Canada: New Recruitment Requirements for Low‑Wage Positions under Temporary Foreign Worker Program

As of April 1, 2026, employers filing Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications in low-wage positions under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program must now:

• Advertise the position for at least eight consecutive weeks (up from four weeks), within the three months prior to submitting an LMIA application. The full advertising period must be completed before the LMIA is submitted; and
• Demonstrate targeted recruitment efforts to reach youth (ages 15-30), where previously, there was no such requirement. Employers must show that reasonable efforts were made to encourage youth to apply, including posting on Job Bank (youth section) and youth job boards, working with schools or colleges, participating in youth employment programs, or using other platforms commonly used by youth. These youth‑focused efforts are in addition to, and do not replace, existing recruitment requirements. 

These changes have been introduced to help the government protect the Canadian labor market and reinforce the priority hiring of Canadians and permanent residents.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.