LMIA processing to resume in seven regions including Vancouver, Winnipeg and Halifax in Q1 2026
Starting January 9, the federal government will begin processing low-wage labour market impact assessments (LMIAs) in seven more regions across Canada.
Vancouver, Winnipeg and Kingston are some of the regions where low-wage LMIA processing will begin once more.
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That is because these region have seen their unemployment rate drop below 6%. The government only processes low-wage LMIAs in regions where the unemployment rate is 6% or lower.
Without their employer having positive or neutral LMIA, a foreign national cannot apply for or renew a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
A job falls under the low-wage stream if the pay does not equal or exceed 120% of the median wage for that region, or fall within the range of what the employer pays current employees in that location with the same role and same experience, whichever is higher.
Certain occupations are exempt from the freeze, such as those in primary agriculture, construction, and select front-line healthcare occupations.
The next update to this list is expected on April 10, 2026.
Which regions have been added to the list, as of January 8, 2026?
No new region has been added to the list of CMAs with an unemployment rate over 6% (although many on the previous quarter's list have seen their unemployment rate increase comparative to last quarter).
Which regions will begin processing low-wage LMIA applications, as of January 8, 2026?
- Halifax, NS: 6.1 → 5.2
- Moncton, NB: 7.3 → 5.5
- Saint John, NB: 7.3 → 5.8
- Fredericton, NB: 6.7 → 5.2
- Kingston, ON: 6.6 → 5.6
- Winnipeg, MB: 7.3 → 5.7
- Vancouver, BC: 6.8 → 5.9
Although the unemployment rate of Montreal dropped from 6.7% to 5.5%,the suspension of the receipt of low-wage LMIA applications in Montreal continues to apply. Quebec froze low-wage LMIA processing in the administrative regions of Montreal and Laval until December 31, 2026. You can find details here.
Jobs offers from these regions were previously not eligible for low-wage LMIA processing in the last quarter of 2025. However, they will now be eligible for low-wage LMIA processing in the first quarter of 2026.
The full list of ineligible CMAs as of January 8
| Number of regions | Census metropolitan area | Unemployment rate (%) for applications submitted from January 9, 2026, to April 9, 2026 |
| 1 | St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador | 7.1 |
| 2 | Ottawa-Gatineau, Ontario/Quebec | 6.8 |
| 3 | Belleville - Quinte West, Ontario | 10.6 |
| 4 | Oshawa, Ontario | 8.0 |
| 5 | Toronto, Ontario | 7.5 |
| 6 | Hamilton, Ontario | 6.4 |
| 7 | St. Catharines-Niagara, Ontario | 6.5 |
| 8 | Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario | 8.1 |
| 9 | Brantford, Ontario | 8.5 |
| 10 | Guelph, Ontario | 7.4 |
| 11 | London, Ontario | 7.3 |
| 12 | Windsor, Ontario | 7.1 |
| 13 | Barrie, Ontario | 8.7 |
| 14 | Greater Sudbury, Ontario | 6.0 |
| 15 | Regina, Saskatchewan | 6.3 |
| 16 | Lethbridge, Alberta | 7.2 |
| 17 | Calgary, Alberta | 6.3 |
| 18 | Red Deer, Alberta | 8.9 |
| 19 | Edmonton, Alberta | 6.9 |
| 20 | Kelowna, British Columbia | 8.5 |
| 21 | Kamloops, British Columbia | 6.6 |
| 22 | Chilliwack, British Columbia | 7.3 |
| 23 | Abbotsford-Mission, British Columbia | 6.4 |
| 24 | Nanaimo, British Columbia | 6.3 |
In August 2024, the government announced that it will stop processing LMIA applications under the low-wage stream of the TFWP for CMAs with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher to encourage businesses to hire eligible workers already in the area looking for work.
Since then, the federal government has been releasing a quarterly list of CMAs with their unemployment rates so that foreign workers know which regions will not process low-wage LMIAs required for work permits.
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What are my options if my job offer is in one of the impacted regions?
Both employers and employees should check the unemployment rate of the CMA where the role is located before submitting an application for an LMIA under the low-wage stream of the TFWP.
For employers
If an employer wishes to hire a foreign worker under the low-wage stream of the TFWP and they happen to reside in a CMA with an unemployment rate 6% or higher, they can increase the wage, so that the position falls under the high wage stream of the TFWP.
You can find the wage thresholds here:
| Province/Territory | New wage threshold ($ CAD) |
| Alberta | 36.00 |
| British Columbia | 36.60 |
| Manitoba | 30.16 |
| New Brunswick | 30.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 32.40 |
| Northwest Territories | 48.00 |
| Nova Scotia | 30.00 |
| Nunavut | 42.00 |
| Ontario | 36.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | 30.00 |
| Quebec | 34.62 |
| Saskatchewan | 33.60 |
| Yukon | 44.40 |
If a foreign national’s wage is at or above the wage threshold listed above (in the province where their employment is based), then their employer must apply under the high-wage stream of the TFWP.
Another option is to wait three months in case there is a change to the unemployment rates of the CMA in which the role is located.
For foreign nationals
Foreign nationals can focus their job hunt on occupations that are exempt from this refusal to process measure.
This includes:
- Occupations under primary agriculture;
- Positions in construction;
- Positions in food manufacturing;
- Positions in hospitals;
- Positions in nursing and residential care facilities;
- Specific in-home caregiver positions;
- Positions in support of permanent residency only (no application for work permit; and
- Short duration (120 calendar days or less) that also meet specific criteria.
Foreign nationals can also focus their job hunt on CMAs where low-wage LMIAs are still being processed.
Foreign workers on low-wage TFWP work permits who lose status because their work permits cannot be extended must stop working. They may apply for a visitor record to remain in Canada as a visitor, if they wish.
Foreign nationals who get a job from another employer may be able to begin working at the new job while their application is being processed if they meet certain criteria.
How can I tell if my job offer is located in one of the impacted regions?
Visit the Census of Population website.
Enter the full postal code of the work location in the search bar there.
Under the Geography search results page, check the "Census metropolitan area / Census agglomeration" result.
If it shows Census metropolitan area (CMA), you can check if the CMA is listed in the above table. If it is, your application will not be processed for the next three months.
If this level isn’t listed, your application is still eligible.
If it shows Census agglomeration, your application is still eligible.
Note: A previous version of this article stated that Montreal is among the regions where low-wage LMIA processing would resume. This is incorrect due to Quebec's moratorium on low-wage LMIA processing in the administrative regions of Montreal and Laval until December 31, 2026. We have corrected the error.
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