Employers planning to submit a high-wage LMIA should pay close attention to June 27, 2026.

The Government of Canada currently uses the provincial or territorial hourly wage threshold to determine whether an LMIA application falls under the high-wage stream or the low-wage stream. If the offered wage is at or above the applicable threshold, the employer must apply under the stream for high-wage positions. If the offered wage is below the threshold, the application must be submitted under the low-wage stream.

The current wage-threshold table on the Government of Canada website shows that the most recent listed update took effect for LMIAs received as of June 27, 2025. For example, the threshold increased to $36.00 in Alberta and Ontario, $36.60 in British Columbia, and $30.00 in Nova Scotia.

Because of this timing, employers considering a high-wage LMIA in 2026 should prepare for the possibility that the wage threshold may be updated again around June 27, 2026. A position that qualifies as high-wage before the update may no longer qualify after the threshold changes.

Why This Matters

The high-wage and low-wage streams have different program requirements. For high-wage positions, employers are generally required to submit a transition plan. This plan must explain the steps the employer will take to recruit, retain, and train Canadians and permanent residents, and to reduce reliance on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program over time.

High-wage LMIA applications also require proper recruitment before submission. Employers must conduct at least three different recruitment activities, including advertising on Job Bank, and at least one additional method must be national in scope. Job advertisements must generally run for at least four consecutive weeks within the three months before the LMIA application is submitted.

For employers who are already planning to support a foreign worker under the high-wage stream, the timing of submission matters. If the wage threshold increases before the application is filed, the employer may need to raise the offered wage or reconsider whether the application still belongs under the high-wage stream.

The 20% Increase Shows the Government’s Direction

This issue became more important after the Government of Canada changed how the threshold is calculated.

Effective November 8, 2024, the wage threshold used to classify high-wage and low-wage LMIA applications was increased by 20%. Before this change, the threshold was based on the provincial or territorial median wage. After the change, the threshold became the median wage plus 20%.

The Government stated that this change would move more jobs into the low-wage stream, where stricter requirements may apply, including requirements related to housing, transportation, and recruitment of workers already in Canada.

This was not a small administrative adjustment. It showed a clear policy direction. The government is placing more scrutiny on LMIA applications and trying to ensure that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is used only where there is a genuine labour market need.

A Higher Offered Wage Alone Is Not Enough

Some employers may assume that they can simply increase the offered wage to meet the high-wage threshold. That is risky.

Offering a higher wage to temporary foreign workers is not sufficient on its own to qualify under the stream for high-wage positions. Wages offered to temporary foreign workers should be similar to wages paid to Canadians and permanent residents hired for the same job, at the same work location, and with similar skills and years of experience.

The Government of Canada also states that, for TFWP purposes, the employer must pay the prevailing wage. This is the highest of either the median wage listed on Job Bank or the wage within the range paid to current employees in the same job, at the same work location, with the same skills and years of experience.

This means employers should not adjust the offered wage only to fit a preferred program stream or to avoid low-wage stream requirements. If the wage appears artificial, inconsistent with the employer’s internal wage structure, or not supported by the actual labour market, the LMIA may be refused.

Closing

June 27, 2026 may become an important date for employers planning high-wage LMIA applications. The current government page shows that the last listed threshold update took effect on June 27, 2025, and a new update may come on June 27, 2026. Employers should not treat the wage threshold as a technical detail. It affects the stream, the recruitment strategy, the transition plan requirement, and the overall risk of refusal.

For employers planning to support temporary foreign workers in high-wage positions, the safest approach is to review the wage structure early, confirm the correct stream, and avoid making last-minute wage changes that cannot be justified through business records.