Effective immediately, employers hiring for Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)-based positions are required to enable and use the “Direct Apply” feature on Canada’s Job Bank as part of the mandatory advertising process.
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What This Means for Employers
To receive a positive LMIA, employers must:
- Activate the Direct Apply function on all Job Bank postings.
- Review all applications submitted through Direct Apply.
Failure to comply with these requirements—either by disabling Direct Apply or ignoring submitted applications—may result in the rejection of the LMIA application due to non-compliance with advertising standards.
This marks a stricter enforcement of LMIA recruitment rules. Previously, while employers were required to advertise on Job Bank for at least four consecutive weeks and use two other recruitment methods, enabling Direct Apply was optional. Now, it is mandatory by default.
Important: Employers must also ensure Direct Apply is enabled on existing Job Bank postings. The feature can be applied retroactively.
Consequences of Non-Compliance
Job postings that:
- Have Direct Apply disabled, or
- Do not properly review applications from Canadian citizens, permanent residents, or temporary residents,
may face restrictions on the Job Bank. This could disrupt the required four-week recruitment period, ultimately leading to LMIA application failure.
Additional Recruitment Methods Still Required
Despite the new rule, employers must continue using at least two additional recruitment methods—such as directing applicants to:
- Their company website,
- A LinkedIn page, or
- A preferred third-party application portal.
About Canada’s Job Bank and LMIA Requirements
The Job Bank is Canada’s official government job board. Employers applying for an LMIA are required to post job openings here to demonstrate that they’ve made efforts to hire Canadian citizens or permanent residents before seeking foreign workers.
Some LMIA-based positions, however, are exempt from the advertising requirement, including (but not limited to):
- Certain academic roles (e.g., visiting professors, postdoctoral fellows),
- Camp counsellors,
- Select entertainment industry jobs,
- In-home caregivers.
For a full list of exemptions, please refer to the government’s dedicated webpage.
Context: Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
The TFWP supports Canadian employers by allowing them to hire foreign workers when no Canadians or permanent residents are available. However, it has faced increasing scrutiny over its potential misuse—particularly regarding wage suppression and limited domestic recruitment efforts.
The Direct Apply rule is part of the federal government’s broader efforts to:
- Improve transparency and accountability in foreign hiring,
- Address concerns over temporary resident growth,
- Respond to affordability and housing pressures.
For Job Seekers
Job seekers can now apply directly to LMIA-based jobs through the Job Bank using the Direct Apply feature. Those with a Job Seeker Plus account can simply:
- Click “Direct Apply” on a job posting,
- Select their resume from the drop-down menu,
- Submit the application instantly.
This streamlined process saves applicants time and removes the need to navigate external application portals or create multiple accounts.
