Employers seeking to hire foreign workers through Canada’s Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process must now meet a strict new advertising requirement: activating the “Direct Apply” feature on the Government of Canada’s Job Bank. This change, which took effect immediately, is intended to improve transparency and streamline the recruitment process for both employers and job seekers.
According to Maple News, the ‘Direct Apply’ function allows job seekers to submit applications directly through the Job Bank platform—ensuring employers cannot ignore applicants from that channel. As part of the revised LMIA advertising requirements, failure to enable or properly review applications received through Direct Apply could lead to the rejection of the LMIA application.
Previously, employers were required to post job vacancies on the Job Bank for at least four consecutive weeks and use two additional recruitment methods. However, they were not obligated to activate the Direct Apply feature. Now, that option is mandatory, and non-compliance can result in disqualification.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has made it clear: all resumes submitted through Direct Apply must be reviewed. Employers who ignore these applications—especially those from Canadian citizens or permanent/temporary residents—risk having their job postings restricted or removed from the Job Bank. Such restrictions could interfere with meeting the minimum four-week posting criteria, ultimately jeopardizing the LMIA approval.
This rule applies retroactively as well. Employers with existing job postings on the Job Bank must revisit their ads and ensure the Direct Apply feature is activated and functional. Job ads that do not meet this requirement will not count toward LMIA eligibility.
Despite the new Direct Apply mandate, employers are still required to list their jobs through two additional recruitment channels. These can include corporate websites, LinkedIn, or other third-party platforms, offering flexibility while maintaining compliance.
The change is part of broader efforts by the Canadian government to prioritize Canadian residents and citizens in the labour market before allowing employers to bring in foreign talent through programs like the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Maple News continues to monitor changes to Canada’s immigration and employment regulations and provides timely updates for employers, workers, and immigration professionals navigating these evolving requirements.