New statistical data related to the unemployment rate
Great news to start this year 2025. As expected, Statistics Canada released the updated employment data on January 10, 2025.
For the province of Quebec, the situation has improved significantly. Of the three agglomerations with an unemployment rate greater than 6% during the last three months of 2024: Montreal, Trois-Rivières and Gatineau, only Montreal is left in this situation. Note that the rest of the census agglomerations in Quebec as a whole remain under 6%.
This means that, especially for the Gatineau and Trois-Rivières regions, it is again possible to submit applications for an LMIA (Labour Market Impact Studies) and a DST (Request for Temporary Selection for a Worker, also known as a CAQ or Quebec Acceptance Certificate) for positions for temporary foreign workers whose salary would be less than the current provincial median, or $32.96 per hour. Please note that these statistical data will remain in effect until approximately April 9, 2025. Only the agglomeration of Montreal remains subject to the restriction on the hiring of low-wage temporary foreign workers, except in the fields of education, health, construction and food processing.
We urge our customers to plan well to submit LMIA applications during the first three months of 2025 to take full advantage of this great news. Likewise, we strongly suggest that our customers who were refused between September and December 2024, consider a new EIMT CAQ submission.
Please also note that unemployment rates below or above 6% have no impact on other restrictive measures already in force. In particular, we are talking about the following:
Do not hesitate to contact our teams if necessary.
