LMIA for Trucking Companies in Canada: Business Legitimacy and Employer Requirements
· Harjeet Arora, RCIC-IRB
Trucking employers applying for an LMIA must satisfy the same core Temporary Foreign Worker Program requirements as other employers, but trucking applications also carry industry-specific business-legitimacy documentation requirements.
Business legitimacy
Service Canada assesses whether the employer provides a good or service in Canada, has a reasonable employment need, can fulfil the terms of the job offer and has no disqualifying compliance issue.
Documents specific to trucking applications
Current federal guidance requires trucking applications to include the applicable current carrier/public profile, National Safety Code certificate or provincial equivalent, and current fleet insurance. Names of these records vary by province.
Recruitment and wage
The employer must also satisfy the applicable recruitment, advertising, prevailing-wage and stream requirements. The evidence should be consistent with the actual fleet, operations, workforce and requested number of positions.
Operational consistency matters
Information about drivers, contractors, fleet size, routes, payroll and staffing should be supportable across the LMIA application and business records. Material inconsistencies can generate questions during assessment.
See LMIA services and High-Wage LMIA.
Related guidance: LMIA business legitimacy document checklist and LMIA employer interviews.
Cross-check fleet and workforce evidence
Before submission, reconcile the number of drivers on payroll, active trucks, insurance schedules, carrier records and requested positions. Distinguish employees from owner-operators or contractors where relevant, and explain differences in reporting periods. Ensure the supporting documentation reflects the specific province and the current federal checklist.
General information only. Requirements can change and must be checked for the specific application date.