Canada’s Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) rules tightened further going into 2026, with changes that directly affect low-wage LMIA eligibility, wage thresholds by province, and recruitment/advertising evidence requirements. If you’re an employer hiring under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)—or a worker relying on an LMIA-backed job offer—these updates can determine whether an application is processed or refused.
An LMIA is Service Canada/ESDC’s confirmation that hiring a temporary foreign worker will not negatively impact Canada’s labour market. In practical terms, employers must prove:
- genuine labour need,
- sufficient recruitment efforts to hire Canadians/PRs first,
- wages and conditions meet provincial/territorial standards,
- and full compliance with TFWP requirements.
For 2026, the biggest operational impact is this: even if your LMIA package is perfect, Service Canada may refuse to process it if it falls under new/refreshed refusal rules—especially in low-wage cases.
Proof Of Advertising Reinstated For Primary Agriculture (Jan 1, 2026)
Starting January 1, 2026, employers applying for LMIAs for primary agriculture positions must again provide proof of advertisement submission with the LMIA application (a requirement that had been relaxed before). Employers must still keep recruitment records for inspection purposes.
Why it matters: Missing proof can increase delays, document requests, or refusal risks—especially during compliance reviews.
Wage Thresholds By Province (LMIA Streams)
Your offered wage determines whether you apply under:
- High-wage stream (at/above threshold), or
- Low-wage stream (below threshold).
ESDC confirms that the wage threshold is based on median wage + 20% (using Statistics Canada LFS data and NOC 2021).
LMIA Wage Threshold By Province/Territory
| Province/Territory | Wage threshold |
| Alberta | $36.00 |
| British Columbia | $36.60 |
| Manitoba | $30.16 |
| New Brunswick | $30.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $32.40 |
| Northwest Territories | $48.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $30.00 |
| Nunavut | $42.00 |
| Ontario | $36.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | $30.00 |
| Quebec | $34.62 |
| Saskatchewan | $33.60 |
| Yukon | $44.40 |
Low-wage LMIAs Restrictions
Service Canada may refuse to process low-wage LMIA applications when:
- The wage is below the provincial/territorial threshold, and
- The work location is in a Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) with an unemployment rate ≥ 6% at the time of submission.
Key Operational Detail For 2026
- The CMA unemployment table is updated every 3 months.
- The page confirms: Last updated January 9, 2026.
- Next update scheduled: April 10, 2026.
2026 Ineligible vs Eligible Regions With Provinces
Below are CMAs that, based on the official table, are ≥ 6% for the period January 9, 2026 to April 9, 2026.
Because ESDC applies this rule by CMA unemployment, the real changes happen by cities/regions, and those changes can affect multiple provinces in one update.
Provinces newly re-opened (partial) due to removals: Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia, Ontario (specific CMAs).
Newly Added Provinces/Regions?
In this specific quarterly update, the table shows more removals than new additions. Many CMAs remain above 6% (Ontario/Alberta/BC), but there aren’t major “new province additions”—instead, the rule continues to apply strongly in Ontario, Alberta, and parts of BC, with Saskatchewan (Regina) also remaining above threshold.
ESDC Low-Wage LMIAs Occupations Exemption List
ESDC lists exemptions where applications can remain eligible, including:
- Primary agriculture
- Construction (NAICS 23)
- Food manufacturing (NAICS 311)
- Hospitals (NAICS 622)
- Nursing and residential care (NAICS 623)
- Certain in-home caregiver roles under specified NOC codes (with extra Quebec-specific conditions), plus other limited exemptions.
LMIA Fees And Key Compliance Expectations
Table: Core LMIA Cost And Rule Reminders
| Item | 2026 requirement (official) | Notes |
| LMIA processing fee | $1,000 per position | Not refundable if withdrawn/cancelled/negative (except fee collected in error). |
| Recruitment fees charged to workers | Prohibited | Recovering any costs from TFWs can lead to a negative decision. |
| Authorized representatives | Must be properly authorized | Includes CICC members, law society members, etc. |
| Refusal triggers | Unemployment rule, cap rule, prior revocation, ineligible employers, etc. | See refusal-to-process rules. |
Key Takeaways (2026 LMIA Update Summary)
- Jan 1, 2026: Proof of advertising submission is reinstated for primary agriculture LMIAs.
- Low-wage LMIAs may be refused to process in CMAs with unemployment ≥ 6%, updated quarterly.
- Wage thresholds are the key switch between high-wage vs low-wage streams and are listed officially by province/territory.
- Caps remain a major refusal trigger for low-wage applications.
- Regions “removed/re-opened” for early 2026 include Halifax, Montréal, Winnipeg, and Vancouver based on the latest unemployment table period.
