Short answer: as of 2026, low-wage LMIA positions require a minimum of 8 consecutive weeks of advertising plus dedicated youth (ages 15–30) recruitment efforts; high-wage positions require 4 consecutive weeks. All advertising must fall within the 3 months before you submit, with Job Bank as the mandatory anchor. Miss one element and the clock restarts.
Advertising that doesn't count
- Short duration. 8 weeks (low-wage) and 4 weeks (high-wage) mean *consecutive* weeks. Interrupted ads start over.
- Outside the 3-month window. Ads older than 3 months before submission are invalid.
- Skipping Job Bank. Using an alternative instead of Job Bank requires a written rationale.
- Taking everything down early. At least 1 of the 3 recruitment activities must stay live until the LMIA decision is issued.
- Multiple sites of the same type. They combine into a single recruitment method, not several.
Requirements by stream
| Item | High-wage (at/above provincial median) | Low-wage (below provincial median) |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum duration | 4 consecutive weeks | 8 consecutive weeks |
| Job Bank | Mandatory (with Job Match) | Mandatory (with Job Match) |
| Additional methods | 2+, one national in scope | 2+, each targeting a different underrepresented group |
| Youth recruitment | — | Mandatory (ages 15–30: Job Bank youth section, schools, youth programs) |
| Job Match obligations | Invite by star rating | Invite all 2-star+ matches within first 30 days |
| Record keeping | 6 years | 6 years |
Commonly missed details
- Ad content is prescribed: operating name, business address, duties, wage (a range is fine only if the minimum meets prevailing wage), location, contact information, and skill requirements.
- Direct Apply applications on Job Bank must be considered — disabling or ignoring the feature can count as failing the recruitment effort.
- Youth recruitment is activity, not a checkbox: youth job boards, school partnerships, or recognized youth employment programs, all documented.
- Since advertising runs *before* submission, your real timeline is 8 (or 4) weeks of ads + processing time.
FAQ
When did low-wage become 8 weeks? The current official requirement is 8 weeks for low-wage and 4 for high-wage (verified August 2026). Rules change — always confirm on the official pages at submission time.
Do newspaper ads count? Local, regional, and national newspapers are acceptable additional methods, as long as they reach an audience matching the occupation.
