Program delivery update: Labour Market Impact Assessment Review – Temporary Foreign Worker Program
This section contains policy, procedures and guidance used by IRCC staff. It is posted on the department’s website as a courtesy to stakeholders.
August 21, 2026
These instructions have been updated to reflect that IRCC has extended the grace period for work permit extension applications requiring concurrent processing from 60 days to 90 days. This means that applications eligible for concurrent processing without a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) will not receive a decision until 90 days has elapsed from the date the application was received.
Additionally, a new client process has been implemented for applicants to identify when their applications require concurrent processing. Information on this process has been added to the instructions for officers’ reference.