in November 2025 to about 60 business days in February. Other streams also experienced modest increases, including the Global Talent Stream, which rose from 10 to 12 days, and the agricultural stream, which increased from 14 to 15 days. The low-wage stream also saw a smaller jump, climbing from 44 to 48 business days. Only the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program remained unchanged with processing times holding steady at about 10 days, while the permanent resident stream remains the slowest overall despite a slight improvement, dropping from 266 days to roughly 244 days. A Labour Market Impact Assessment is a key requirement for many employers seeking to hire foreign workers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, as it confirms that no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to fill the position and that hiring a foreign national will not negatively affect the domestic labour market. Once a positive or neutral LMIA is issued, the foreign worker can apply for an employer-specific work permit through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada. While wait times have grown in several categories, the federal government is simultaneously lowering the number of temporary foreign workers admitted through the program. Canada plans to allow up to 60,000 workers through the program in 2026, down from 82,000 the previous year, part of a broader policy aimed at keeping the overall temporary resident population below five per cent of the national population. Officials suggest that the reduction in work permits could eventually lead to fewer LMIA applications and shorter processing times in the future. At the same time, admissions through the LMIA-exempt International Mobility Program are also being scaled back, with projected entries declining from more than 285,000 in 2025 to about 170,000 in 2026.