Updated: Regions Not Accepting Low-Wage LMIAs

Last year, the Canadian government released a list of census metropolitan areas (CMAs) that are not accepting low-wage LMIAs. The list has since been updated to reflect the latest unemployment rates across various regions in Canada.

As outlined in our previous article, Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications under the low-wage stream of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) are no longer being accepted in regions where the unemployment rate exceeds 6%, according to the CMA list.

Since the previous update, the CMA list has seen many changes. Unemployment rates have generally risen across most regions, from April 4 to July 10. However, several areas have defied this trend, including Moncton (New Brunswick), Ottawa-Gatineau (Ontario/Quebec), Guelph (Ontario), London (Ontario), Thunder Bay (Ontario), and Regina (Saskatchewan), where unemployment rates have either remained stable or decreased slightly. Additionally, the CMA of Belleville was changed to Belleville – Quinte West.

The previous CMA list covering the periods of October 11, 2024, to January 9, 2025, and January 10 to April 3, 2025, did not include the following regions which have now been added to the list as well:

1. Chilliwack, British Columbia
2. Drummondville, Quebec
3. Fredericton, New Brunswick
4. Kamloops, British Columbia
5. Nanaimo, British Columbia
6. Red Deer, Alberta

Regions where Low-Wage LMIAs will not be processed: April 4 to July 10, 2025

All the following regions have an unemployment rate of 6% or higher.

1. Abbotsford-Mission, British Columbia
2. Barrie, Ontario
3. Brantford, Ontario
4. Calgary, Alberta
5. Drummondville, Quebec
6. Edmonton, Alberta
7. Fredericton, New Brunswick
8. Guelph, Ontario
9. Hamilton, Ontario
10. Kamloops, British Columbia
11. Kelowna, British Columbia
12. Kingston, Ontario
13. Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, Ontario
14. Montréal, Quebec
15. Nanaimo, British Columbia
16. Oshawa, Ontario
17. Peterborough, Ontario
18. Red Deer, Alberta
19. Saint John, New Brunswick
20. Catharines-Niagara, Ontario
21. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador
22. Toronto, Ontario
23. Vancouver, British Columbia
24. Windsor, Ontario

Regions where Low-Wage LMIAs will be processed: From April 4 to July 10, 2025

All the following regions have an unemployment rate of less than 6%.

1. Belleville – Quinte West, Ontario
2. Chilliwack, British Columbia
3. Greater Sudbury, Ontario
4. Halifax, Nova Scotia
5. Lethbridge, Alberta
6. London, Ontario
7. Moncton, New Brunswick
8. Ottawa-Gatineau, Ontario/Quebec
9. Québec, Quebec
10. Regina, Saskatchewan
11. Saguenay, Quebec
12. Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
13. Sherbrooke, Quebec
14. Thunder Bay, Ontario
15. Trois-Rivières, Quebec
16. Victoria, British Columbia
17. Winnipeg, Manitoba

The CMA list is updated quarterly, with the previous update covering the period from January 10 to April 3. The next update is scheduled for July 11, 2025. These updates reflect shifts in regional unemployment rates, and the government of Canada updates the list every three months based on the latest data from each region. The updated CMA list can be accessed on the government of Canada website.

Before submitting a low-wage LMIA application, it is highly advised to verify whether the work location is within a census metropolitan area (CMA) with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher, as indicated above at the time of application. Applying in such regions could lead to unnecessary paperwork and rejection.

Contact us today to begin your LMIA application to ensure your process is free from potential delays or refusals.