Low-Wage LMIA Bans Hit These Regions Starting July 11

The Canadian government has just updated the list of regions where low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications will not be processed under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). As of July 11, 2025, a total of 26 cities are affected. This means employers in these areas cannot hire foreign workers under the low-wage stream for now.

Why This Happened

This rule is part of a plan introduced in 2024. The federal government said it would pause low-wage LMIAs in regions with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher. The list gets updated every three months.

If a region’s unemployment rate stays high, LMIA applications for low-wage jobs will not move forward.

Affected Cities

Here are some of the cities now on the list:

• Toronto, Ontario – 8.9%
  
• Vancouver, British Columbia – 6.3%
  
• Edmonton, Alberta – 7.6%
  
• Windsor, Ontario – highest at 11%
  
• Peterborough, Ontario – 9.9%
  
• Oshawa, Ontario – 9.2%
  
• Calgary, Alberta – 7.3%
  
• St. John’s, Newfoundland – 7.2%
  

Other cities include Halifax, Moncton, Ottawa, Brantford, Hamilton, and Nanaimo.

These numbers show that job markets in these areas are already struggling, so the government wants to give more opportunities to Canadians and permanent residents.

Who’s No Longer on the List?

Four cities that were previously affected are now removed from the ban list:

• Drummondville
  
• Guelph
  
• Kelowna
  
• Red Deer
  

This means low-wage LMIA applications in these regions can now be submitted again.

How To Know If You’re Affected

You might be impacted if:

• Your job offer pays below your province’s wage threshold
  
• Your job is located in one of the 26 cities listed
  

To confirm, check the Census of Population website. Enter your full postal code and look for the “Census metropolitan area” on the results page. Match that with the updated list.

What Can You Do If You’re Affected?

If your job is affected, you still have some options:

• Ask your employer to raise the wage so it qualifies under the high-wage stream
  
• Wait until the next update on October 10, to see if your area improves
  
• Search for jobs in cities not on the list
  
• Apply for jobs in sectors not affected (e.g., agriculture, health care, food manufacturing)
  

If you’re already working under a low-wage LMIA and can’t renew your permit, you’ll need to stop working once your permit expires—unless you’ve applied to extend or change it.

In that case, you may have maintained status, which allows you to keep working under the same conditions until a decision is made.

Also, if you lose your job, you may be able to change employers under a special temporary rule from the COVID-19 period. You can request permission from the immigration department to start working for a new employer before getting a new work permit.