Effective April 30th, 2015, certain elements from the general Canadian LMIA application process have been incorporated into the unique Quebec LMIA application process.
Requirements
- LMIAs for high-wage positions in Quebec must now provide a transition plan. This rule will be relaxed, however, where an employer is looking to hire a worker in one the approved occupations listed under Quebec’s LMIA program.
- The introduction of a cap on the number of low-wage workers that a Quebec employer may hire. By July 1st, 2016, Quebec employers may only have 10% of their work force made up of foreign, low-wage workers.
- The implementation of new wage streams for assessing LMIAs.
- Updates to the provincial/territorial median hourly wages.
- Modifications to worker protections.
- A ban on processing applications for specific low-wage/lower-skilled occupations in the Accommodation and Food Services sector and the Retail Trade sector. This ban only applies in economic regions that have an unemployment rate of 6% or higher.
- Updates to unemployment rates by economic region.
- The duration of employment of temporary foreign workers in low-wage positions to is now limited to a period of 1 year.
- Ban on processing applications from employers whose LMIA has been revoked in the past 2 years.
