Canada raises wage thresholds for TFWP work permits - CIC News

On this page you will find: Six Canadian cities newly affected by low-wage LMIA restrictions. Two metropolitan areas where restrictions have been lifted. Updated unemployment rates in Canada’s largest cities. Which employers and occupations qualify for exemptions. What the changes mean for temporary foreign workers. How employers can check whether they can submit an LMIA application. Canada has expanded restrictions on hiring temporary foreign workers in low-wage positions, with six additional metropolitan areas now subject to limits on Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) updated its unemployment-rate figures on October 9, 2026, increasing the number of affected census metropolitan areas (CMAs) from 26 to 30. The changes mean employers in Halifax, Fredericton, Kingston, St. Catharines–Niagara, Regina and Lethbridge face new restrictions on hiring foreign workers through the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). However, restrictions have been lifted in Kamloops and Chilliwack, British Columbia, after unemployment rates in both areas fell below the government’s six per cent threshold.

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ManitobaMinimum wage hikes from 25 to 40 cents take effect Thursday in five provinces. Lowest wages now range from $15/hour in Alberta to $20.17/hour in NunavutThe Canadian Press · Posted: Oct 01, 2026 10:21 AM EDT | Last Updated: October 1Listen to this articleEstimated 1 minuteThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results. New minimum wage rates as of Oct. 1 are $15.70 an hour in Saskatchewan, $16.40 in Manitoba, $17 in Nova Scotia, $17.30 in P. E. I. and $17.95 in Ontario. (CBC)Minimum wage hikes from 25 to 40 cents take effect Thursday in five provinces. Ontario's minimum wage is now up to $17.95 an hour, while P. E. I. is $17.30 and Nova Scotia is $17. In Manitoba, the wage goes up to $16.40, and in Saskatchewan, to $15.70. The changes mean all provinces and territories will have raised their rates this year, except Alberta, which hasn't increased its minimum wage since 2019 and has the country's lowest minimum wage at $15 an hour. Nunavut leads the country at $20.17 an hour.

Canada’s immigration department has barred officers from summarily refusing work permit applications relying on dubious job offers. Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) published updated instructions on its website on Sept. 17, 2026, which require officers to give applicants the opportunity to address any concerns about the genuineness of a job offer.