As the economic recovery from COVID-19 is underway, the Government of Canada has announced an initiative toward meeting the labour market needs of today, and ensuring the Canadian workforce remains robust and sustainable. On April 4, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion announced the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program Workforce Solutions Road Map. This initiative marks the next step in an ongoing effort to ensure Canada is addressing labour shortages, enhancing worker protections, and building a stronger workforce, including through pathways to permanent residency.
The Road Map will be comprised of five key policy changes, to be implemented in the coming weeks.
The following changes are effective as of April 4, 2022:
- To address seasonal peaks, there will no longer be a limit on the number of low-wage positions that employers in seasonal industries, such as fish and seafood processing, can fill through the TFW Program. This makes permanent the Seasonal Cap Exemption that has been in place since 2015. In addition, the maximum duration of these positions will be increased from 180 days to 270 days per year.
- Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will be valid for 18 months, an increase from 9 months. (Prior to COVID-19, LMIA’s were valid for 6 months).
- The maximum duration of employment for High-Wage and Global Talent Streams workers will be extended from two years to three years. This extension will help workers access pathways to qualify for permanent residency, enabling them to contribute to the workforce long-term.
Effective April 30, 2022:
- For seven sectors with demonstrated labour shortages, employers will be allowed to hire up to 30% of their workforce through the TFW Program for low-wage positions for one year. All other employers will be allowed to hire up to 20% of their workforce through the TFW Program for low-wage positions until further notice, an increase from the former 10% cap for many employers.
- The seven sectors are: Food Manufacturing (NAICS 311); Wood Product Manufacturing (NAICS 321); Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing (NAICS 337); Accommodation and Food Services (NAICS 72); Construction (NAICS 23); Hospitals (NAICS 622); and Nursing and Residential Care Facilities (NAICS 623)
- The government will end the current policy that automatically refuses to process Labour Market Impact Assessments applications for low-wage occupations in the Accommodation and Food Services and Retail Trade sectors in regions with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher.
For more details, please visit:
Backgrounder: Temporary Foreign Worker Program Workforce Solutions Road Map - Canada.ca