Global Alerts

FGI Update: This Week’s Summary of Global Immigration News

Canada Immigration Updates

Updated LMIA Wage Thresholds

Canada has updated the wage thresholds used to determine whether employers hiring temporary foreign workers through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) must apply under the high-wage or low-wage Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) stream. The new thresholds took effect July 17, 2026, and employers with ongoing LMIA recruitment should review the applicable wage requirements and adjust recruitment materials where necessary. Employers should also ensure that any wage offered to a temporary foreign worker is consistent with wages paid to Canadian citizens and permanent residents in comparable positions, as increasing a wage solely to qualify for the high-wage stream may result in a negative LMIA decision.

Key Points

• New Provincial Wage Thresholds: The updated provincial and territorial high-wage thresholds determine whether an LMIA application falls under the high-wage or low-wage stream. Employers must meet or exceed the applicable threshold based on the province or territory where the position is located.
• Prevailing Wage Requirements: Meeting the provincial threshold alone may not be sufficient. If the prevailing or median wage for the applicable NOC and location is higher than the provincial threshold, the employer must offer at least the higher prevailing wage.
• Wage Consistency: Employers should ensure that wages offered to temporary foreign workers are comparable to those paid to Canadian citizens and permanent residents performing the same job in the same location with similar skills and experience. Increasing wages solely to qualify for a particular LMIA stream may negatively affect the application.
• Low-Wage Stream Restrictions: ESDC generally will not process most low-wage LMIA applications in metropolitan areas with an unemployment rate above 9%. As a result, the high-wage stream may be the only viable LMIA option in many locations.
• Review Ongoing Recruitment: Employers with LMIA recruitment already underway should review the newly applicable wage threshold and prevailing wage requirements and determine whether recruitment materials and offered wages need to be updated.

New Provincial Hgih-Wage Thresholds

What Employers Need to Know

• Employers should confirm that the base wage advertised and offered for an LMIA-supported position meets the applicable provincial or territorial high-wage threshold.
• Employers must also assess the prevailing wage for the applicable NOC and work location. If the prevailing wage exceeds the provincial threshold, employers must offer the higher wage.
• ESDC has increasingly scrutinized situations where employers raise an offered wage merely to meet the high-wage threshold when the prevailing wage for the underlying NOC is lower. ESDC guidance indicates that simply offering a higher wage for this purpose does not necessarily establish eligibility for the high-wage stream.
• Employers considering a wage increase should obtain legal advice before changing recruitment materials or compensation. They should also consider whether the increase could affect similarly situated Canadian citizens and permanent residents employed in the same NOC and location.
• Employers should consider whether eligible temporary foreign workers may be transitioned to permanent residence before another LMIA becomes necessary, particularly where future LMIA eligibility could be affected by wage thresholds or low-wage stream restrictions.

Looking Ahead

• Annual Threshold Updates: Employers should expect the provincial and territorial wage thresholds to continue to be updated annually and should review the applicable rates before initiating new LMIA recruitment.
• Increased Wage Scrutiny: Employers should expect ESDC to continue scrutinizing wage offers that appear to have been increased primarily to qualify for the high-wage stream rather than reflecting the compensation normally paid for the position.
• Ongoing Recruitment: Employers with LMIA recruitment already underway should determine whether the updated thresholds require changes to the advertised wage or other recruitment materials.
• Permanent Residence Planning: Employers should evaluate permanent residence options for eligible temporary foreign workers before another LMIA is required, particularly where the employee may otherwise become subject to increasingly restrictive LMIA requirements.

The July 17, 2026, wage-threshold update creates an immediate compliance consideration for Canadian employers using the TFWP. Employers should not view the provincial high-wage threshold as the only applicable wage requirement; they must also consider the prevailing wage for the specific occupation and location and ensure that compensation is consistent with similarly situated Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Employers with current or planned LMIA recruitment should review wages now and consider longer-term permanent residence strategies for eligible temporary foreign workers.

Global Immigration Updates

ROMANIA: Work in Romania Platform – New Online Employer Registration Process

Romania has introduced a new online process through the Work in Romania platform for employers seeking to hire foreign nationals. Employers are required to establish an account through the Romanian Ministry of Internal Affairs’ HUB MAI platform before they can proceed with relevant hiring requests through the Work in Romania platform.

The registration process begins with the company’s legal representative, creating an account on HUB MAI using the required electronic signature. Once the HUB MAI account has been established, the legal representative can access the Work in Romania platform and register the company as an employer.

Key Points

• HUB MAI Registration: The company’s legal representative must first create an account through the HUB MAI platform before accessing the employer registration process on Work in Romania.
• Electronic Signature: The registration process requires an electronic signature that meets the platform’s requirements. Employers should ensure that the appropriate legal representative has access to a valid electronic signature before beginning the registration process.
• Work in Romania Employer Registration: Once the HUB MAI account has been created, the legal representative can access the Work in Romania platform and select the option to register as an employer/legal entity.
• Government Review: The employer registration request is subject to review by the Romanian authorities. The platform indicates that a response to the registration request may take up to 30 working days.
• Delegation of Access: Following registration, employers may be able to authorize additional individuals to manage applications and related activities on the platform on the company’s behalf.

What Employers Need to Know

Employers that anticipate hiring foreign nationals should consider completing the platform registration process in advance. The government review period may extend to 30 working days, and employers should therefore factor this additional administrative step into their immigration and recruitment planning.

The initial registration should be coordinated with the company’s appropriate legal representative, who will need to complete the initial account setup and meet the platform’s electronic signature requirements.

Once the employer registration has been completed, designated individuals may be authorized to assist with managing applications through the platform, which may help streamline future hiring activity.

Looking Ahead

The introduction of the Work in Romania platform represents a move toward a more centralized online process for employers hiring foreign nationals in Romania. Employers should familiarize themselves with the registration requirements and consider establishing their accounts ahead of anticipated hiring needs.

The registration process is separate from the substantive immigration and employment requirements applicable to individual foreign workers. Employers should continue to assess each proposed hire against the applicable work authorization and immigration requirements before proceeding.

The content of this article is intended only to provide a general guide to the subject matter. It should not be construed as legal advice. Please contact FGI at info@employmentimmigration.com or (+1) 248.643.4900 for guidance if you have specific questions.