On April 4, new measures were put in place in response to a nationwide Canadian labour shortage. According to a government media release, changes coming into effect for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) will help Canada build its workforce.
For example, food services employers in Canada will be able to hire up to 30% of their workforce through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.
Below is a summary of five major changes to the TFWP.
Effective immediately:
- Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will be valid for 18 months (up from nine). Before the Covid-19 pandemic, LMIAs were only valid for six months.
- The maximum allocation of employment for High-Wage and Global Talent Stream workers will be extended to three years (up from two). The extension will help workers qualify for more pathways to permanent residency while continuing to contribute to the Canadian workforce.
- The Seasonal Cap Exemption, in place since 2015, will become permanent. Extended time limits (increased from 180 days to 270 days) per year are now in place on the number of low-wage positions that employers in seasonal industries can fill through the TFWP.
Effective April 30, 2022:
- Employers of sectors with demonstrated labour shortages, such as in food manufacturing, wood, furniture or related product manufacturing, hospitality and food services, construction, hospitals, and nursing and residential care facilities, will be able to hire up to 30% of their workforce (low-wage positions for one year) through the TFWP. Other employers, up to 20% of their workforce (low-wage positions for one year) through the TFWP.
- In regions of Canada with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher, no longer will Immigration Canada automatically refuse LMIA applications for low-wage occupations in the following sectors: accommodation, food services, and retail trade.
An Overview of Current Vacancies:
In November 2021, the following sectors faced the highest number of vacancies*:
- Accommodation and Food Services: 130,070 vacancies
- Health Care and Social Assistance: 119,590 vacancies
- Retail Trade: 103,990 vacancies
- Manufacturing: 81,775 vacancies
*according to Statistics Canada