The Canadian government unveiled measures to make it simpler for Canadian firms to hire temporary foreign workers.
Even with a low unemployment rate, the country is experiencing a labour shortage, which is why these steps were revealed today.
According to the government communiqué, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) reforms are meant to aid Canada in developing its labour force.
There will be five significant updates to TFWP.
Start immediately:
Instead of nine months, Labor Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will now be valid for 18 months (before the pandemic, they were suitable for only six months). LMIAs are documentation showing the Canadian government that hiring a foreign worker won’t negatively impact the country’s labour market.
Additionally, from two to three years will be added to the maximum tenure of employment for High-Wage and Global Talent Stream employees. This extension will make it easier for employees to become eligible for more routes to permanent residence, enabling them to contribute to the Canadian labour force eventually.
Starting in 2015, the Seasonal Limit exception will no longer be temporary. Employers in seasonal industries will no longer be restricted in how many low-paying employment they can fill through the TFWP. The annual maximum for these employees will rise from 180 days to 270 days.
beginning on April 30:
Employers in sectors with demonstrable labour shortages will be permitted to use the TFWP to hire up to 30% of their workers for one year in low-paying positions. Manufacturing food, wood goods, furniture, associated products, lodging and food services, construction, hospitals, and residential and nursing care facilities are among the seven qualified industries.
Until further notice, all other firms will be permitted to hire up to 20% of their total workforce under the TFW Program for low-paying occupations, an increase from the old 10% cap for many employers.
Lastly, Canada will stop automatically rejecting LMIA applications for low-paying jobs in areas with an unemployment rate of 6 percent or above in the retail, food, and hotel industries.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program granted nearly 5,000 posts on the Global Talent Stream and 23,000 positions on the High-Wage stream last year. Together, these projects account for almost 21% of the LMIA posts approved for 2021.
Each year, 50,000 and 60,000 foreign agricultural laborer’s enter Canada under the TFWP, accounting for more than 60% of all foreign workers in the country.