Find LMIA employer lists by quarter and file language

Choose the quarter before the employer

The federal positive-LMIA dataset contains separate employer lists for reporting periods and file languages. Start with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program employer dataset, then read the resource name to identify the year and quarter. The catalogue’s update date describes the metadata; it does not make an older quarterly file current.

For a concrete example, open the English January–March 2026 table. Its title identifies 2026 Q1 and the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021. Use that period when describing a result or comparing it with another file. This guide uses a fixed example so its instructions remain reproducible; it does not claim that Q1 is always the newest available quarter.

Select the actual file language

The dataset has English and French files whose resource titles can themselves be translated. CanQuery’s EN/FR controls change the interface and metadata text. They do not translate spreadsheet cells. Check File languages in the data overview before opening the table or downloading the original.

For the same quarter in French, use the January–March 2026 French table. Both examples are XLSX resources with tables already available in CanQuery. You can inspect the recorded field names before searching; you do not need to load another copy to follow this example.

Search the table and read the columns

1. Open the English table and use its search box to locate an employer name or other text in the records.
2. Read the surrounding columns, especially Province/Territory, Program Stream, Address and Occupation. An employer name by itself does not identify every location or program entry.
3. Distinguish Approved LMIAs from Approved Positions. They are separate numeric columns, not interchangeable totals.
4. Clear your search before checking another employer. If you need a reproducible working file, use Original file and retain the reporting quarter, language and source alongside your notes.

The recorded schema also includes Incorporate Status. These are the publisher’s English field names, including its spelling. The French file uses different labels, such as Employeur, EIMT Approuvés and Postes Approuvés; a change of interface language does not rename them.

Understand what a positive LMIA list measures

Employment and Social Development Canada explains that these lists concern positions approved on positive Labour Market Impact Assessments. They are not lists of current job vacancies, work permits issued, or workers who arrived in Canada. A listed employer should not be treated as currently recruiting solely because it appears in this historical file.

The publisher also identifies coverage limits. Personal names and business names containing personal names are excluded, so the list is not complete. It includes positions that were subsequently cancelled. LMIAs supporting permanent residence only were excluded from Q1 2018 through Q3 2023 and included from Q4 2023 onward; earlier lists were not revised to add them. Check those notes before interpreting a change across quarters as a change in the underlying activity.

Keep the official source with your result

Consult the official employer dataset and its methodology notes for current resources and definitions. CanQuery provides catalogue discovery and table access; the publisher’s notes remain the reference for interpreting this dataset. The source is offered under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Record the file’s quarter and language when sharing a finding, and revisit the dataset page when you need another period.