Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) has updated the median-hourly-wage table that determines whether employers must use the high-wage or low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) stream when hiring foreign talent. The new thresholds, published on 10 July 2026, take effect for LMIA applications received on or after 17 July 2026. Under the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Programme, jobs paying at or above the provincial or territorial median wage plus 20 per cent fall under the high-wage stream, while those below that level are treated as low-wage. Notable changes include British Columbia’s threshold rising from CAD 36.60 to CAD 38.40 per hour and Ontario’s from CAD 36.00 to CAD 36.92.
For organisations grappling with these fast-moving LMIA wage rules, VisaHQ can step in as an all-in-one partner—helping HR teams confirm the correct stream, gather supporting documents and track submission deadlines. Their Canadian portal offers intuitive dashboards and live expert support, cutting through red tape and reducing the risk of costly refusals.
Alberta now stands at CAD 37.50, while Quebec moves to CAD 36.00.
![Ottawa Raises LMIA Wage Thresholds, Affecting High- and Low-Wage Streams]()
Why it matters:
• Compliance risk—Submitting an LMIA under the wrong stream can trigger refusal or subsequent enforcement action.
• Budget impact—Higher thresholds may push certain roles (e.g., mid-level technicians, retail supervisors) into the high-wage category, adding settlement-plan obligations and greater paperwork for employers.
• Strategic timing—Employers with offers marginally below the new cut-offs have until 16 July to file under the current rates; applications received thereafter must meet the updated figures.
Practical tips for global-mobility teams:
• Model payroll scenarios against the new hourly thresholds and adjust offer letters where necessary.
• Build the additional processing time and cost of mandatory transition-plan reports (required for low-wage LMIAs) into project timelines.
• Update internal guidance for business units in provinces hardest hit by wage inflation, such as B.C. and Nunavut, where the jump exceeds CAD 1.40 per hour.
ESDC reviews the figures annually using Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey data, but this year’s mid-July start date is two weeks earlier than in 2025, giving employers less lead-time. Mobility managers should diarise a compliance check every June to avoid sudden ineligibility.
For organisations grappling with these fast-moving LMIA wage rules, VisaHQ can step in as an all-in-one partner—helping HR teams confirm the correct stream, gather supporting documents and track submission deadlines. Their Canadian portal offers intuitive dashboards and live expert support, cutting through red tape and reducing the risk of costly refusals.
Alberta now stands at CAD 37.50, while Quebec moves to CAD 36.00.
Why it matters:
• Compliance risk—Submitting an LMIA under the wrong stream can trigger refusal or subsequent enforcement action.
• Budget impact—Higher thresholds may push certain roles (e.g., mid-level technicians, retail supervisors) into the high-wage category, adding settlement-plan obligations and greater paperwork for employers.
• Strategic timing—Employers with offers marginally below the new cut-offs have until 16 July to file under the current rates; applications received thereafter must meet the updated figures.
Practical tips for global-mobility teams:
• Model payroll scenarios against the new hourly thresholds and adjust offer letters where necessary.
• Build the additional processing time and cost of mandatory transition-plan reports (required for low-wage LMIAs) into project timelines.
• Update internal guidance for business units in provinces hardest hit by wage inflation, such as B.C. and Nunavut, where the jump exceeds CAD 1.40 per hour.
ESDC reviews the figures annually using Statistics Canada Labour Force Survey data, but this year’s mid-July start date is two weeks earlier than in 2025, giving employers less lead-time. Mobility managers should diarise a compliance check every June to avoid sudden ineligibility.
