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LMIA Cook Jobs in Canada
Cooks (NOC 63200) and chefs (NOC 62200) together hold 2,548 approvals for 3,636 positions in the current window — the largest skilled-trade block in the food sector. Restaurants, hotel kitchens and institutional caterers do this hiring every quarter.
Top approved employers
| Employer | Location | Top occupation | Approved positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Original Joe's Franchise Group Inc. | Calgary, AB | 63200-Cooks | 46 |
| Northland Properties Corporation | Vancouver, BC | 63200-Cooks | 38 |
| ClubLink Corporation ULC | King City, ON | 62200-Chefs | 17 |
| Maharaja Catering Ltd. | Surrey, BC | 63200-Cooks | 14 |
| Totem Lodge ltd | Sioux Narrows, ON | 63200-Cooks | 14 |
| the Grizzly paw pub & Brewing Company Ltd. | Canmore, AB | 63200-Cooks | 12 |
| 1853149 Ontario Inc. | Midland, ON | 63200-Cooks | 11 |
| Brewster Inc. | Banff, AB | 63200-Cooks | 11 |
| Empress Hotel Operations Corporation | Victoria, BC | 63200-Cooks | 11 |
| 7043821 Canada Inc. | Little Current, ON | 62200-Chefs | 10 |
| the South Shore Fish Shack Limited | Lunenburg, NS | 63200-Cooks | 10 |
| the Surly Mermaid Restaurant Ltd. | Sidney, BC | 63200-Cooks | 10 |
| 0893452 B.C. Ltd. | Victoria, BC | 63200-Cooks | 9 |
| Stonewater Group of Franchises Ltd. | New Westminster, BC | 63200-Cooks | 9 |
| Claude et Marcel Martin inc. | Québec, QC | 63200-Cooks | 8 |
| Earls Restaurants (Grande Prairie) Ltd. | Grande Prairie, AB | 62200-Chefs | 8 |
| Metcalf Food & Beverage Inc. | Mannheim, ON | 63200-Cooks | 8 |
| Nanaimo Joe's Enterprise Ltd. | NANAIMO, BC | 63200-Cooks | 8 |
| Quarterdeck Brewing Company | Vancouver, BC | 63200-Cooks | 8 |
| Camp White Pine Limited | Toronto, ON | 63200-Cooks | 7 |
Employer table computed from the ESDC register, decisions through June 2026, published October 30, 2026.
Top occupations in this slice
| Occupation | NOC | Approvals | Approved positions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63200-Cooks | 63200 | 2,137 | 3,148 |
| 62200-Chefs | 62200 | 411 | 488 |
Who approves cooks
Independent restaurants dominate by count; chains and hotel groups dominate by positions. The table below ranks them from the register. Cooking is not a licensed trade in most of Canada, but employers hire on demonstrable kitchen experience — cook roles are rarely no-experience roles, whatever adverts claim. Pair this page with the cooks and chefs directory for full employer histories.
Live vacancies
Approvals show who can hire; live postings show who is hiring now. Search Job Bank — Temporary Foreign Workers for current postings from employers who have obtained or applied for an LMIA, then cross-check the employer against this register.
Frequently asked questions
Do LMIA cook jobs require experience?
In practice, yes — employers approve cooks who can run a station. Formal certification is usually not required, but a work history in commercial kitchens is what gets hired.
What is the difference between cook (63200) and chef (62200)?
Cooks prepare and cook food; chefs supervise kitchens, plan menus and manage food preparation. The register carries both — chefs are the senior, smaller category.
Which cities approve the most cooks?
Approvals follow the restaurant economy: the big metros plus resort and resource towns where local hiring is hardest. The employer table shows the current window's ranking.
Is a cook job high-wage or low-wage LMIA?
Usually low-wage by threshold, which means the workforce cap applies at that location. Check a specific offer in the Wage Threshold Checker.