High-Wage & Low-Wage LMIA
Every LMIA that is not agricultural or Global Talent falls into one of these two streams, and the wage you offer decides which. The difference is not cosmetic — it changes the permit length, the advertising you must run, whether a cap applies, and in many locations whether the application will be processed at all.
The threshold, by province
The dividing line is the provincial or territorial median hourly wage plus 20%. These took effect on 17 July 2026:
- ● British Columbia $38.40 · Alberta $37.50 · Ontario $36.92 · Quebec $36.00
- ● Saskatchewan $34.62 · Newfoundland and Labrador $33.60 · Nova Scotia $31.96 · New Brunswick $31.73
- ● Manitoba $31.33 · Prince Edward Island $31.20
- ● Yukon $45.60 · Nunavut $45.00 · Northwest Territories $48.00
High-wage stream
- ● Employment for up to 3 years.
- ● Advertise on Job Bank plus two other methods, one national in scope, for 4 consecutive weeks within the 3 months before applying, with one activity running until a decision.
- ● A Transition Plan is still mandatory, with exemptions for in-home caregivers, agricultural roles, limited-duration positions and unique-skill roles.
- ● No cap on the proportion of your workforce.
- ● Not affected by the 6% unemployment refusal rule.
- ● Processing around 88 business days as at July 2026.
Low-wage stream
- ● Employment for a maximum of 1 year — reduced from two years in September 2024.
- ● Advertise on Job Bank for 8 consecutive weeks, with mandatory youth recruitment for ages 15 to 30 and two further methods each targeting a different underrepresented group.
- ● You must invite Job Match candidates rated two stars or higher within the first 30 days.
- ● Capped at 10% of the workforce at that location — 20% for construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, nursing and residential care, and in-home caregiving. Employers with under ten staff nationally are limited to one or two workers.
- ● Not processed at all where the location sits in a census metropolitan area with unemployment of 6% or more. Check your region against the current ESDC table →
- ● Processing around 73 business days.
Where the refusal rule bites locally
On the table in force to 8 October 2026, Abbotsford–Mission is at 8.0%, Chilliwack 7.9%, Kelowna 7.5%, Vancouver 6.7% and Nanaimo 6.5% — all above the line. Victoria at 4.6% is below it. The list changes every quarter, so it is worth checking rather than assuming.
Exempt from the refusal rule regardless of location: primary agriculture, construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities, certain in-home caregiver positions with medical documentation, and positions of 120 days or less.
A temporary rural measure runs from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027 letting eligible employers outside metropolitan areas keep their existing low-wage proportion. BC opted in on 4 May 2026 for the retained-proportion option.
What we do for employers
We work out which stream the role actually falls into before any money is spent, run the recruitment to the standard an inspection will apply, prepare the application and the Transition Plan, and keep the records you are required to hold for six years. Where the answer is that an LMIA will not work in your location, we say so and look at the alternatives — Francophone Mobility, intra-company transfers, or a provincial nomination route for a worker already in Canada.
Reviewed by a licensed RCIC · Last updated 13 August 2026. Immigration rules change often — confirm anything time-sensitive with us or on canada.ca.
Looking for related services? See our full LMIA overview or all services.
Why Choose Us?
Personalized Assessment
- Understanding your Canadian immigration needs and goals.
- Assessing eligibility across multiple programs.
- Recommending the best pathway for your situation.
- Answering all questions and addressing concerns.
Tailored Approach
- Custom Canadian immigration plan suited to you.
- Clear proposal outlining services and payment structure: 50% before processing, 50% before submission.
- Comprehensive checklist after initial payment.
Application Fulfillment
- Dedicated case manager assigned to your file.
- Strong application prepared within 7–10 business days.
- Review and final approval before submission.
Trusted Partnership
- Kept informed at every stage from submission to decision.
- Ongoing support and guidance until you reach your goals.
- Available for status updates at any time.
Ready to take the next step?
Book an appointment with our licensed RCIC team. We'll review your case, identify your best pathway, and outline the next steps.
Frequently asked questions
What is the high-wage threshold in British Columbia?
$38.40 an hour as of 17 July 2026, up from $36.60. It is the provincial median wage plus 20%, not the bare median — a distinction that catches employers out and puts applications into the wrong stream.
How long can I employ someone on a low-wage LMIA?
One year. This was cut from two years in September 2024. High-wage positions can run up to three years, which is one of several reasons it is worth checking whether a role can be structured to reach the high-wage threshold.
How many foreign workers can I employ?
In the low-wage stream, 10% of the workforce at that location, or 20% for construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, nursing and residential care, and in-home caregiving. If you have fewer than ten employees nationally you are limited to one or two. There is no cap in the high-wage stream.
Do I really need to advertise for eight weeks?
For low-wage positions, yes — eight consecutive weeks on Job Bank within the three months before you apply, plus mandatory youth recruitment and two methods targeting different underrepresented groups. High-wage is four weeks with two additional methods. Getting this wrong is the most common reason an otherwise sound application fails.
What happens if ESDC inspects us?
You must be able to produce recruitment records, payroll, and evidence that the wage, duties and conditions matched what was advertised — for six years. Penalties across the programme reached $10.2 million last year across 1,488 inspections, with 30 employers banned. Building the file properly at the start is considerably cheaper than defending it later.
Still unsure how this applies to your case? Book an appointment with a licensed RCIC.
More LMIA services
Other pathways we handle in this area — or talk to a licensed RCIC about which fits your case.
Waymark runs on the Nova System platform — built in Abbotsford, BC by practising RCICs.