Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) ended the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirement for qualifying job offers on 3 November 2026, replacing it with a direct assessment that reviews employers, positions and applicants against nine specific conditions.

Even with a genuine Canadian job offer, a foreign worker can lose points or fail to meet programme requirements if any of the nine conditions are not satisfied, IRCC says.

The first condition concerns the employer’s business operations; officers may reject offers from companies that lack verifiable commercial activity despite being registered, checking licences, payroll records and lease agreements.

A second ground is whether the position reflects a genuine staffing need; IRCC assesses the employer’s workforce structure to ensure the role is not created solely to facilitate permanent residency.

Financial capacity forms the third criterion; employers must demonstrate ability to pay the promised salary, often by providing corporate tax assessments or bank statements.

The fourth condition evaluates the applicant’s qualifications; a mismatch between the candidate’s background and the duties of the offered role can lead to rejection.

Compliance history is the fifth factor; employers with prior violations related to wages, workplace conditions or recruitment may face heightened scrutiny and possible disqualification.

A detailed written employment offer is required under the sixth condition; the document must specify salary, deductions, duties, hours and working conditions, and informal agreements are insufficient.

The seventh condition mandates full‑time, continuous employment of at least 30 hours per week for a minimum of one year after permanent residency is granted; seasonal or part‑time roles are excluded.

Under the eighth condition, officers compare the actual duties with the National Occupational Classification (NOC) description; mislabelled roles that inflate eligibility can cause rejection.

The ninth condition relates to CRS points eligibility; job‑offer points of 50, 70 or 100 are awarded based on wage tiers, and a high‑salary role not on the eligible list receives zero points despite a valid offer.

IRCC emphasised that removing the LMIA does not guarantee automatic qualification; immigration officers retain full authority to assess each application against all nine conditions.