Who is Eligible for LMIA under the New Wage Thresholds?

Yup...cos it's changed again.

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If you're an employer in Canada planning to hire a Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW), the rules just changed…again.

As of June 27, 2025, the federal government has updated the median wage thresholds used to determine whether an LMIA application must go through the high-wage or low-wage stream. These updates affect both new applications and renewals, and in some cases, can mean that a previously eligible job is now ineligible under the TFW Program.

Here’s what’s changed, what it means, and what you need to keep in mind.

First: What’s a High-Wage vs. Low-Wage LMIA?

When an employer wants to hire a foreign worker, the government looks at the hourly wage being offered and compares it to the provincial or territorial median wage.

• If you're offering at or above the provincial/territorial wage threshold → you apply under the high-wage stream.

If you're offering below the threshold → you're required to apply under the low-wage stream.

Sounds simple, right? Here's where it gets tricky.

Second: Why Does It Matter?

High-wage and low-wage LMIAs have very different compliance rules and the low-wage stream has stricter limits. In fact, in certain regions, low-wage LMIAs are not being processed at all.

Since September 2024, the federal government has imposed a moratorium on processing low-wage LMIAs in regions with unemployment rates of 6% or higher. That includes major cities like:

• Toronto (8.6%)

• Calgary (7.8%)

• Vancouver (6.6%)

This ban remains in place until at least July 10, 2025, and may be extended.

So if your job offer now falls below the new wage threshold — even if it didn’t before — and your region has a high unemployment rate, you can’t submit a low-wage LMIA at all. No renewals. No exceptions.

Third: What Are the New Wage Thresholds?

Here are some examples of what changed on June 27, 2025:

• In Ontario, the wage threshold rose from $34.07 to $36.00 per hour

• In British Columbia, it jumped from $34.62 to $36.60

• In Alberta, it increased from $35.40 to $36.00

• In Quebec, from $32.96 to $34.62

• In Saskatchewan, from $32.40 to $33.60

• Most other provinces saw increases too — usually in the $1.00–$2.00 per hour range

Nunavut is the only region where the threshold remains unchanged at $42.00.

These thresholds reflect median wages in each province, and they’re now the official cutoffs for determining whether your job offer qualifies as high-wage.

Fourth: What If My Offer Falls Below the Threshold?

If your wage offer is now considered low-wage, you may face additional restrictions — especially if you're located in a high-unemployment region.

Even if you're not in a restricted area, your workplace must also meet the following limits:

• Low-wage foreign workers cannot make up more than 10% of your workforce

• In certain industries (construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, long-term care), the cap is 20%

And yes, the Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) checks for employers that flout these caps. If your location or sector exceeds those caps, your LMIA application will be refused — even if the job is in-demand.

Fin: Don’t Assume Eligibility. Verify It

This is one of those updates where small changes can have big consequences. If you’ve relied on LMIA-supported work permits before, don’t assume you're still eligible under the new thresholds.

Instead, ask:

• What is the current wage threshold in my province?

• What’s my local unemployment rate?

• Does my company exceed the 10% or 20% TFW cap?

• Is this wage truly competitive in today’s market?

If your job was above the line before, but is now under it, you may no longer be able to renew your workers permit or support a new one through the TFW Program, particularly if you’re in a restricted region.

If you are ready to add 🌶️ to your 🇨🇦 immigration plan, book some time with Westdale Immigration Consulting Inc.