Hiring temporary foreign workers in the province of Quebec

On this page

• Temporary Foreign Worker Program
• Submitting unnamed LMIAs
• Refusal to process low-wage positions in census metropolitan areas (CMA) with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher
• Temporary refusal to process LMIA applications for low-wage positions in Montréal and in Laval Updated
• Facilitated process
• Prioritized occupations
• Exemption from LMIA process

Temporary Foreign Worker Program

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers to fill temporary jobs when qualified Canadians are not available.

Most employers need a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) before they can hire a temporary foreign worker (TFW). Before you start the hiring process, you must determine if you need an LMIA.

Learn about what is required to hire foreign workers through the TFWP.

Submitting unnamed LMIAs

Employers can also submit unnamed LMIA applications for positions in Quebec (with some exceptions) to the Ministère de l'Immigration, de la Francisation et de l'Intégration (MIFI). Consult the Government of Quebec website for more details on the ARRIMA platform.

Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC)/Service Canada will assess unnamed LMIA applications, and if employers meet the program requirements, they'll receive an unnamed LMIA. For more details, visit Applying for unnamed LMIA.

When completing an LMIA application where the work location is in the province of Quebec and for an employment period of more than 30 consecutive days:

• LMIA applications must be submitted simultaneously to Service Canada and the MIFI
• failure to do so may have an impact on the processing of your application
• all applications must be submitted in French
  • to print your application in French, select “French” in LMIA Online before filling out your online application
• all applications must be submitted to the MIFI in the format required by the provincial government

You can contact the MIFI at 1-877-864-9191 or visit their website for more information.

For more information on the LMIA Online portal, contact the Employer Contact Centre or visit the LMIA Online Portal resources page.

Refusal to process LMIA applications for low-wage positions in census metropolitan areas (CMA) with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher

As of September 26, 2024, certain LMIA applications won't be processed. This refusal to process applies to LMIA applications submitted for positions with:

• a wage below the provincial or territorial wage threshold, and
• a work location in a CMA with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher

For more information, including any exemptions that may apply, visit Refusal to process an LMIA application.

Temporary refusal to process LMIA applications for low-wage positions in Montréal and in Laval Updated

Until December 31, 2026, certain LMIA applications submitted for low-wage positions in the economic regions of Montréal and Laval won't be processed. This temporary refusal to process applies to LMIAs for positions:

• with a wage below the Quebec wage threshold, and
• with a work location in the economic region of Montréal (island of Montréal) or Laval

If you submit an LMIA application that meets these criteria, your application won't be processed and you won't be charged a processing fee.

If the unemployment rate in the Montréal CMA is 6% or higher, the requirements and exemptions for the refusal to process requirements for low-wage positions in areas with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher will determine whether your application will be processed.

Additional information regarding applications received in the economic regions of Montréal and Laval is also available on the Government of Quebec website (available in French).

Applications excluded from the temporary refusal to process measure

Applications submitted to fill positions in the following occupations or sectors will continue to be eligible for processing. The classification code for the sectors is determined by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Canada and the occupation classification code is determined by the National Occupational Classification (NOC).

• NAICS 111 – Crop production
• NAICS 112 – Animal production and aquaculture
• NAICS 1151 – Support activities for crop production
• NAICS 1152 – Support activities for animal production
• NAICS 23 – Construction
• NAICS 311 – Food manufacturing
• NAICS 3121 – Beverage manufacturing
• NAICS 6111 – Elementary and secondary schools
• NAICS 62 – Health care and social assistance
  • NAICS 6244 – Child daycare services (in effect as of January 9, 2026)
• specific in-home caregiver positions under*:
  • NOC 31301 – Registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse
  • NOC 32101 – Licensed practical nurse
  • NOC 44100 – Home childcare providers
  • NOC 44101 – Attendant for persons with disabilities, home support worker, live-in caregiver, personal care attendant

Facilitated process

Visit the MIFI website to consult the list of occupations eligible to the facilitated process (French only) as identified and updated every year on February 24 by Quebec.

Refer to the Facilitated LMIA process page for more information on the application process.

Prioritized occupations

The program is prioritizing certain occupations in Quebec.

Any condition outlined on the Refusal to process page supersedes the list of prioritized occupations.

If the occupation is on the list of occupations eligible for the facilitated LMIA process, the facilitated process requirements will apply.

Exemption from LMIA process

Certain provisions were implemented in Quebec to exempt employers from having to submit an LMIA if they're hiring a TFW who:

• has a valid work permit
• holds a skilled worker Certificate of Selection in Quebec (CSQ)
• resides in the province of Quebec
• has applied for permanent residency under the Quebec Skilled Worker class

The TFW must also fall under 1 of the following categories:

• is seeking to extend the work permit for their current employer
• is seeking to renew the work authorization with a new employer in Quebec
• is a foreign student who has obtained a post-graduation work permit and has a job offer in the province of Quebec
• is a work permit holder through participation in a program under the International Experience Canada (IEC) initiative and is seeking to:
  • extend the work authorization for the current employer
  • renew the work authorization for a new employer in Quebec

For more information on LMIA exemptions, consult the operational bulletin issued by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC).

Under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, there may be additional situations where employers may not require an LMIA and/or the TFW isn't required to apply for a work permit from IRCC.

For more information on occupations that are exempted from an LMIA or a work permit, visit Find out if you need a work permit.

Employers wishing to hire TFWs that don't meet these criteria must apply for an LMIA and follow the regular LMIA process for hiring TFWs in Quebec.