The federal government has decided to resume processing Labor Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) for low-wage positions in Canada. This opens new doors for those who wish to work in major cities where the process had been frozen.

Starting January 9, 2026, eight Canadian regions with unemployment rates below 6% will once again allow the hiring of foreign workers in essential sectors.

If you are a recruiter or business owner in Canada looking for foreign talent, read to the end and note the 8 regions eligible to process your LMIA and when the next update will take place in 2026.

‍

Regions with resumed processing

Following the quarterly update, the cities that are once again eligible to process these permits are:

• Vancouver, British Columbia.
• Winnipeg, Manitoba.
• Halifax, Nova Scotia.
• Montreal, Quebec.
• Kingston, Ontario.
• Additional regions: Moncton, Saint John, and Fredericton (New Brunswick).

‍

What exactly is a "low-wage" position?

A position is classified as low-wage when the remuneration offered is below the average hourly wage established by the province or territory according to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

Some common jobs in this category are:

• Kitchen assistants and food preparers (Kitchen Helpers).
• Interior cleaners and light maintenance ( Light Duty Cleaners).
• Retail Sales Supervisors (in provinces with above-average salaries).

‍

Important: without a positive or neutral LMIA, foreign workers cannot apply for or renew their permit under this program. This reopening is necessary for those with expiring permits in these cities.

‍

Recommendations before applying

To avoid having your application rejected, you must be able to answer yes to these questions:

• Does your payment meet the current ESDC standards for 2026? An error of a few cents compared to the provincial average wage can cause the application to be automatically rejected.

‍

• Does your company still have openings available? Most employers have a limit of 10% of their workforce for foreign workers in low-wage positions, although in sectors such as construction or healthcare, this limit can rise to 20%.

‍

• Have you handled the housing requirement? For this flow, the employer must guarantee or assist in obtaining affordable housing ( not exceeding 30% of gross income) for the employee. 

‍

• Is your recruitment strategy auditable? You must demonstrate local hiring efforts before applying for the LMIA.

‍

Visit the official government link to see the program requirements for low-wage positions.

‍

If you want to manage your LMIA without technical errors that could compromise your company's operations, at Immiland Law Professional Corporation, we can help you.

‍

Immigration legal services

At Immiland Law Professional Corporation, we are CICC-regulated consultants and Canadian lawyers with extensive experience in student visas, skilled worker visas, permanent residence, and much more.

Our team of legal experts can handle everything from salary audits and compliance withthe corporatecap to submitting a well-prepared application to Service Canada. 

If you would like a quote for our services, please click here.

I hope this topic keeps you well informed and that you take action before April 10, 2026, the date of the next quarterly region update.

‍

Thank you for reading. Don't miss the next blog on Closed Work Permits with LMIA: Changes that may cause problems with IRCC.

‍

With love, 

‍

Immiland Law Professional Corporation

‍