LMIA for Trucking Companies
Trucking is one of the most active users of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program — and one of the most closely inspected. For carriers, the single biggest factor is usually not the driver: it is the wage you offer and the address of the terminal the driver reports to.
73300
Transport Truck Drivers (TEER 3)
10%
Low-Wage Cap for Trucking
26
CMAs Frozen for Low-Wage
$1,000
LMIA Fee per Position
Where trucking stands right now
Transport truck driver (NOC 73300) is a TEER 3 occupation, so it can fall on either side of the high-wage / low-wage line depending purely on what you pay. Most driver wages land below the provincial threshold, which puts the role in the low-wage stream — and that triggers the 10% cap, the 8-week advertising requirement, and the census metropolitan area (CMA) processing freeze. The good news for many carriers: a large share of terminals and yards sit outside CMAs, where the freeze does not apply at all.
Which stream applies to you
Your stream is decided by the wage you actually offer, compared against the wage threshold for the province where the driver works. Pay at or above the threshold and the position is high-wage: no cap, no CMA freeze, 4 weeks of advertising, but a mandatory Transition Plan. Pay below it and the position is low-wage: 10% cap, 8 weeks of advertising, youth-targeted recruitment, and the freeze applies if the work location is in an affected CMA. For many carriers, moving a driver wage above the threshold is cheaper than an LMIA that cannot be processed at all.
Wage Thresholds by Province
The wage thresholds below were updated July 10, 2026 and apply to LMIA applications received on or after July 17, 2026.
The two rules that decide your outcome
Trucking is on the 10% cap — not the 20%
The elevated 20% cap is limited to construction (NAICS 23), food manufacturing (NAICS 311), hospitals (NAICS 622), nursing and residential care (NAICS 623), and specific in-home caregiver occupations. Trucking is not on that list, so low-wage driver positions are capped at 10% of the total workforce at a given work location. High-wage positions are not subject to the cap at all.
Your terminal address may take you out of the freeze entirely
The low-wage freeze applies only to work locations inside a census metropolitan area with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher. It does not apply to census agglomerations or rural areas. Many yards, terminals, and dispatch locations fall outside CMAs — and if yours does, the freeze is simply not a factor. Because the test is the work location on the application, getting the terminal address right is one of the highest-leverage decisions in a trucking LMIA.
26 census metropolitan areas are currently affected by the low-wage freeze (July 10 – October 8, 2026). The list is refreshed quarterly — next update October 9, 2026. See the full list and rules.
Core Occupation
| NOC | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 73300 | Transport truck drivers |
Carriers also hire dispatchers, heavy-duty mechanics, and yard and logistics staff, each with its own NOC code and its own stream and cap analysis. We confirm the exact NOC for every position before any advertising starts — a wrong NOC is one of the most common reasons an LMIA fails.
Your realistic options
These are the levers that actually change the answer for trucking employers. Which one fits depends on your wage, your work location, and your existing workforce.
Pay at or above the provincial wage threshold
This moves the position into the high-wage stream, which removes the cap and takes the CMA freeze off the table completely. You take on a Transition Plan instead. For carriers competing on driver retention anyway, this is often the most direct route.
Use a terminal or yard outside a CMA
If the driver’s work location is in a census agglomeration or a rural area, the low-wage freeze does not apply. This must reflect where the driver genuinely reports — it is a documented fact on the application, not a paper address.
Short-duration and highly mobile positions
ESDC exempts short-duration positions — generally 120 calendar days or less — from the freeze where the role is truly temporary or highly mobile, meaning part of a workforce that regularly crosses provincial, territorial, or international boundaries. Trucking is highly mobile by nature, but the duration gate is real: this is a route for genuinely short-term needs, not permanent driver seats. It requires a written "Exemption request" uploaded with the application, and Service Canada considers periods beyond 120 days only on an exceptional basis. Worth assessing rather than assuming.
Provincial Nominee routes for drivers
Prince Edward Island includes transport truck drivers (NOC 73300) in its Occupations in Demand stream, offering a permanent residence pathway rather than a temporary one. Requirements and intake change, so this needs a current check before you build a plan around it.
Compliance risks specific to trucking
Non-compliance can carry penalties of up to $100,000 per violation, to a maximum of $1 million per year, plus a program ban and public disclosure. See employer compliance.
How Asteco helps trucking employers
The rules change quarterly and the cost of getting them wrong is an eight-week recruitment campaign for an application that was never going to be processed. Our RCIC-regulated team tells you where you stand before you spend anything.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get an LMIA for a truck driver in Toronto or Vancouver right now?
Not in the low-wage stream. Toronto and Vancouver are both census metropolitan areas currently above the 6% unemployment threshold, so low-wage LMIA applications for work locations there will not be processed. A high-wage application — where the driver’s wage is at or above the provincial threshold — is not affected by the freeze and can still proceed.
Is a truck driver a high-wage or low-wage position?
It depends entirely on the wage you offer, not on the job title. NOC 73300 is TEER 3, so it can be either. If the hourly wage is at or above your province’s threshold (the median wage plus 20%), it is high-wage. Below that, it is low-wage.
Does the 20% cap apply to my trucking company?
No. The 20% cap is limited to construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, nursing and residential care, and certain in-home caregiver roles. Trucking sits on the standard 10% cap for low-wage positions.
My yard is rural but my head office is in a frozen CMA. Which address counts?
The work location — where the driver actually reports and performs the work — is what is assessed, not your head office. This is worth getting right and documenting properly, and it is exactly the kind of detail we review before an application goes in.
Disclaimer: LMIA requirements, wage thresholds, CMA freeze lists, and program rules are established by ESDC and are subject to change without notice. The CMA unemployment freeze list is updated quarterly — always verify current status at canada.ca before submitting an application. This page reflects program requirements as of July 15, 2026. This information is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Consult Asteco before making any LMIA-related decisions.
Can you actually hire?
We will tell you honestly — before you spend a dollar on recruitment.
Get an LMIA AssessmentContact AstecoQuick Facts
Information reflects TFWP rules as of July 15, 2026. Program criteria, wage thresholds, and the CMA freeze list are set by ESDC and change without notice. This page is for general information only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice.
Other LMIA Guides
The rules land differently depending on your sector and where you operate. These guides cover the specifics.
Healthcare & Long-Term Care
NAICS 622 & 623 · 20% cap · Exempt from the CMA freeze
Read the guideSector GuideConstruction
NAICS 23 · 20% cap · Exempt from the CMA freeze
Read the guideSector GuideRestaurants & Food Service
NAICS 72 · 10% cap · Most affected by the freeze
Read the guideLocation GuidePrince Edward Island
No CMAs in PEI · Freeze does not apply · Lowest wage threshold
Read the guide