Korean business owners and job seekers preparing to hire foreign workers are strongly advised to check the changes to the LMIA for October. Due to the federal government's rejection policy, low-wage LMIA applications submitted within metropolitan areas (CMA) with an unemployment rate of 61 TP3T or higher and offered wages lower than provincial standards may not be processed. • Effective Date: Effective from October 9, 2026, and the restrictions are scheduled to remain in place until January 8, 2027. Thirty out of the total 41 metropolitan areas are subject to the restrictions. • Newly added cities: Six new locations were included, including St. Catharines-Niagara (6.51 TP3T), Kingston (6.31 TP3T), Fredericton (6.21 TP3T), Halifax (6.11 TP3T), Lethbridge (6.01 TP3T), and Regina (6.71 TP3T). Oshawa was the highest at 9.81 TP3T, followed by London at 9.11 TP3T. • Areas where restrictions were lifted: Kamloops (3.61 TP3T) and Chilliwack (5.61 TP3T) dropped below 61 TP3T and were removed from this unemployment rate limit. • High wage applications are separate: These 6% criteria apply only to the low wage stream. The high wage threshold in Ontario is $36.92 per hour (for applications filed after July 17, 2026). However, please be advised that attempting to circumvent the limit by simply raising wages may result in a negative ruling. • Exceptions and Existing Permits: Exceptions may apply to primary agriculture, construction, food manufacturing, hospitals and nursing facilities, and certain in-home care occupations. While valid work permits already issued are not automatically cancelled, it is advisable to check regional restrictions in advance for extensions or applications requiring a new LMIA. If you are preparing to apply, please first check the local unemployment rate, wage standards, and eligibility for exceptions at the time of submission. Source: ICC Immigration Inc
https://iccimmigration.ca/canada-lmia-unemployment-rate-changes-october-2026-30-cities-restricted-until-january-2027/ | 
