Maple News reports that LMIA processing times rose across nearly all streams of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in July 2026, with increases ranging from one to nine business days, according to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
Breaking from the broader trend, the permanent resident stream was an exception, showing a meaningful decline in wait times—from 99 days in June to 86 days in July.
ESDC released its July 2026 LMIA processing times update on August 7, 2026. The department updates these times monthly and uses the average number of business days required to assess applications.
In July 2026, the month-over-month changes by stream were as follows: Global Talent Stream 10 days (up from 9); Agricultural stream 23 days (up from 22); Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program 8 days (down from 9); High-wage stream 88 days (up from 79); Low-wage stream 73 days (up from 71); Permanent resident stream 86 days (down from 99).
The high-wage stream continues to carry the longest LMIA processing times in 2026, rising to 88 days in July after 60 days in February—the highest level observed for this stream this year.
The low-wage stream edged up to 73 days, still well above February’s 48-day wait.
For the permanent resident stream, the July figure of 86 days marks a sizable decline from June’s 99 days, but it remains one of the longer processing timelines among LMIA categories. Since February, the wait times have moved lower, reflecting ongoing volatility in application volumes and review capacity.
ESDC emphasizes that processing times reflect application completeness, stream type, and inventory levels, and are updated monthly. Employers and prospective international workers should factor these timelines into recruitment and relocation planning.