LMIA processing is set to restart in eight regions in early 2026, i.e., starting January 9, 2026, the federal government will restart the processing of 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.
This change is taking place because the unemployment rates in these regions have fallen below 6%. Under current federal rules, low-wage LMIAs are only processed in regions where the unemployment rate is below 6%.
Without a positive or neutral LMIA from an employer, a foreign national cannot apply for or extend a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
A job is considered part of the low-wage stream when the offered wage is below 120% of the median wage for that region, or below what the employer pays current workers in the same role with similar experience, whichever amount is higher.
Some jobs are not affected by this processing freeze. These include roles in primary agriculture, construction, and certain front-line healthcare occupations.
The federal government is expected to update the unemployment rate list again on April 10, 2026.
Which Regions Were Added As Of January 8, 2026?
As of January 8, 2026, no new census metropolitan areas (CMAs) were added to the list of regions with unemployment rates above 6%.
However, several regions that were previously above the 6% limit have now seen their unemployment rates fall below this level.
Which Regions Were Removed From The List As Of January 8, 2026?
The following regions have dropped below the 6% unemployment threshold and are now eligible again for low-wage LMIA processing:
- 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 from these regions were not eligible for low-wage LMIA processing in the last quarter of 2025. From January 9, 2026, to April 9, 2026, these regions will once again allow low-wage LMIA applications.
Full List Of Ineligible CMAs As Of January 8, 2026
| 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 federal government announced a pause on processing low-wage LMIA applications in CMAs with unemployment rates of 6% or higher. This policy was introduced to encourage employers to hire workers already living in those areas.
Since that announcement, the government has published updated unemployment rate lists every three months. These updates help employers and foreign workers understand where low-wage LMIA applications will or will not be processed.
Options When A Job Offer Is In An Impacted Region
As LMIA processing is set to restart in eight regions in early 2026, let us look at the alternatives when a job offer is in an impacted region.
Well, both employers and foreign workers should check the unemployment rate of the CMA where the job is located before submitting a low-wage LMIA application.
Options For Employers
If an employer wants to hire a foreign worker under the TFWP low-wage stream but the job is in a CMA with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher, one option is to increase the offered wage. This can move the position into the high-wage stream of the TFWP.
Below are the current wage thresholds by province and territory:
| 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 the wage offered meets or exceeds the threshold listed above for the province, the employer must apply under the high-wage stream.
Another option is to wait three months, as unemployment rates may change in the next quarterly update.
Options For Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals can focus on jobs that are not affected by the low-wage LMIA processing pause.
These include:
- Occupations in primary agriculture
- Jobs in construction
- Roles in food manufacturing
- Positions in hospitals
- Jobs in nursing and residential care facilities
- Certain in-home caregiver roles
- Jobs linked only to permanent residence (no work permit needed)
- Short-term jobs lasting 120 days or less that meet special rules
Foreign nationals may also look for jobs in CMAs where low-wage LMIAs are still being processed.
Foreign workers on low-wage TFWP permits who cannot extend their permits must stop working when their status ends. They may apply for a visitor record if they wish to remain in Canada as visitors.
Moreover, if a foreign worker receives a job offer from a new employer, it may be possible to start working while the new application is being processed, as long as all eligibility rules are met.
How To Check If A Job Is In An Impacted Region?
To find out whether a job is located in an affected area:
- Visit the Census of Population website
- Enter the full postal code of the job location
- Review the “Census metropolitan area / Census agglomeration” result
If the location is listed as a CMA, it should be checked against the ineligible CMA table above. If the CMA appears on the list, low-wage LMIA applications will not be processed for that period.
Moreover, if the result shows a census agglomeration, or if the CMA is not listed, the application remains eligible for processing.
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