{"id":3032,"date":"2025-07-11T16:07:22","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T20:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cadimmigration.com\/?p=3032"},"modified":"2025-07-11T16:07:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T20:07:24","slug":"canada-expands-ban-on-low-wage-lmia-work-permits-across-26-regions-what-workers-and-employers-must-know","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cadimmigration.com\/?p=3032","title":{"rendered":"Canada Expands Ban on Low-Wage LMIA Work Permits Across 26 Regions: What Workers and Employers Must Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The federal government of Canada has expanded the list of cities and regions<\/strong> where low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)<\/strong> applications under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)<\/strong> will no longer be processed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of July 11, 2025<\/strong>, 26 Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs)<\/strong> are officially ineligible. This policy is a continuation of the government\u2019s efforts to prioritize Canadian workers in areas where unemployment rates are 6% or higher<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This change is part of a broader strategy that aligns foreign labour demand with regional labour market conditions, and it significantly impacts employers, foreign workers, and immigration consultants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Changed on July 11, 2025?<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)<\/strong> released an updated list of CMAs where employers can no longer apply for, or renew, low-wage LMIAs<\/strong>. This policy is tied directly to local unemployment rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the unemployment rate in a region reaches or exceeds 6%<\/strong>, low-wage LMIA applications will not be accepted<\/strong> from that area.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This affects both new applications and extensions<\/strong> for existing low-wage LMIA-based work permits.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This restriction is set to remain in place until the next scheduled update on October 10, 2025<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Which Cities Are Now Ineligible for Low-Wage LMIA Applications?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The following 26 CMAs currently have unemployment rates of 6% or higher<\/strong> and are therefore affected:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Census Metropolitan Area (CMA)<\/strong><\/th>Unemployment Rate (%)<\/strong><\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
St. John’s, NL<\/td>7.2<\/td><\/tr>
Halifax, NS<\/td>6.2<\/td><\/tr>
Moncton, NB<\/td>6.4<\/td><\/tr>
Saint John, NB<\/td>7.4<\/td><\/tr>
Fredericton, NB<\/td>6.2<\/td><\/tr>
Montr\u00e9al, QC<\/td>6.9<\/td><\/tr>
Ottawa-Gatineau, ON\/QC<\/td>6.4<\/td><\/tr>
Kingston, ON<\/td>7.2<\/td><\/tr>
Belleville – Quinte West, ON<\/td>7.1<\/td><\/tr>
Peterborough, ON<\/td>9.9<\/td><\/tr>
Oshawa, ON<\/td>9.2<\/td><\/tr>
Toronto, ON<\/td>8.9<\/td><\/tr>
Hamilton, ON<\/td>6.6<\/td><\/tr>
St. Catharines-Niagara, ON<\/td>6.4<\/td><\/tr>
Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, ON<\/td>6.9<\/td><\/tr>
Brantford, ON<\/td>6.8<\/td><\/tr>
London, ON<\/td>6.9<\/td><\/tr>
Windsor, ON<\/td>11.0<\/td><\/tr>
Barrie, ON<\/td>7.3<\/td><\/tr>
Calgary, AB<\/td>7.3<\/td><\/tr>
Edmonton, AB<\/td>7.6<\/td><\/tr>
Kamloops, BC<\/td>8.7<\/td><\/tr>
Chilliwack, BC<\/td>6.3<\/td><\/tr>
Abbotsford-Mission, BC<\/td>6.1<\/td><\/tr>
Vancouver, BC<\/td>6.3<\/td><\/tr>
Nanaimo, BC<\/td>7.3<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This is a notable increase<\/strong> from the 24 CMAs listed in the previous quarter<\/strong> (April 4 to July 10, 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What Is a Low-Wage LMIA & Why Are They Being Restricted?<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is divided into two wage streams:<\/p>\n\n\n\n