Commencing April 10, the federal government will halt the processing of low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) in nine regions across Canada, including Vancouver in British Columbia, Winnipeg in Manitoba, and Halifax in Nova Scotia.
Meanwhile, regions such as Lethbridge in Alberta and Kamloops, British Columbia, will continue to be eligible for LMIA processing until the list is revised on July 10.
A total of 30 CMAs have been identified as regions where low-wage LMIAs will not be processed by the federal government this quarter, marking an increase from the previous quarter’s 24 listed regions.
Every quarter, the federal government discloses its latest quarterly list of census metropolitan areas (CMAs) in Canada where low-wage LMIA processing will be suspended. LMIA approvals are essential for obtaining work permits under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
Changes in CMAs Exempt from the Processing Freeze, Effective April 10:
- Lethbridge, Alberta — 7.2% → 5.9%
- Red Deer, Alberta — 8.9% → 5.9%
- Kamloops, British Columbia — 6.6% → 5.2%
- Chilliwack, British Columbia — 7.3% → 5.7%
Low-wage LMIAs from these regions will resume processing from April 10 to July 9 under the TFWP.
Changes in CMAs Added to the Processing Freeze, Effective April 10:
- Halifax, Nova Scotia — 5.2% → 6.1%
- Moncton, New Brunswick — 5.5% → 7.4%
- St. John, New Brunswick — 5.8% → 6.0%
- Fredericton, New Brunswick — 5.2% → 6.5%
- Drummondville, Quebec — 5.6% → 7.3%
- Montréal, Quebec — 5.5% → 6.8%
- Kingston, Ontario — 5.6% → 6.2%
- Peterborough, Ontario — 5.3% → 6.3%
- Vancouver, British Columbia — 5.9% → 6.5%
- Winnipeg, Manitoba — 5.7% → 6.0%
Low-wage LMIAs from these regions will not be processed from April 10 to July 9 under the TFWP.
Despite being removed from the processing freeze list in the previous quarter, LMIA processing in Montreal remained suspended due to Quebec’s moratorium on low-wage LMIA processing in the administrative regions of Montreal and Laval until December 31, 2026
Full List of CMAs under the Low-Wage LMIA Processing Freeze as of April 10
| Census Metropolitan Area | Unemployment rate for Q2 2026 |
| St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador | 6.1% |
| Moncton, New Brunswick | 7.4% |
| Fredericton, New Brunswick | 6.5% |
| Drummondville, Quebec | 7.3% |
| Montréal, Quebec | 6.8% |
| Kingston, Ontario | 6.2% |
| Peterborough, Ontario | 6.3% |
| Vancouver, British Columbia | 6.5% |
| Winnipeg, Manitoba | 6.0% |