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TFW Program Low-Wage Stream: LMIAs of up to 2 years and new exception for early childhood educators

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What changed

On November 6, 2026, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) announced changes to the Low-Wage Stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program. Two changes took effect that day:

  • Longer LMIAs. LMIA applications submitted on or after November 6, 2026 will have a maximum duration of up to two years. Until now, the maximum was one year.
  • New exception for early childhood educators. LMIA applications are not processed in Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher. Priority sectors, including healthcare, construction and food processing, are exceptions. Early childhood educators are now added to this list of exceptions.

Proposed changes for March 1, 2027

The Minister is also proposing changes for Low-Wage Stream LMIA applications. They depend on provinces and territories choosing to opt in and would be implemented on March 1, 2027:

  • CMAs with unemployment of 6% or higher: applications would still not be processed, except for priority sectors.
  • Large CMAs (over 250,000 people) with unemployment below 6%: employers would have targeted access for occupations listed in the COPS and for occupations identified by provinces and territories.
  • Rural areas of large CMAs and smaller CMAs (100,000–250,000 people): the same targeted access would apply.
  • Rural communities: employers would keep full access to all occupations.
  • Workforce cap: provinces and territories may also remove occupations from these lists. At their request, eligible employers in communities they identify could hire TFWs for up to 15% of their workforce, up from 10%. Priority sectors would stay at the existing 20% limit.

Other measures

Budget 2026 provides:

  • $151.5 million over five years for service delivery.
  • $82 million over four years for the Migrant Worker Support Program.
  • A time-limited measure offering provinces and territories additional PNP spaces.

Official text

Read the ESDC news release of November 6, 2026.

Source:Government of Canada announces targeted reforms to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to respond to labour market needs ↗This summary is general information, not legal advice. The official source is the reference.

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