Recent updates on Canada’s work permit freeze have affected several regions across the country. The freeze has been lifted from some areas while remaining in place for others.
From October 9, 2026, to January 7, 2027, employers in certain regions cannot initiate hiring or renewal of work permits for non-exempt jobs paying less than 120% of the provincial or territorial median wage.
The freeze on Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) under the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program now includes various census metropolitan areas with unemployment rates of 6% or higher.
| CMA | Unemployment rate (%) |
|---|---|
| St. John’s | 6.4 |
| Halifax | 6.1 |
| Moncton | 8.1 |
| Fredericton | 6.2 |
| Montréal | 7.2 |
| Ottawa-Gatineau | 7.9 |
| Kingston | 6.3 |
| Belleville – Quinte West | 6.4 |
| Peterborough | 6.3 |
| Oshawa | 9.8 |
| Toronto | 7.5 |
| Hamilton | 7.4 |
| St. Catharines-Niagara | 6.5 |
| Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo | 7.6 |
| Brantford | 6.3 |
| Guelph | 7.5 |
| London | 9.1 |
| Windsor | 7.9 |