How to Get a Canadian Job Offer From Abroad

Job Bank, the Government of Canada’s job site, lists jobs from Canadian employers who want to recruit temporary foreign workers. Employer-driven hiring usually runs through an LMIA or an LMIA-exempt route such as CUSMA or an intra-company transfer. Never pay for a job: charging a foreign worker for an LMIA is illegal. Since November 3, 2026, an offer earns CRS points only in a high-wage occupation.

Find your occupation code in the NOC Finder

Last verified: November 2026

$1,000
The government LMIA fee per position, paid by the employer
ESDC
Assesses the employer’s LMIA application
Job Bank
The Government of Canada’s official job site

The employer pays the LMIA fee, not you. The Fee Calculator shows the government fees you pay yourself, such as the work permit fee.

Where are jobs for foreign workers posted?

Job Bank is the Government of Canada’s official job site, run by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). It has a section for temporary foreign workers that lists jobs from Canadian employers who want to recruit temporary foreign workers. You can set up alerts so new matching postings reach you automatically.

Most people who want to work in Canada need a work permit, and many work permits require a job offer from a specific Canadian employer. Recruiters and staffing agencies work in some sectors, but a legitimate recruiter is paid by the employer, never by you.

Knowing your National Occupational Classification (NOC) code makes it easier to match postings to the work you do. The NOC Finder gives your code.

How does an employer hire you through an LMIA?

A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document an employer obtains to show that hiring a foreign worker will not harm the Canadian labour market. A standard LMIA is the most common route, and without a job offer there is nothing for the employer to base an LMIA on.

The employer advertises the job
The employer advertises the job on Job Bank and through at least 2 other recruitment methods.
The employer applies to ESDC
The employer submits the LMIA application to ESDC and pays the government processing fee per position.
$1,000
ESDC assesses the offer
ESDC assesses the offer and its likely effect on the Canadian labour market, and the employer receives a decision. Standard LMIA processing can take many weeks.
You apply for the work permit
A positive or neutral LMIA, together with the job offer, is what you then use to apply for your work permit. You pay your own immigration application fees to the government, such as the work permit fee.
An officer decides
An officer decides whether the offer and the LMIA meet the rules, and decides the permit.

The Global Talent Stream is a faster LMIA route for certain highly skilled technology and specialized roles. ESDC’s standard is to process the LMIA in 10 business days, 80% of the time, and IRCC offers accelerated work permit processing for approved applicants, also 10 business days, 80% of the time.

It has a category for unique, specialized talent that needs a referral from a designated partner, and a category for occupations on the global talent occupations list. The employer still applies for and pays for the LMIA.

Which jobs need no LMIA?

LMIA-exempt work permits fall under the International Mobility Program. They include:

intra-company transfers
professionals and traders under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA, formerly NAFTA)
the Post-Graduation Work Permit
spousal open work permits
International Experience Canada

Most still involve a job offer, but the employer does not need an LMIA. CUSMA lets qualifying citizens of the United States and Mexico work in Canada in certain professional occupations without an LMIA, though the employer still issues a job offer.

The LMIA-exempt work permits guide lists the routes and their conditions.

What does a genuine job offer contain, and who pays?

A genuine Canadian job offer comes from a real, operating employer and describes a real position:

a specific job title and duties
a wage that meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for that role and region
the work location
the terms of employment

The LMIA application is the employer’s job and the employer’s cost. Under Canadian rules, it is illegal for an employer or recruiter to charge a foreign worker for an LMIA or to recover the LMIA fee from the worker. You do not pay anyone for the LMIA itself or for the job.

If a job offer is going to support permanent residence through a Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the province sets additional criteria, often including that the offer be full-time, non-seasonal, and in an eligible occupation.

The rule

It is illegal for an employer or recruiter to charge a foreign worker for an LMIA or to recover the LMIA fee from the worker.

ESDC and IRCC, canada.caVerify on canada.ca

How do you spot a job-offer scam?

IRCC treats a false or altered job offer as fraud. No legitimate employer, recruiter, or government body charges a foreign worker for an LMIA or for a job. If someone asks you to pay an upfront fee to secure a job offer, an LMIA, or a visa, treat it as fraud.

Other warning signs:

a job offer with no interview, or an offer that arrives unusually fast
messages from free email addresses (like gmail or yahoo) claiming to be from a well-known company instead of the company’s own domain
pressure to act immediately or to keep things secret
requests for your passport details, bank account, or money before you have verified anything
LMIA or reference numbers you cannot confirm through official channels

You are responsible for everything in your application, even if a representative completes it for you, and a false job offer could get you banned from Canada for at least 5 years.

In Canada, only lawyers and paralegals who are members of a provincial law society, notaries of the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and members of the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants (CICC) may represent or advise you for a fee.

Does a job offer still count toward permanent residence?

Since November 3, 2026, a qualifying offer in an occupation on IRCC’s high-wage list earns 100, 70 or 50 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points in Express Entry. The points sit in a labour market integration factor, which counts the greater of job offer points or Canadian work experience points, never both. An offer in any other occupation earns 0, and no LMIA is needed for these points.

From March 25, 2025 to November 2, 2026, no job offer earned points, after IRCC removed the arranged-employment points to curb fraudulent offers. For Federal Skilled Worker and Federal Skilled Trades applicants invited on or after November 3, 2026, a temporary public policy lets officers exempt the LMIA-related job offer requirements for eligibility.

A job offer is also a core requirement or a strong advantage in many Provincial Nominee Program streams, and a provincial nomination adds 600 CRS points. An officer always makes the final decision, and the rules differ by program.

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What do people ask?

How do I get a job offer in Canada from abroad?

Start with Job Bank, the Government of Canada’s job site, which lists jobs from Canadian employers who want to recruit temporary foreign workers. A legitimate recruiter is paid by the employer, never by you. Our NOC Code Finder helps you match postings to your occupation.

Can I get a job in Canada from another country?

Yes, but most foreign workers also need a work permit, and many work permits need a job offer from a specific Canadian employer. That employer usually needs a positive or neutral LMIA, unless the job falls under an LMIA-exempt route such as CUSMA, an intra-company transfer or International Experience Canada. An officer decides the permit. Our Work Permits in Canada page explains the permit types.

Does a Canadian job offer still give me Express Entry CRS points?

Only in a high-wage occupation. Since November 3, 2026, a qualifying offer in an occupation on IRCC’s high-wage list earns 100, 70 or 50 Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) points, and any other offer earns 0. The points sit in the labour market integration factor, which counts the greater of job offer points or Canadian work experience points. No LMIA is needed. From March 25, 2025 to November 2, 2026, no offer earned points, after IRCC removed the arranged-employment points to reduce fraud. Our Express Entry job offer points guide explains the change and what still counts.

Do I need a job offer to immigrate to Canada?

Not always. IRCC can invite Express Entry candidates without a job offer, ranked on age, education, language and experience. Many work permits need an offer, an offer in a high-wage occupation can earn Express Entry points, and several Provincial Nominee Program streams require or favour one. It depends on the pathway. Our Provincial Nominee Program guide covers the streams that use an offer.

What is an LMIA and who pays for it?

A Labour Market Impact Assessment is a document a Canadian employer gets from Employment and Social Development Canada to show that hiring a foreign worker will not harm the Canadian labour market. The employer applies and pays the government fee of CAD $1,000 per position. It is illegal for an employer or recruiter to charge a foreign worker for the LMIA. Our LMIA guide walks through the process.

Can I work in Canada without an LMIA?

Sometimes. LMIA-exempt work permits exist under the International Mobility Program, including intra-company transfers, CUSMA professionals and traders, the Post-Graduation Work Permit, spousal open work permits and International Experience Canada. Most still involve a job offer, but the employer does not need an LMIA. Which route fits depends on your situation. Our LMIA-Exempt Work Permits guide lists the routes and their conditions.

How do I know if a Canadian job offer is a scam?

The clearest red flag is being asked to pay for a job, an LMIA or a visa. No legitimate employer, recruiter or government body charges a foreign worker for those. Be wary of offers with no interview, free email addresses posing as a known company, pressure to act fast, and LMIA numbers you cannot verify. Our LMIA guide explains what a real LMIA-backed hire looks like.

What is the Global Talent Stream?

The Global Talent Stream is a faster LMIA route under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program for certain highly skilled technology and specialized roles. ESDC’s standard is to process the LMIA in 10 business days, 80% of the time, and IRCC processes work permits for approved applicants in 10 business days, 80% of the time. The employer still applies for and pays for the LMIA. Our Global Talent Stream guide covers its two categories.

Part of:Working in Canada

Official sources

This page is based on law and policy published by the Government of Canada.

How to Get a Canadian Job Offer From Abroad

Where are jobs for foreign workers posted?

How does an employer hire you through an LMIA?

The employer advertises the job

The employer applies to ESDC

ESDC assesses the offer

You apply for the work permit

An officer decides