Updated guidance shortens list for simplified processing under Temporary Foreign Worker program
Quebec has quietly narrowed the pipeline for hiring temporary foreign workers, cutting back the number of occupations that qualify for expedited Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processing and maintaining strict limits on low‑wage roles in Montreal and Laval.
As of Feb. 24, 2026, only 60 occupations across all regions of Quebec are eligible for the province’s “simplified processing” under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), down from 76 previously, according to updated guidance from the Quebec government and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
The new list, published by the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI), removes many IT and engineering professions that had previously benefited from the facilitated process.
The streamlined LMIA route is designed to speed up hiring where labour shortages are acute. With fewer roles now qualifying, HR leaders and hiring managers in Quebec will need to adjust their workforce planning, particularly in sectors that relied heavily on foreign talent to fill specialized or hard‑to‑recruit positions.
Simplified list shrinks and 30‑day transition
Quebec’s List of Occupations Eligible for Simplified Processing applies across the province and “takes into account the labour needs of all regions,” (translated) aimed at hiring employees rather than self‑employed workers, according to MIFI. The new version will remain valid until Feb. 23, 2027, with an annual update cycle.
Employers have a 30‑day transition window — from Feb. 24 to March 26, 2026 — during which LMIA applications may still be assessed using the 2025 list if the occupation does not appear on the current list and the application was received during that period. After March 26, all new applications must align with the 2026–27 list, says the government.
For some roles, only specific job titles tied to a NOC 2021 code are eligible for simplified processing, and those designations have their own defined tasks. Certain occupations on the Quebec list also overlap with the federal Global Talent Stream’s Global Talent List, giving employers a choice between the provincial streamlined process and the federal Global Talent Stream.
Despite the removal of many IT and engineering jobs, the updated Quebec list continues to cover a range of high‑demand occupations, including:
- Civil, industrial and manufacturing engineers and technologists
- A broad spectrum of health professionals (physicians, pharmacists, nurses, nurse practitioners, technologists and certain health care support roles)
- Secondary, primary and preschool teachers and early childhood educators in designated institutions
- Social workers, counsellors and community service workers
- Supervisory and skilled trades positions in construction, mechanics, welding, electrical work and related fields
- Certain food‑related and manufacturing roles, such as butchers, bakers and food processing supervisors.
Quebec‑specific LMIA obligations
For any LMIA application where the work location is in Quebec and the employment period exceeds 30 consecutive days, employers face additional provincial requirements.
Applications must be submitted simultaneously to Service Canada (ESDC) and to MIFI, and all documentation must be in French and in the format required by the provincial government. Ottawa warns that failing to file in parallel with both authorities “may have an impact on the processing” of an employer’s file.
Employers in Quebec can also submit unnamed LMIA applications for many positions through the ARRIMA platform, allowing them to secure approval for a role before identifying specific foreign candidates. These unnamed LMIAs are assessed by ESDC/Service Canada and, if program requirements are met, can later be used to match approved roles with individual workers.
Low‑wage LMIA refusals in Montreal and Laval
On top of the narrowed simplified list, Quebec employers are also operating under continuing federal restrictions on low‑wage foreign hires in higher‑unemployment areas.
As of Sept. 26, 2024, ESDC has refused to process certain LMIA applications for low‑wage positions in census metropolitan areas (CMAs) where unemployment is six per cent or higher. The rule affects applications where wages fall below the provincial or territorial wage threshold and the work location is in a qualifying CMA.
For Montreal and Laval, the bar is even higher. Until Dec. 31, 2026, there is a temporary refusal to process LMIAs for low‑wage positions in those two economic regions if the wage is below the Quebec wage threshold and the work location is on the island of Montreal or in Laval. Applications that meet these criteria will not be processed and no fee will be charged.
Some sectors and roles are exempt from these temporary refusals. Applications tied to agriculture (crop and animal production and related support activities), construction, food and beverage manufacturing, elementary and secondary schools, and health care and social assistance — including child daycare services as of January 9, 2026 — remain eligible.
Specific in‑home caregiver and nursing roles under designated National Occupational Classification (NOC) codes are also excluded from the refusal‑to‑process measures.
Prioritized occupations and LMIA‑exempt hires
Even as the simplified list shrinks, Ottawa is flagging a separate set of “prioritized occupations” in Quebec where LMIA processing is being treated as a priority. These include:
- A wide range of physicians and pharmacists (clinical, surgical, family medicine)
- Registered nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants and allied health professionals
- Licensed practical nurses and other technical therapy and assessment occupations
- Medical technologists, technicians and assistants in laboratories, pharmacies and related health services
- University professors, college and vocational instructors, and teachers at the secondary, elementary and kindergarten levels
- Early childhood educators, teacher assistants and certain student supervision roles
- A cluster of food‑sector roles, from butchers and meat cutters to industrial and plant workers in meat, fish and seafood processing
- Agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and various farm and greenhouse labourers
Separately, targeted exemptions from the LMIA requirement apply in Quebec for some temporary foreign workers who are already in the province and on a skilled worker track. Employers do not need to submit an LMIA if the worker:
- holds a valid work permit
- has a Quebec Skilled Worker Certificate of Selection (CSQ)
- resides in Quebec
- has applied for permanent residence under the Quebec Skilled Worker class.
The foreign worker must also be extending their work permit with the same employer, renewing work authorization with a new Quebec employer, or moving from a post‑graduation work permit or International Experience Canada program into a job offer in the province.
