Low-Wage vs High-Wage LMIA: What's the Difference?
Low-wage vs high-wage LMIA streams in Canada — how the threshold is set, employer obligations, caps, transport and housing requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between low-wage and high-wage LMIA?
The split is based on the median wage for the role and region. At or above median = high-wage; below median = low-wage. Each stream has different employer obligations.
Where is the wage threshold published?
Job Bank publishes provincial median hourly wages by NOC. ESDC uses these to determine which stream applies.
Does the worker get less protection in the low-wage stream?
No — workers in both streams have the same federal labour rights. Low-wage employers actually have extra obligations: transport, housing assistance and a transition plan.
Is low-wage harder to get approved?
Often yes. Caps on the percentage of low-wage TFWs per worksite, and refusal in high-unemployment regions, make low-wage LMIAs more restrictive.
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