09/02/2026
🇨🇦 Good news for foreign workers in Canada.
The government has extended the concurrent processing period from 60 to 90 days for eligible work permit applicants under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. This means that some applicants can submit their work permit application while their employer's Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is still being processed and will now have more time to provide the positive LMIA decision.
This change comes at a time when LMIA processing times remain lengthy. Current averages range from 10 business days under the Global Talent Stream to 88 days for High Wage positions, 73 days for Low Wage positions, and 86 days under the Permanent Residence stream.
In our experience, some applications can take even longer than the published averages. So extending the window to 90 days is a practical and welcome change. It should help reduce uncertainty for workers whose permits are close to expiring while they wait for an LMIA decision.
Although this does not solve processing delays, it is a step in the right direction and may provide greater flexibility for foreign workers trying to maintain their status in Canada.
If your work permit is expiring soon, it is important to understand your options as early as possible.
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