Hire a temporary foreign worker in a high-wage or low-wage position
Note:
For applications received on or after April 1, 2021, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) will no longer apply policy variations for "owner/operator" applications. These applications will be assessed using the normal process.
These changes are part of regular policy reviews to ensure that the TFWP:
- continues to work within its intended purpose, and
- is only used by employers to fill a position when qualified Canadians or permanent residents aren't available
The wage being offered for the position will determine if you need to apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) under the stream for high-wage positions or the stream for low-wage positions, each with their own requirements.
If you're offering a wage to a temporary foreign worker (TFW) that is:
- at or above the provincial or territorial median hourly wage, you must apply under the stream for high-wage positions
- below the provincial or territorial median hourly wage, you must apply under the stream for low-wage positions
| Province/territory | Median hourly wages prior to May 31, 2023 | Median hourly wages as of May 31, 2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Alberta | $28.85 | $28.85 |
| British Columbia | $26.44 | $27.50 |
| Manitoba | $23.00 | $23.94 |
| New Brunswick | $21.79 | $23.00 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $24.29 | $25.00 |
| Northwest Territories | $37.30 | $38.00 |
| Nova Scotia | $22.00 | $22.97 |
| Nunavut | $36.00 | $35.90 |
| Ontario | $26.06 | $27.00 |
| Prince Edward Island | $21.63 | $22.50 |
| Quebec | $25.00 | $26.00 |
| Saskatchewan | $25.96 | $26.22 |
| Yukon | $32.00 | $35.00 |
Note on the transition period
- If you submit your LMIA on or after May 31, 2023, Service Canada will use the new median wages to determine if your LMIA is high-wage or low-wage
- A 90-day transition period has been put into place on an exceptional basis, from May 31 to August 29, 2023, to account for unforeseen delays in publishing the wage data this year. During this transition period:
- we’ll work with employers whose application will have changed streams (from high-wage to low-wage or vice versa) because of the new wages to complete the correct application form
- we’ll accept recruitment efforts that meet the original submission’s requirements as meeting the new stream’s requirements
- You can contact the Employer Contact Centre for more information
Sources:
- Source for the wage rates prior to May 31, 2023, (column 2) is Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, 2020 to 2021, based on National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016
- Source for the wage rates as of May 31, 2023, (column 3) is Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey, 2021 to 2022, based on NOC 2021
NOC migration
The TFWP has switched to the 2021 version of the NOC. Learn more about the NOC 2021 transition.
Related links
Page details
- Date modified: