This communiqué is intended to provide information on the forthcoming update to Job Bank wages, as well as a reminder about the employer’s responsibility with respect to the wages of temporary foreign workers.
Annual Wage Update
Each year, the Job Bank website publishes an update of median wages by occupation and by economic region for all of Canada under the Labour Market Information tab.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW Program) relies on these wages to ensure that employers applying for temporary foreign workers through the Program are offering wages representative of current labour market conditions.
The next annual wage update is expected to be published on Job Bank on November 19, 2025. The new wage rates will take effect on the day of publication. Prior to submitting a new Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to the TFW Program, employers should consult Job Bank for the updated median wages.
Employer Responsibilities Regarding Worker Wages
The TFW Program requires employers looking to hire temporary foreign workers under the Low-Wage or High-Wage Streams to pay the prevailing wage that is generally defined as the highest of:
- the median wage for the occupation and economic region as posted on Job Bank*, or
- the wage that is within the wage range that an employer is paying their current employees hired for the same job and work location, and with the same skills and years of experience.
Note that there are variations of this wage requirement, including as they relate to other Program streams such as the Global Talent Stream, Seasonal Agriculture Worker Program, and Agricultural stream. For positions in Québec, the instructions of the ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration (MIFI) for establishing wages continue to apply.
Employers are required to review and update the wages of temporary foreign workers at the beginning of the worker’s period of employment, as well as annually, no later than January 1st, to ensure that the wage is not lower than the prevailing wage for the occupation and region where they are employed. This update must be carried out throughout the work period. Employers who have temporary foreign workers currently employed are invited to make the necessary checks and adjustments to the wage offered.
You are encouraged to share this communication throughout your respective networks, and with any colleagues or partners who may need to be aware of this information.
If you have questions on the TFW Program, please visit Canada.ca or reach out to the Employer Contact Centre.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Employment and Social Development Canada
Thank you for raising awareness among your field agents, as well as the TFWs and their employers, about the measures, rights, and responsibilities of all parties involved.
