Low-Wage LMIA Freeze Now Covers 30 Canadian Cities: What ESDC Lists and Who Is Exempt

For LMIA applications submitted from 9 October 2026 to 7 January 2027, ESDC will not process a low-wage application if the work location is in one of 30 census metropolitan areas (CMAs) where the unemployment rate is 6.0% or higher. ESDC calls this Refusal to Process. It is not a freeze on all LMIAs: it applies only when the offered wage is below the provincial or territorial wage threshold, and several sectors and job types are exempt. By our count from ESDC's own table, the list had 26 CMAs for 10 July to 8 October 2026, so it has grown by four. ESDC's next update is on 8 January 2027.

How the Refusal to Process Works

ESDC's page says certain LMIA applications submitted as of 26 September 2024 will not be processed if they have both conditions above. The unemployment rate used is the one in effect when the application is submitted. ESDC's steps for an employer are to enter the full postal code of the work location in Statistics Canada's Census of population tool and check the "Census metropolitan area / Census agglomeration" level. If the location is not listed, or is a census agglomeration, the application stays eligible. If it is a CMA, find its rate in the table: at 6% or higher the application will not be processed. Exactly 6.0% counts, which is why Lethbridge is on the list.

The rates come from the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey and the table is updated every 3 months. ESDC charges no processing fee when it refuses to process an application, and sends a letter giving the reason. The page does not say how applications already in process are handled.

The 30 Cities, as Shown by ESDC

These are the CMAs at or above 6.0% for applications submitted from 9 October 2026 to 7 January 2027, with the unemployment rate in brackets. We use ESDC's spelling.

ESDC's table tracks 41 CMAs. The 11 below 6.0% in this period are Saint John (5.5), Saguenay (3.7), Québec (4.3), Sherbrooke (4.2), Trois-Rivières (5.7), Drummondville (3.8), Thunder Bay (4.6), Winnipeg (5.9), Kamloops (3.6), Chilliwack (5.6) and Victoria (5.8). Compared with the 10 July to 8 October column, Halifax, Fredericton, Kingston, St. Catharines-Niagara, Regina and Lethbridge moved to 6.0% or above, while Kamloops (7.0 to 3.6) and Chilliwack (7.9 to 5.6) dropped below it. Many suburbs sit inside a CMA, so use the postal code tool and not the city name.

Which Jobs Are Exempt

• Occupations under primary agriculture.
• Construction (NAICS 23), food manufacturing (NAICS 311), hospitals (NAICS 622) and nursing and residential care facilities (NAICS 623).
• Specific in-home caregiver positions in a private household under NOC 31301, 32101, 44100 or 44101. In Quebec CMAs they remain eligible if the care is for a person with medical needs, or for a child in the custody of someone who cannot provide care for medical reasons, with a physician's note.
• Positions in support of permanent residence only, with no work permit application.
• Short-duration positions of generally 120 calendar days or less that are truly temporary or highly mobile, supported by a written "Exemption request" uploaded to LMIA Online. Longer periods are considered on an exceptional basis.

The Wage Threshold That Decides Low-Wage or High-Wage

The hourly threshold is the provincial or territorial median hourly wage plus 20%. A wage at or above it goes to the high-wage stream, and a wage below it goes to the low-wage stream. ESDC states that offering a higher wage alone does not qualify an application for the high-wage stream, and that wages should be similar to those paid to Canadians and permanent residents for the same job, location, skills and experience.

The table shows the provinces we checked on ESDC's page. For other provinces and territories, check ESDC's page and our LMIA process page.

What This Means for Indian Workers and Employers

• Check the postal code, the wage and the sector together. A low-wage job in a listed CMA is refused unless an exemption applies. A job in a census agglomeration outside the table, or in a CMA below 6.0%, is not caught by this rule.
• Timing matters. The rate that counts is the one in effect on the submission date, and the list can change on 8 January 2027.
• Other limits still apply. ESDC also caps low-wage hires at 10% of an employer's workforce, or 20% in named sectors, and the employer pays CAD 1,000 per position, which cannot be recovered from the worker.
• Ask direct questions. If someone says a new low-wage LMIA is available for a job in a listed city in this window, ask which exemption applies. ESDC says a positive LMIA is valid for up to 6 months after issue, so an older LMIA may be real, but ask for its date.

The broader policy context is separate. IRCC's 2027 to 2029 supplementary levels plan, released on 5 November 2026, sets a Temporary Foreign Worker Program target of 50,000 a year in each of 2027, 2028 and 2029, with the 2028 and 2029 figures marked as notional targets to be confirmed by 1 November of the following year. The IRCC backgrounder published with it does not mention LMIAs or low-wage streams. Our levels plan post covers it, and our LMIA work permit guide covers the process.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the LMIA program frozen in 30 cities?

No. ESDC will not process low-wage LMIA applications, where the wage is below the provincial or territorial threshold, for work locations in the 30 listed CMAs, and several sectors are exempt. The Refusal to Process rule covers wage below threshold plus a listed location.

How does ESDC decide that a city is on the list?

It uses the Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey unemployment rate for the CMA. At 6% or higher the application will not be processed, and exactly 6.0% counts. The table is updated every 3 months, and the next update is on 8 January 2027.

Does it apply to high-wage LMIAs?

This refusal is tied to a wage below the threshold. A high-wage LMIA, at or above the threshold, is not caught by it, though other requirements such as a transition plan apply.

Which sectors are exempt?

Primary agriculture, construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, specified in-home caregiver NOCs, positions in support of permanent residence only, and short-duration positions of generally 120 days or less with a written exemption request.

What if my city is not a CMA, such as a town near a listed city?

ESDC says a location that is not listed in the CMA table, or is a census agglomeration, remains eligible. Enter the exact work-location postal code in Statistics Canada's tool to find out.

Can an employer raise the wage to avoid the refusal?

ESDC says a higher wage alone does not qualify an application for the high-wage stream, and wages should be similar to those paid to Canadians and permanent residents in the same job and location.