Starting July 10, the federal government will begin accepting low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications in eight areas across Canada, including Halifax, Winnipeg, and Regina.
Regions like Saskatoon and Kamloops are now temporarily excluded from low-wage LMIA processing until at least October 9.
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From July 10 to October 9, low-wage LMIAs won’t be processed in a total of 26 census metropolitan areas (CMAs), as these regions have an unemployment rate of 6% or higher-this is four fewer than last quarter.
The federal government only processes low-wage LMIAs in CMAs where the unemployment rate falls below 6%.
An employer needs to secure a positive or neutral LMIA before a foreign worker can get a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
The federal government updates its list of CMAs in Canada where low-wage LMIAs will not be processed every quarter. The next update is set for October 10.
You can find more information about these exemptions on the federal government’s Refusal to process a Labour Market Impact Assessment application webpage. If domestic recruitment fails after exhausting efforts Canadian employers may utilize the TFWP to hire foreign nationals. An employer cannot employ a foreign worker without first obtaining either a positive or neutral LMIA. This rule applies both for initial work permits as well as extensions of existing work permits.
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Below you’ll find current hourly wage thresholds by province/territory (in CAD) based on LMIAs submitted before July 16 versus those received from July onward:
Positions paying less than provincial/territorial threshold need LMIA approval via low wage category whereas those paying equal too thresholds qualify under high wage categories.
Job offers labeled as lower wages within impacted areas might also want to wait until next quarterly update scheduled on October ten see if region dips back below required threshold.
Foreign workers still searching for employment offers might focus their job search around locations continuing process lower wage LMIAS alongside occupations falling into exemptions previously stated above.
Low wage workers working under TFWP unable renew their work permits due changes announced need stop working once authorization lapses. To maintain status while residing here they could consider changing their status visitor applying visitor record.
A newly introduced temporary public policy has potential increase demand immigrant workers rural communities participating provinces opening another pathway options affected individuals eligible employers outside designated urban centers employ up ten percent workforce rather than usual ten percent.
Which CMAs are no longer under processing restrictions starting July 10?
Halifax, Nova Scotia: 6.1 → 5.9 Saint John, New Brunswick: 6.0 → 5.9 Fredericton, New Brunswick: 6.5 → 5.3 Drummondville, Quebec: 7.3 → 5.7 Kingston, Ontario: 6.2 → 5.3 St. Catharines-Niagara, Ontario: 7.2 → 5.8 Winnipeg, Manitoba: 6.0 → 5.6 Regina, Saskatchewan: 6.4 → 5.9Which CMAs have been added to the processing freeze starting July 10?
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan: 5.5 → 6.5 Red Deer, Alberta: 5.9 → 7.2 Kamloops, British Columbia: 5.2 → 7.0 Chilliwack, British Columbia: 5.7 → 7.9The complete list of ineligible CMAs as of July 10
No low-wage LMIAs will be processed in the following CMAs until at least October 9: Census metropolitan area Unemployment rate (%) St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador7.3 Moncton, New Brunswick8.1 Montréal, Quebec6.8 Ottawa-Gatineau, Ontario/Quebec6.7 Belleville-Quinte West, Ontario6.7 Peterborough, Ontario7. Oshawa, Ontario8. Toronto, Ontario7. Hamilton, Ontario6. Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario8. Brantford, Ontario6. Guelph, Ontario7. London, Ontario7. Windsor, Ontario7. Barrie, Ontario7. Greater Sudbury, Ontario6. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan6. Calgary, Alberta7. Red Deer, Alberta7. Edmonton, Alberta7. Kelowna, British Columbia Kamloops, British Columbia Chilliwack, British Columbia Abbotsford-Mission, British Columbia Vancouver, British Columbia Nanaimo, British ColumbiaWhy some regions aren’t processing LMIAs
The federal government restricted access to the low-wage stream of the TFWP back in August 2024 by declaring that LMIA applications wouldn’t be accepted in CMAs with unemployment rates of at least % or higher. This move was made to better match the TFWP with local labor market demands and ensure that Canadian citizens and permanent residents are prioritized for available job positions. The government provides updated CMA unemployment rates each quarter; these numbers dictate where low-wage LMIA applications can be processed during each three-month interval. Certain jobs are exempt from this refusal measure by the government; they include: Occupations within primary agriculture; Positions related to construction; Roles within food manufacturing; Jobs within hospitals; Careers related to nursing and residential care facilities; Specific caregiver roles at home; Positions supporting only permanent residency (no work permit application); and Short-term roles (120 calendar days or less) meeting specific criteria.You can find more information about these exemptions on the federal government’s Refusal to process a Labour Market Impact Assessment application webpage. If domestic recruitment fails after exhausting efforts Canadian employers may utilize the TFWP to hire foreign nationals. An employer cannot employ a foreign worker without first obtaining either a positive or neutral LMIA. This rule applies both for initial work permits as well as extensions of existing work permits.
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What should you do if your job offer is affected?
You and your employer should quickly check what the unemployment rate is for your job’s CMA-if it’s at or above %, it won’t qualify for LMIA processing. If your position is located in an area with an unemployment rate of six percent or more one possible route could involve discussing increasing your pay with your employer-this change could potentially elevate your role out from low wage into high wage sector which doesn’t face these limitations on processing.Below you’ll find current hourly wage thresholds by province/territory (in CAD) based on LMIAs submitted before July 16 versus those received from July onward:
| Province/territory | Before July 16 | July 17 onwards |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $36.$37. 50 | |
| British Columbia | $36.$38. 40 |
Job offers labeled as lower wages within impacted areas might also want to wait until next quarterly update scheduled on October ten see if region dips back below required threshold.
Foreign workers still searching for employment offers might focus their job search around locations continuing process lower wage LMIAS alongside occupations falling into exemptions previously stated above.
Low wage workers working under TFWP unable renew their work permits due changes announced need stop working once authorization lapses. To maintain status while residing here they could consider changing their status visitor applying visitor record.
A newly introduced temporary public policy has potential increase demand immigrant workers rural communities participating provinces opening another pathway options affected individuals eligible employers outside designated urban centers employ up ten percent workforce rather than usual ten percent.
How can you determine if your position fits into an impacted area?
The Government Canada’s Census Population website assists identifying whether job situated affected CMA:- Enter full postal code associated location using search tool
- Locate place referenced dropdown bar entitled “Census metropolitan area / Census agglomeration”
- Should result show valid CMA consult table shared above confirming respective classification exists regarding ongoing limitations during present timeframe
