Maple News reports a shift in Canada’s low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) rules. Beginning July 10, the federal government will resume processing low-wage LMIAs in eight Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs), including Halifax, Winnipeg, and Regina, with the window running through October 9.
In contrast, Saskatoon and Kamloops will remain ineligible for low-wage LMIA processing for the same period, extending a pause to a total of 26 CMAs where such applications will not be processed from July 10 to October 9. The government notes that low-wage LMIAs are only processed in CMAs where the unemployment rate is below 6%.
For any foreign worker to receive a work permit under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, an employer must first obtain a positive or neutral LMIA. This quarterly adjustment aims to better align hiring needs with regional labour markets and to prioritize opportunities for Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
The next quarterly update on which CMAs are eligible or ineligible is scheduled for October 10.
Removed from low-wage LMIA processing (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% → 5.9%
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% → 7.9%
As of July 10, 26 CMAs are listed as ineligible for low-wage LMIAs through October 9. A full, official list—along with unemployment rates for each CMA—is published by the government and updated quarterly. The arrangement remains: if a CMA’s unemployment rate is at or above 6%, low-wage LMIAs are paused in that area.
Why this matters: the policy is designed to better target temporary foreign workers to regional labor-market conditions and to ensure that Canadians and permanent residents receive priority for available jobs. Employers planning to hire in affected CMAs should anticipate shifts in LMIA processing timelines and work-permit approvals during the July–October window.