Canada Low-Wage LMIA Freeze Now Covers 30 Cities: October 2026 List
From 9 October 2026 to 7 January 2027, Canada will not process low-wage LMIAs in 30 cities with 6%+ unemployment, including Halifax, Regina and Lethbridge.
CanadaIn brief
- Canada will not process low-wage LMIA applications in 30 census metropolitan areas where unemployment is 6% or higher.
- The list applies to applications submitted from 9 October 2026 to 7 January 2027; the next update is due on 8 January 2027.
- Halifax, Fredericton, Kingston, St. Catharines-Niagara, Regina and Lethbridge were added to the freeze.
- Kamloops and Chilliwack in British Columbia dropped below 6% and are open again for low-wage LMIAs.
- Agriculture, construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, nursing care and some caregiver jobs are exempt.
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Organization | Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) |
| Official source | Government of Canada – ESDC refusal to process LMIA applications ✓ canada.ca |
Canada has widened its freeze on low-wage foreign worker hiring. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) updated its quarterly list on 9 October 2026, and Service Canada will now refuse to process low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications in 30 census metropolitan areas where unemployment is 6% or higher.
The list applies to applications submitted from 9 October 2026 to 7 January 2027. ESDC will publish the next update on 8 January 2027.
The update at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Who decides | Employment and Social Development Canada / Service Canada |
| Rule | Low-wage LMIAs are not processed in metro areas with 6%+ unemployment |
| Period | Applications submitted 9 October 2026 – 7 January 2027 |
| Restricted metro areas | 30 |
| Open metro areas | 11 |
| Newly restricted | Halifax, Fredericton, Kingston, St. Catharines-Niagara, Regina, Lethbridge |
| Reopened | Kamloops, Chilliwack |
| Next update | 8 January 2027 |
Where low-wage LMIAs are still processed
These 11 metro areas are below the 6% line, according to the official ESDC table:
| Province | Metro area (unemployment rate) |
|---|---|
| Quebec | Saguenay (3.7%), Drummondville (3.8%), Sherbrooke (4.2%), Québec (4.3%), Trois-Rivières (5.7%) |
| British Columbia | Kamloops (3.6%), Chilliwack (5.6%), Victoria (5.8%) |
| Ontario | Thunder Bay (4.6%) |
| Manitoba | Winnipeg (5.9%) |
| New Brunswick | Saint John (5.5%) |
Work locations in smaller towns that are not part of a census metropolitan area also remain eligible.
Where they are blocked
All major cities are on the restricted list, including Toronto (7.5%), Montréal (7.2%), Vancouver (7.0%), Calgary (6.4%), Edmonton (7.6%) and Ottawa-Gatineau (7.9%). The highest rates are in Oshawa (9.8%), London (9.1%) and Kelowna (8.6%). Alberta and Saskatchewan have no open metro areas at all.
Jobs that are exempt
Even in a restricted city, ESDC still processes low-wage LMIAs for:
- Primary agriculture occupations
- Construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities
- Certain in-home caregiver jobs in private households (NOC 31301, 32101, 44100 and 44101)
- LMIAs that only support a permanent residence application
- Truly short jobs, generally 120 days or less, with a written exemption request
What it means for job seekers
- City matters more than ever. A low-wage job offer in Toronto or Calgary cannot get an LMIA right now unless it falls in an exempt sector. The same job in Winnipeg or Québec City can.
- The date of submission counts. The rate that applies is the one in force on the day the employer submits the LMIA, so timing around the January update can change the outcome.
- High-wage jobs are not affected. If the offer pays at or above the provincial wage threshold, it goes through the high-wage stream instead.
- Watch for fake offers. Anyone promising a low-wage LMIA job in a restricted city outside the exempt sectors is offering something the system will not process.
Learn how the LMIA process works and see the latest Canada jobs report and unemployment figures.
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
Which Canadian cities can still get low-wage LMIAs?
From 9 October 2026, 11 metro areas are below 6% unemployment: Saint John, Saguenay, Québec, Sherbrooke, Trois-Rivières, Drummondville, Thunder Bay, Winnipeg, Kamloops, Chilliwack and Victoria. Smaller towns outside metropolitan areas are also still processed.
Does the LMIA freeze affect high-wage jobs?
No. The refusal only applies to positions paid below the provincial or territorial wage threshold, which go through the low-wage stream.
Will my existing work permit be cancelled?
No. The rule only stops new low-wage LMIA applications from being processed. It does not cancel permits that have already been issued.
Which jobs are exempt from the low-wage LMIA freeze?
Primary agriculture, construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, nursing and residential care, certain in-home caregiver roles, LMIAs only supporting permanent residence, and some short jobs of 120 days or less.
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