Hiring a foreign worker in Quebec: how the LMIA, the CAQ and the work permit fit together

Hiring a foreign worker in Quebec: how the LMIA, the CAQ and the work permit fit together is easier to understand when you separate the decisions each document represents. Hiring in Quebec is not the same as in Ontario or British Columbia: on top of the federal Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), Quebec adds its own authorization, the Quebec Acceptance Certificate (CAQ) for work, and its own facilitated processing list. The employer’s labour-market process, Quebec’s selection and the federal authorization to work are connected, but not interchangeable. For an employer, the practical question is: which route applies to this job, and in what order do things happen? Based on federal and Quebec government pages checked on October 17, 2026.

Key takeaways

• An LMIA is a labour-market decision. A positive LMIA supports the proposed hire, but it does not give the worker permission to work.
• A CAQ for work is Quebec’s selection document, required for many jobs. See Quebec’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program overview.
• A work permit authorizes the work, under its employer, job and other conditions.
• Choose the route before preparing forms. The job, the wage, the location and the worker’s situation decide between an LMIA and an exemption.
• Quebec and federal steps are coordinated: the employer files the LMIA and the CAQ request together when both are required.
• Plan around the actual authorization. An LMIA or a CAQ alone does not let a worker start.

Three approvals, three different jobs

Document	Who issues it	What it does	What it does not do
LMIA	Federal government (ESDC, through Service Canada); the employer applies	Assesses your job offer and its impact on the labour market	Authorize the worker to work
CAQ for work	Quebec (MII, formerly MIFI)	Quebec’s authorization, required for many jobs	Replace the work permit
Work permit	IRCC; the worker applies	Allows the worker to do the job, under the conditions printed on it	Replace a required LMIA or CAQ

Neither a positive LMIA nor a CAQ allows the person to start working. Only the work permit does. For the federal side, see ESDC’s guidance on hiring in Quebec.

In Quebec, the employer files two applications together

When both are required, the employer submits the LMIA application and the worker’s application for temporary selection (the CAQ) at the same time: for a job in Quebec of more than 30 consecutive days, ESDC asks that applications go simultaneously to Service Canada and the MII, in French. A CAQ is not required in some cases, for example for work of 30 days or less, where the employer only files the federal LMIA. Once the LMIA is positive and the CAQ is granted, the worker applies to IRCC for the work permit.

Because the same job is described in two files, everything must match: duties, wage, location, hours. Inconsistencies between the two are a classic source of delays.

Choosing the route: five questions

1. Does the candidate already have a permit? An open work permit holder may be able to take the job without an LMIA. A worker tied to another employer needs a new permit; see our guide on changing jobs on a closed permit.
2. Is the job high-wage or low-wage? It depends on how the wage you offer compares with Quebec’s current threshold; check ESDC’s wage-stream guidance.
3. Is the job in Montreal or Laval? Until December 31, 2026, some LMIA applications for low-wage jobs in the Montreal and Laval economic regions are not processed. Some sectors are exempt, including agriculture, construction, food processing, health care and education.
4. Is the occupation on Quebec’s facilitated processing list?
5. Does an LMIA exemption apply? Some exemptions under the International Mobility Program exist, but several, such as francophone mobility, only apply to jobs outside Quebec; see LMIA or LMIA exemption.

Don’t choose the route from the job title alone: compare the actual duties and qualifications with the candidate’s documented education and experience, and use the right occupational code.

Employer and worker responsibilities at each step

The employer leads the LMIA: choosing the stream, following its recruitment rules, submitting the evidence and keeping the job description, wage and location accurate and consistent with the offer. In Quebec, the employer also coordinates the LMIA with the CAQ request, following the current instructions.

The worker applies to IRCC for the work permit with their own personal, employment and qualification evidence; the employer’s documents don’t replace them. See IRCC’s work permit application instructions.

• A precise job offer: duties, requirements, location, wage and working conditions, identical across all forms.
• For a regular LMIA: your job ads, where and when they ran, the applications received and the job-related reasons each candidate was not retained.
• For facilitated processing: evidence that the occupation is on the list and that the duties match.
• From the worker: passport, diplomas, proof of experience and documents on their current status.

Follow the sequence from job offer to work permit

1. Confirm the job and the route. Where the person will work, what they will do, and whether the route needs an LMIA, a CAQ or another process.
2. Complete the employer and Quebec steps. File the LMIA and CAQ request in the required format and order.
3. Give the worker the decision documents. They need them for their federal application.
4. The worker applies for the work permit and starts only once it is issued.

Set the start date around the authorization the worker actually holds, not the date the LMIA or CAQ arrives. If the worker is already in Canada, check their current status and its expiry date: whether they can keep working while an application is pending depends on their situation. Processing times vary by stage, so use the current estimates as planning aids, not decision dates.

Facilitated processing: what it does and does not do

For occupations on Quebec’s facilitated processing list, you do not have to provide proof of your recruitment efforts. It is not an LMIA exemption: the other LMIA requirements still apply, and you are still expected to make reasonable efforts to hire locally. Getting the occupation code right is essential: choose it from the real duties and required skills, not from your internal job title. Our guide on the facilitated LMIA process goes into detail.

Low-wage restrictions, costs and timing risks

Low-wage processing restrictions depend on the region and the rules in force when the application is assessed. For a 2027 hiring plan, check the official pages for any updated measure rather than assuming the Montreal and Laval restriction simply continues or ends. Don’t assume an exception applies unless the current criteria support it.

Keep the employer’s costs separate from the worker’s: ESDC sets the LMIA processing fee and employer payment rules, and IRCC the work permit fees.

Cost (2026)	Who pays	Amount
Federal LMIA processing fee	Employer	$1,000 per position requested
Quebec’s assessment of the job offer	Employer	$233 per worker, indexed every January 1, paid at filing and not refunded if refused
Application for temporary selection (CAQ)	Worker	$233
Work permit	Worker	From $155, plus $85 for biometrics if required

Example: a sawmill in the Beauce region wants three welders from abroad for two years. The employer files one LMIA for three positions with Service Canada and the MII at the same time: $3,000 in federal fees and $699 for Quebec’s assessment. Each welder then pays for a CAQ and a work permit, and gives biometrics if asked. The region matters too: the Montreal and Laval low-wage restriction doesn’t apply outside those regions, but the wage stream and its rules still do. Budget the whole chain, and plan the start date around the permits, not the LMIA.

After approval: keep the job and authorization aligned

Before the worker starts, compare the work permit with the job: employer, occupation, location and conditions. Respect the conditions of the offer and the permit throughout the employment: wage, duties, location. Before changing the job, the wage or the location, check the effect on each authorization. Keep your recruitment and employment records, they matter in a compliance review, and start renewals well before the permit expires. Our employer compliance page covers record-keeping and inspections.

If the work permit is delayed or refused, the earlier LMIA or CAQ doesn’t let the worker start. Our LMIA in Quebec page and our employers page explain how we work with businesses; you can also describe the position or book a consultation.

Frequently asked questions

We are in Montreal. Can we still hire from abroad?

In many cases, yes: high-wage jobs, exempt sectors and LMIA-exempt routes are not affected. The current restrictions target certain low-wage jobs. It depends on the wage, the sector and the occupation.

Can the worker start as soon as the LMIA is approved?

No. The LMIA is about your offer. The worker needs a work permit before starting.

Do we need to advertise if the job is on the facilitated list?

You do not have to submit proof of recruitment efforts for listed occupations, but reasonable efforts to hire locally are still expected. Check the current conditions before you file.

Can a worker apply for the work permit while the LMIA is pending?

Not on the basis of that LMIA. Another route is possible only if the worker qualifies for it separately.

Can the worker bring a spouse or children?

Family members may come, but their status is assessed separately. A spouse’s open work permit depends on the current rules; see our guide on the spousal open work permit.

Can the employer make the worker pay the LMIA fee?

The LMIA is the employer’s application, and ESDC sets the rules on who pays its fee. Check them before any cost is passed on; a request that the worker pay employer or recruitment fees is a warning sign.

When should we start a renewal?

Early. Quebec advises starting at least six months before the permit expires, because a renewal usually means a new LMIA for the employer and a new CAQ for the worker before the federal extension.

Conclusion

Hiring a foreign worker in Quebec comes down to keeping three separate decisions aligned: the employer handles the LMIA, Quebec grants the CAQ when required, and the worker obtains the work permit. Choose the route from the real job and the candidate’s situation, file the Quebec and federal applications together where required, and plan the start date around the permit the worker actually holds.

Official sources

Official pages consulted on October 17, 2026:

• ESDC — Hiring temporary foreign workers in the province of Quebec
• Québec — Temporary Foreign Worker Program (French)