Under the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) process, Canadian employers generally must demonstrate that hiring a foreign worker will have a positive or neutral effect on the Canadian labour market, and that no Canadian citizens or permanent residents are available for the position. While the facilitated process in Quebec does not exempt employers from applying for an LMIA, it allows them to bypass the requirement to advertise certain positions when hiring foreign workers.

Quebec’s facilitated occupations list encompasses all categories eligible for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).

Facilitated LMIA Process Requirements for Quebec Employers

In the facilitated process, employers are not required to provide proof of recruitment efforts. However, they should make reasonable attempts to recruit Canadian citizens or permanent residents before offering a position to a foreign worker.

Employers must demonstrate:

That the foreign worker meets the job’s educational and experience requirements, as well as those outlined in the National Occupational Classification.
That the hourly wage offered to temporary foreign workers aligns with the rates paid to Canadians and permanent residents in the same occupation and region.

A transition plan is required for all high-wage LMIA applications. However, under Quebec’s facilitated process, a transition plan is only necessary for the second or subsequent LMIA applications in the same occupation and location.

TFWP Pilot Project

The Quebec government has broadened eligibility for facilitated processing to include certain NOC skill level C and D occupations.

From December 6, 2021, until December 31, 2024, several NOC D occupations are exempt from advertising and recruitment requirements. A list of these occupations can be found below.