Six More Regions Added to Canada’s Low-Wage LMIA Processing Freeze (Effective October 10, 2025)
The Government of Canada has announced its updated quarterly list of Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) where low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will not be processed.
A total of 32 CMAs are now included in the freeze list — up from 26 in the previous quarter (July 11 to October 9).
Starting October 10, some regions such as Peterborough, Ontario will begin processing low-wage LMIAs again, while new regions such as Guelph (ON), Winnipeg (MB), and Red Deer (AB) will see a suspension of low-wage LMIA processing until January 8, 2026.
Background: Why Some Regions Are Affected
LMIAs are required for employers to hire foreign workers under Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
In August 2024, the federal government implemented a policy to pause low-wage LMIA processing for CMAs with unemployment rates of 6% or higher.
Every quarter, the government publishes an updated list of CMAs and their unemployment rates. This helps employers and foreign workers know whether LMIA applications for low-wage positions can currently be processed in their region.
CMAs Added to the Freeze List (as of October 10, 2025)
The following regions will not process low-wage LMIA applications from October 10, 2025, to January 8, 2026:
Guelph, Ontario
Greater Sudbury, Ontario
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Regina, Saskatchewan
Lethbridge, Alberta
Red Deer, Alberta
Kelowna, British Columbia
CMAs Removed from the Freeze List
Peterborough, Ontario
From October 10, 2025, to January 8, 2026, Peterborough employers can again apply for low-wage LMIAs under the TFWP.
Full List of CMAs Ineligible for Low-Wage LMIA Processing (as of October 10, 2025)
| Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) | Unemployment Rate (%) |
|---|---|
| St. John’s, NL | 6.8 |
| Halifax, NS | 6.1 |
| Moncton, NB | 7.3 |
| Saint John, NB | 7.3 |
| Fredericton, NB | 6.7 |
| Montréal, QC | 6.7 |
| Ottawa-Gatineau, ON/QC | 7.7 |
| Kingston, ON | 6.6 |
| Belleville – Quinte West, ON | 6.6 |
| Oshawa, ON | 9.5 |
| Toronto, ON | 9.5 |
| Hamilton, ON | 7.6 |
| St. Catharines-Niagara, ON | 7.0 |
| Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, ON | 7.4 |
| Brantford, ON | 9.4 |
| Guelph, ON | 9.2 |
| London, ON | 7.0 |
| Windsor, ON | 11.3 |
| Barrie, ON | 7.5 |
| Greater Sudbury, ON | 7.0 |
| Winnipeg, MB | 7.3 |
| Regina, SK | 6.8 |
| Lethbridge, AB | 8.5 |
| Calgary, AB | 8.0 |
| Red Deer, AB | 8.7 |
| Edmonton, AB | 9.0 |
| Kelowna, BC | 6.0 |
| Kamloops, BC | 8.6 |
| Chilliwack, BC | 7.8 |
| Abbotsford-Mission, BC | 8.1 |
| Vancouver, BC | 6.8 |
| Nanaimo, BC | 9.7 |
🔸 Next update: January 8, 2026
What Employers Can Do
If your business is in a CMA with an unemployment rate 6% or higher, you have two main options:
Increase the offered wage so that the position qualifies under the high-wage stream of the TFWP.
To qualify, the offered wage must be at or above the provincial or territorial median hourly wage for that occupation and location.
Wait for the next quarterly update (three months later) to see if the CMA’s unemployment rate decreases below 6%, which may allow LMIA processing to resume.
What Foreign Workers Can Do
If you are seeking employment under the low-wage stream, focus on:
Occupations or sectors exempt from this freeze, including:
Primary agriculture
Construction
Food manufacturing
Hospitals and healthcare facilities
Nursing and residential care facilities
Certain in-home caregiver roles
Short-term work (120 days or less) meeting specific criteria
Positions supporting permanent residency only (without applying for a work permit)
Regions not on the freeze list, where low-wage LMIAs are still being processed.
If you currently hold a low-wage TFWP work permit and your employer cannot extend it due to this freeze, you must stop working once your permit expires. However, you can apply for a visitor record to stay in Canada legally as a visitor.
How to Check Whether a Job Is in a Restricted CMA
To find out whether a position is located in a CMA affected by the LMIA freeze:
Enter the full postal code of the work location in the Census of Population search on the official government website.
Review the “Census Metropolitan Area / Census Agglomeration” field:
If it shows Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) — check if it appears on the list above.
If it shows Census Agglomeration (CA) or is not listed, your LMIA application is still eligible.