On April 4, 2022, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) announced the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program Workforce Solutions Road Map. This initiative is primarily designed to address labor shortages, strengthen worker protections, and build a stronger workforce for today and tomorrow, including through the permanent residency pathway.

Five key policy changes will be implemented in the coming weeks as part of the TFW Program Workforce Solutions Road Map to respond to current labour and skills shortages.

Effective immediately：

1.   No Limit on Seasonal Workers

To address seasonal peaks, there will no longer be a limit to the number of low-wage positions that employers in seasonal industries, such as fish and seafood processing, can fill through the TFW Program.

In addition, the maximum duration of these positions will be increased from 180 days to 270 days per year.

 

2.   LMIA validity extended

Prior to COVID-19, the LMIAs were valid for 6 months.

During the COVID-19, the validity of LMIA was extended to 9 months.

Now, Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will be valid for 18 months

 

3.   LMIA Work Permit Duration Extended

The maximum duration of work permit for High-Wage and Global Talent Streams workers will be extended from two years to three years.

This extension will help temporary workers to obtain permanent residency in Canada.

 

Effective April 30:

4.   Quota increases for low-wage jobs

For seven sectors with demonstrated labour shortages, such as Accommodation and Food Services, 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.

 

5.   End the temporary policy

The Government will end the current policy that automatically refuses LMIA 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.

Source: ESDC news release