Beginning on September 3, Quebec will no longer process LMIAs for low-paying occupations in Montreal. High-paying jobs and critical industries are exempt. Find out more details on this upgrade.

The processing of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) for job offers with hourly earnings less than $27.47 CAD in Montreal will be temporarily halted by Quebec as of September 3. This action, which has a six-month duration, is a component of the province’s endeavor to control the number of temporary residents and preserve the integrity of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). This measure has been passed by the Canadian federal government.

Announcing the suspension, Premier François Legault and Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette emphasized the necessity to manage the flood of temporary foreign workers into Montreal. This move mostly targets low-wage positions in an effort to lessen reliance on foreign labor in particular sectors of the economy.

Crucial Exemptions and Standards

This is not covered by the suspension:
>Employment situated outside of Montreal’s economic region.
>Employment paying an hourly rate that is at least the Quebec median wage of $27.47 CAD.
>applications for LMIAs filed before to September 3, 2024.
>Employers under the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) of the following sectors:

• Agriculture
• Construction
• Food processing
• Education
• Health and social services

The cities that are part of the Montreal Administrative Region

The following municipalities are included in the Montreal administrative region:

• Baie-d’Urfé
• Beaconsfield
• Côte-Saint-Luc
• Dollard-des-Ormeaux
• Dorval
• Hampstead
• Kirkland
• L’Île-Dorval
• Montreal
• Montreal East
• Montreal West
• Mount Royal
• Pointe-Claire
• Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue
• Senneville
• Westmount

The recent scrutiny and monitoring of TFWP by the federal government

The federal government is continuing to assess the TFWP’s future and will be keeping a close eye on this policy. The TFWP has been under closer examination recently from Canada’s Immigration and Employment Ministers.

Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Official Languages, unveiled new safeguards for the TFWP’s integrity on August 6. He voiced worries that certain companies would become unduly dependent on inexpensive labor from abroad, especially if they use the program’s low-wage stream. Boissonnault underlined that, particularly in sectors where domestic labor is readily accessible, the TFWP should not be used to displace Canadian workers. Additionally, he made the suggestion that the low-wage stream would artificially lower wages in Canada, which could result in the rejection of LMIA applications submitted under this stream.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller expressed similar opinions, emphasizing the need to keep a balanced approach to both temporary and permanent immigration.

Broader context: policy changes and temporary immigration

The suspension of LMIA processing for low-wage occupations in Quebec is a component of a larger initiative to review temporary immigration levels throughout the country. Minister Miller declared in March that the number of temporary residents would be taken into account when determining Canada’s yearly immigration target.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) implemented a temporary two-year limit on specific international student admissions as part of this strategy, and study permits now require a Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL). Minister Miller also hinted at plans to raise the number of “domestic draws” for permanent residency, which are intended for temporary residents currently residing in Canada, and to enact new restrictions regarding Post-Graduation Work Permits (PGWPs).