What advertising must a Canadian employer do before applying for an LMIA?

Before applying for an LMIA, most employers must demonstrate that they genuinely tried to recruit Canadian citizens and permanent residents for the position. Service Canada sets the minimum advertising requirements as part of the LMIA process — this is federal policy.

At minimum, employers must advertise on Canada's Job Bank for a specified period. Depending on the wage stream and the occupation, additional advertising on other platforms may also be required — typically at least two or three other broadly reaching platforms. The ads must describe the job accurately, including the wage, hours, and location.

After the advertising period, employers must retain records of all applicants who responded, their qualifications, and the reasons why each Canadian applicant was not selected. Service Canada may audit these records, so documentation must be thorough.

Some occupations or streams have reduced or different advertising requirements. For example, the Global Talent Stream has its own requirements that differ from the standard High-Wage or Low-Wage streams.

Advertising done before the official job bank posting or in ways that do not meet Service Canada's criteria may not count. Starting the process with a clear understanding of what constitutes compliant recruitment saves time and reduces refusal risk.