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LMIA Processing Resumes in Eight Regions in Q1 2026
Starting January 9, the federal government will resume processing low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) in eight additional regions across Canada.
Regions such as Vancouver, Winnipeg and Kingston will once again be eligible for low-wage LMIA processing. These regions were previously restricted due to higher unemployment levels but have now become eligible after their unemployment rates fell below the government’s threshold.
Under current rules, the federal government only processes low-wage LMIAs in regions where the unemployment rate is below 6%. Once a region’s unemployment rate reaches or exceeds 6%, low-wage LMIA applications under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) are temporarily paused.
A positive or neutral LMIA is required for most foreign nationals to apply for or extend a work permit under the TFWP. Without an approved LMIA, foreign workers generally cannot continue working in Canada under this program.
A job is classified under the low-wage stream if the offered wage is below 120% of the median wage for the region or below the wage paid to existing employees in the same role and location with similar experience whichever is higher.
Despite the restrictions, certain occupations remain exempt from the low-wage LMIA processing pause. These exemptions include roles in primary agriculture, construction and selected front-line healthcare occupations.
The federal government is expected to release the next quarterly update to the list of affected regions on April 10, 2026.
Regions added to the list as of January 8, 2026
No new census metropolitan areas (CMAs) have been added to the list of regions with unemployment rates at or above 6%. However, several regions previously included have experienced changes in unemployment levels compared to the previous quarter.
Regions removed from the list as of January 8, 2026
The following CMAs have seen their unemployment rates drop below 6% and are now eligible for low-wage LMIA processing:
| Census Metropolitan Area | Previous Unemployment Rate (%) | Updated Unemployment Rate (%) |
| 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 |
| Montréal, QC | 6.7 | 5.5 |
| Kingston, ON | 6.6 | 5.6 |
| Winnipeg, MB | 7.3 | 5.7 |
| Vancouver, BC | 6.8 | 5.9 |
Job offers in these regions are now eligible for low-wage LMIA processing from January 9, 2026.
Full list of CMAs ineligible for low-wage LMIA processing (January 9 to April 9, 2026)
The following regions currently have unemployment rates of 6% or higher and remain ineligible for low-wage LMIA processing:
| No. | Census Metropolitan Area | Unemployment Rate (%) |
| 1 | St. John’s, NL | 7.1 |
| 2 | Ottawa–Gatineau, ON/QC | 6.8 |
| 3 | Belleville–Quinte West, ON | 10.6 |
| 4 | Oshawa, ON | 8.0 |
| 5 | Toronto, ON | 7.5 |
| 6 | Hamilton, ON | 6.4 |
| 7 | St. Catharines–Niagara, ON | 6.5 |
| 8 | Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo, ON | 8.1 |
| 9 | Brantford, ON | 8.5 |
| 10 | Guelph, ON | 7.4 |
| 11 | London, ON | 7.3 |
| 12 | Windsor, ON | 7.1 |
| 13 | Barrie, ON | 8.7 |
| 14 | Greater Sudbury, ON | 6.0 |
| 15 | Regina, SK | 6.3 |
| 16 | Lethbridge, AB | 7.2 |
| 17 | Calgary, AB | 6.3 |
| 18 | Red Deer, AB | 8.9 |
| 19 | Edmonton, AB | 6.9 |
| 20 | Kelowna, BC | 8.5 |
| 21 | Kamloops, BC | 6.6 |
| 22 | Chilliwack, BC | 7.3 |
| 23 | Abbotsford–Mission, BC | 6.4 |
| 24 | Nanaimo, BC | 6.3 |
Low-wage LMIA applications in these CMAs will not be processed during this period.
Background on the low-wage LMIA policy
In August 2024, the federal government announced that it would stop processing low-wage LMIA applications in CMAs with unemployment rates of 6% or higher. The policy aims to encourage employers to hire workers already available in the local labour market.
Since then, the government has been publishing quarterly updates listing CMAs and their unemployment rates to help employers and foreign workers determine eligibility.
Options for employers in impacted regions
Employers located in CMAs with unemployment rates of 6% or higher may still hire foreign workers by offering wages that meet the high-wage stream requirements of the TFWP. If the wage meets or exceeds the provincial wage threshold, the employer must apply under the high-wage stream instead of the low-wage stream.
Current provincial wage thresholds include:
| Province / Territory | Wage Threshold (CAD per hour) |
| 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 |
Jobs offering wages at or above these thresholds must be processed under the high-wage stream of the TFWP.
Options for foreign nationals
Foreign nationals may focus their job search on occupations that are exempt from the LMIA processing pause. These include roles in primary agriculture, construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, certain in-home caregiver positions and short-term roles lasting 120 days or less that meet specific criteria.
Foreign workers can also seek employment in CMAs where low-wage LMIA processing continues.
Workers whose low-wage TFWP permits cannot be extended must stop working once their status expires. They may apply for a visitor record if they wish to remain in Canada temporarily.
Foreign nationals who secure a new job may be eligible to begin working for a new employer while their application is being processed, provided they meet certain conditions.
How to check if a job offer is in an impacted region
To determine whether a job location falls within an affected CMA, individuals can use the Census of Population website. By entering the full postal code of the work location and reviewing the geography results, applicants can identify whether the location is part of a CMA.
If the location is within a CMA listed as ineligible, low-wage LMIA applications will not be processed for the next three months. If the location falls outside a CMA or is classified as a census agglomeration, the application remains eligible.