A candidate with an expiring PGWP and a CRS score of 478 was considering asking their employer to pursue an LMIA to strengthen their Express Entry profile, and asked whether to handle the LMIA process independently or hire a lawyer.
What the thread clarified:- The LMIA application itself is filed by the employer, not the employee — the employee's role is largely limited to providing supporting documents the employer requests.
- A lawyer is generally recommended despite the cost, because the LMIA process is involved and mistakes can cost more time than the legal fees would.
- Expect the process to take at least around 2 months from filing to a decision, based on member experience at the time.
The practical takeaway: since the LMIA is employer-driven, your main job is to prepare accurate documents on request; if your employer is open to it, encourage them to use an immigration lawyer to reduce the risk of delays or errors, and plan around a multi-month timeline rather than expecting a quick turnaround.