Picture this: You’re working in Canada, everything’s going well, and then you check your work permit. It expires in three weeks. Your employer applied for an LMIA to extend your stay, but those can take two to three months to process. What do you do?
Here’s something most temporary foreign workers don’t know about – there’s actually a way to apply for your work permit renewal before your employer gets the LMIA approval. It’s called concurrent processing, and it could be a lifesaver if you’re running out of time.
Let me walk you through exactly how this works, because immigration rules can get confusing fast, and the last thing you want is to lose your legal status in Canada.
What Exactly Is Concurrent Processing?
Normally, here’s how the system works: Your employer needs to get a positive or neutral Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) before you can even apply for a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Think of the LMIA as the government’s way of checking that hiring you won’t negatively impact Canadian workers. It’s basically permission for your employer to hire a foreign worker.
But concurrent processing flips the script a bit. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) created this special measure that lets you submit your work permit application while your employer’s LMIA is still being processed – not after.
Why does this matter? Because if your current work permit is about to expire and the LMIA isn’t ready yet, you don’t have to pack your bags and leave Canada while waiting.
The Two Key Rules You Need to Meet
Not everyone qualifies for concurrent processing. IRCC has two strict requirements, and you need to meet both:
First, your current work permit must expire in 14 days or less. That’s two weeks. Not three weeks, not 16 days – 14 days or fewer. This is a hard deadline, so you need to watch your calendar carefully.
Second, your employer must have already submitted their LMIA application with what IRCC calls “sufficient lead time.” In plain English, this means your employer can’t wait until the last minute.
Here’s what IRCC is looking for: They want to see that your employer started the LMIA process well before your permit expired – ideally at least 30 days in advance. If your employer only filed the LMIA application yesterday and your permit expires tomorrow, that’s not going to cut it. IRCC considers that an “exceptional circumstance” and will likely refuse your application.
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What Happens After You Apply
Let’s say you meet both requirements and submit your concurrent processing application. Here’s the good news: IRCC won’t immediately refuse you just because the LMIA isn’t ready yet.
Instead, they’ll give you something called “maintained status.” This is huge. It means that even if your current work permit expires before your new one is approved, you can legally stay in Canada and keep working for your current employer under the same conditions as your expired permit.
Think of maintained status as a safety net. You’re not technically in limbo – you have legal authorization to work while your application is being processed.
IRCC also gives you an additional 60 days from the date you apply to provide proof of the positive or neutral LMIA. This is your window to get that LMIA approval uploaded to your application.
But here’s the catch: If those 60 days pass and you still haven’t provided proof of the LMIA, your application will be refused. And if the LMIA comes back negative instead of positive? Your work permit application gets refused too, and your maintained status ends immediately. You’d have to stop working right then and there.
The Low-Wage LMIA Moratorium Nobody Talks About
Now, here’s something that might affect you, depending on what kind of job you have and where you work in Canada.
Right now, there’s a moratorium – basically a freeze – on processing LMIAs for low-wage positions in certain regions. This started because unemployment rates in many parts of Canada have climbed above 6%.
If your job falls under the high-wage stream of the TFWP, you’re in the clear. Your employer can apply for an LMIA no matter which region you work in.
But if your job is in the low-wage stream, your employer can’t even apply for an LMIA if your job is located in one of the affected regions – unless your occupation is specifically exempt.
Which regions are we talking about? As of early 2026, the list includes major cities like Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver suburbs, and many others. We’re talking about most of Ontario’s urban centers, major Alberta cities, and parts of British Columbia and Saskatchewan.
To check if your job location is affected, you can enter your workplace’s postal code into the government’s Census of Population website. It’ll tell you which region you’re in and whether it’s part of the moratorium.
High-Wage vs. Low-Wage: What’s the Difference?
This is where things get a bit technical, but it’s important to understand.
For a position to qualify as high-wage in 2026, it must pay at least the higher of two amounts:
- The wage threshold for your province or territory (which is 20% above the provincial median wage as of late 2024), or
- The wage range paid to employees working for the same employer, in the same role, in the same location, with the same level of experience
On top of that, the hourly wage must exceed what’s called the “prevailing wage” listed in Canada’s Job Bank for that occupation in your region, based on the National Occupational Classification (NOC) code.
I know, it sounds complicated. If you’re not sure which stream your job falls under, talk to your employer or an immigration consultant who can look up the specific wage thresholds and Job Bank data for your position.
When Should You Actually Use Concurrent Processing?
Here’s my honest take: Concurrent processing is a backup plan, not your first choice.
The best scenario is when your employer gets the LMIA approved well before your work permit expires. IRCC even recommends that you apply for your new work permit at least 30 days before your current one expires. That gives you breathing room and reduces stress.
But life doesn’t always work out perfectly. Maybe there were unexpected delays in the LMIA advertising requirements (which typically run for 28 days). Maybe ESDC took longer than expected to process the LMIA. Maybe your employer didn’t realize how tight the timeline was getting.
That’s when concurrent processing becomes valuable. It’s your Plan B when Plan A hasn’t worked out in time.
If you do end up using concurrent processing, timing is everything. Your employer should submit the LMIA application as early as possible. The more lead time you can show IRCC, the better your chances of approval.
The Bigger Picture: What’s Happening with Canadian Work Permits in 2026
It’s worth understanding the broader context here. Canada’s immigration landscape is shifting, and not necessarily in ways that make things easier for temporary foreign workers.
The government cut TFWP admissions from 82,000 in 2025 down to just 60,000 in 2026. That’s a significant drop. Competition for those spots is going to be tougher.
At the same time, they’ve increased Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) admissions dramatically – up to 91,500 in 2026 from 55,000 previously. What does this tell us? Canada wants more workers to transition to permanent residence rather than cycling through temporary permits.
There’s even talk of a special temporary resident to permanent resident pathway that could help up to 33,000 temporary foreign workers become permanent residents in 2026 and 2027. If you’re already in Canada with Canadian work experience, this could be your opportunity to put down roots.
The moral of the story? If you’re working in Canada temporarily, start thinking about your permanent residence options sooner rather than later. The window for temporary workers is narrowing, but the door to permanent residence might be opening wider.
Practical Steps: What You Need to Do
Let me break this down into a simple action plan, whether you’re approaching the end of your work permit or just planning ahead:
Step 1: Check Your Work Permit Expiry Date Pull out your work permit right now and note the expiry date. Set reminders on your phone for 90 days before, 60 days before, and 30 days before expiry.
Step 2: Talk to Your Employer Early Don’t wait until the last minute to bring this up. Have a conversation with your employer at least three months before your permit expires. They need to understand the LMIA timeline and requirements.
Step 3: Confirm Which Wage Stream You’re In Ask your employer to verify whether your position falls under high-wage or low-wage. Check the current provincial wage thresholds and the Job Bank prevailing wage for your occupation.
Step 4: Check Regional Restrictions If you’re in the low-wage stream, verify whether your work location is affected by the moratorium. Use the postal code lookup tool on the Census of Population website.
Step 5: Start LMIA Process ASAP Your employer should begin the LMIA application process as soon as possible – ideally 90-120 days before your permit expires. Remember, they’ll likely need to complete 28 days of advertising first.
Step 6: Monitor the LMIA Application Get the LMIA file number from your employer and check in regularly on the status. ESDC processing times vary, but two to three months is common.
Step 7: Apply for Work Permit Extension If you’re within 14 days of expiry and the LMIA isn’t approved yet, submit your work permit application through concurrent processing. Use Form IMM 5710 on the IRCC portal.
Step 8: Include a Letter of Explanation When applying under concurrent processing, upload a letter explaining that you’re using this measure because your permit expires in under 14 days and your employer has already submitted the LMIA with sufficient lead time.
Step 9: Upload LMIA as Soon as It’s Approved Once you receive the positive LMIA from your employer, upload it to your IRCC account immediately. Don’t wait – you only have 60 days from your application date.
Step 10: Keep Copies of Everything Save copies of all documents: your LMIA application receipt, your work permit application, correspondence from IRCC, and the approved LMIA. You might need these for future applications.
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What If Things Go Wrong?
Let’s talk about worst-case scenarios, because you should know what you’re dealing with.
If your LMIA application comes back negative, your work permit application will be refused. Your maintained status ends the moment IRCC notifies you of the refusal, and you must stop working immediately.
At that point, you’ll need to either leave Canada or restore your status within 90 days by submitting a restoration application (which costs extra and isn’t guaranteed).
If the 60-day deadline passes without an approved LMIA, same thing – your application gets refused, maintained status ends, and you need to stop working.
This is why that “sufficient lead time” requirement is so important. If your employer waits too long to start the LMIA process, concurrent processing might not save you.
The Bottom Line
Concurrent processing isn’t a loophole or a workaround – it’s a legitimate provision that IRCC created to help temporary foreign workers who are caught in timing gaps through no fault of their own.
But it’s not a guarantee, and it’s not a replacement for proper planning. The best approach is always to start early, communicate clearly with your employer, and make sure all the pieces are in place well before deadlines start looming.
Canada still needs foreign workers, even with the recent cuts to the TFWP. If you’re here already, working hard, and contributing to the economy, there are pathways to stay. Whether that’s through concurrent processing to extend your temporary status or through one of the new permanent residence programs being rolled out, options exist.
The key is staying informed, being proactive, and not waiting until the last minute to figure things out. Immigration rules change, processing times fluctuate, and programs get updated. What worked for someone else last year might not work the same way this year.
If you’re ever unsure about your specific situation, talk to a regulated Canadian immigration consultant or lawyer. They can review your individual circumstances and give you advice tailored to your case. Immigration applications are too important to get wrong, and professional guidance can make all the difference.
Your work in Canada matters. The contributions you make to your employer and your community matter. Make sure your immigration status doesn’t get in the way of continuing that work.
