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What is an LMO?

By Michael Niren February 14, 2013 (Updated December 7, 2020) 1 min. read
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An LMO is also known as a Labour Market Opinion. It is a component of the Canadian work permit process.

There are two parts to obtaining a work permit in Canada. The first is obtaining a Labour Market Opinion, while the second is the work visa application itself.

A Labour Market Opinion is essentially permission from the Canadian government that the company who wishes to hire you is allowed to bring foreign workers into Canada because they cannot find any qualified Canadians to fill the job opening they have.

The Labour Market Opinion Application Process

It is your employer who will apply for the Labour Market Opinion from Service Canada, who will approve or deny it. The employer needs to demonstrate that they have attempted to find Canadian workers but have not, or that the Canadian workers they did find were not qualified for the job. They need to show that they adequately advertised for the job as well as describe the job in detail.

If they are approved, they will receive an LMO letter from Service Canada.

This positive Labour Market Opinion is required for the worker’s work visa application. Along with making an application for their Canadian work permit, the worker may also have to undergo an interview with a visa officer.

There are exceptions for people who require a Labour Market Opinion as not all foreign nationals will require a Labour Market Opinion.

However, the definitions of who is exempt from requiring a Labour Market Opinion are not always clear or easy to understand.

If you want to apply for a Canadian work visa and want to know if you require a Labour Market Opinion or not, as well as for assistance in obtaining a Canadian work permit, please contact our immigration law firm. We have helped many foreign nationals obtain work permits for Canada, as well as helped many employers obtain LMOs for bringing foreign workers to the United States.

We can be contacted using the form on the right or the telephone number above. We have new extended hours to serve you better!

Walter J. Avatar

Walter J.

I was frustrated after talking to several different immigration firms. Many just didn’t seem honest or upfront. However, a friend recommended VisaPlace to me, and I am glad they did. I worked with a lady and she was very knowledgeable and explained the process to me. She was so essential for the immigration process. I would definitely go back to her if i needed any further support.

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Marco Tame

I’d like to be clear that I’m somewhat of a skeptic, especially when it comes to investing time and money into a new venture. I’m originally from the UK but I made the decision to migrate to Canada after meeting my girlfriend online six months ago. I know the process is going to take time, but I wanted legal counsel to make sure I approach the process in the most efficient way possible – I HATE wasting time. My consultation over the phone was informative and eased some of my initial concerns about potential hiccups. The lawyer I worked with was good about getting back to me, although occasionally she couldn’t be reached due to being in court – that was fine, she typically followed up relatively quickly. I’m now well within the process of immigrating and I have appreciated having the legal support.

Michael Her Avatar

Michael Her

It was pretty easy to make an appointment with visaplace. I have seen some people complain about the pricing, which is odd because in comparison to other firms, their rates are relatively fair. They were also honest and upfront with the complexities of my case and gave me the option to decide whether or not I wanted to move forward. I did end up moving forward and things have been going according to what we discussed. I am relieved to know there are honest professionals out there who won’t over-promise you things they can’t deliver.

Michael Her Avatar

Michael Her

It was pretty easy to make an appointment with visaplace. I have seen some people complain about the pricing, which is odd because in comparison to other firms, their rates are relatively fair. They were also honest and upfront with the complexities of my case and gave me the option to decide whether or not I wanted to move forward. I did end up moving forward and things have been going according to what we discussed. I am relieved to know there are honest professionals out there who won’t over-promise you things they can’t deliver.

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Morgan Whitaker

I had a bad experience with a previous firm so I was hesitant to reach out to another to get my wife into the country. But, I needed guidance. After a consultation with VisaPlace, I was put at ease. The process was smooth and they were usually quick to respond. If they couldn’t respond to me that day, they always followed up with me, which I appreciate.

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Joan Whittington

UPDATE: I am choosing to update and not remove my original post so others will see that they do seem to care about the success of their clients cases.
After posting my initial review I was contacted by a senior consultant that took ownership of the lack of progress on my case on their end. I am updating because they are trying to make a difference and I have now been assigned a team that contacted me in one business day and gave me all of the paperwork I need to get started on for processing. At this point I am very satisfied and am hopeful my case gets resolved in a timely fashion and in a professional manner.

Initial Post: I had an appointment 2+ weeks ago and spoke with someone that was supposed to send a follow up email but have yet to hear back from her. She wanted to get my credit card info for payment but I had to wait for it to clear another payment. They are very irresponsible and not professional. Would not recommend.

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Gregory Larocque

I had a fantastic experience with Brenda! I was very anxious about my status for an upcoming trip to the U.S and Brenda managed to really ease my nerves. She gave exceptional customer service and she made my day. I truly had an incredible experience. I would recommend Brenda to anyone and everyone!