Difficult conditions are experienced by foreign workers in Canada, as they face great difficulty in obtaining jobs, especially for temporary workers, especially after the recent procedures for the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) program in Canada, which will not be renewed and will end earlier than planned.
Stricter requirements for hiring foreign workers in Canada
As of soon, employers in Canada will be subject to more stringent standards when it comes to recruiting foreign nationals for temporary positions. When it comes to bridging short-term labor and skills shortfalls, temporary foreign workers contribute to Canada's ability to remain competitive. Additionally, they can assist foreign nationals in gaining practical experience in Canada.
It was declared by Randy Boissonnault, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Official Languages, that some time-limited initiatives that are part of the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) Program Workforce Solutions Road Map will not be extended and will come to an end earlier than originally anticipated in the spring of this year.
A Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is required
Employers in Canada are required to first get a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) in order to demonstrate that there is no available labor in Canada that is capable of performing the same responsibilities. In order to guarantee that the requirements of the labor market are accurately met, new Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will be valid for a period of six months, which is a reduction from the previous period of twelve months.
The percentage of an employer's total workforce that can be brought in under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program during the low pay stream will be reduced from thirty percent to twenty percent for all firms that are recognized in the Workforce Solutions Road Map for the year 2022. The construction and health care industries will be exempt from this restriction.
Review the wages of temporary foreign workers annually
LMIAs will be valid for a period of six months beginning on May 1, 2024, which will reduce the amount of time that foreign nationals have to submit an application for a work permit. In addition, the limit on the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers that firms in certain industries can hire will be cut from thirty percent to twenty percent.
Before submitting an application for an LMIA, employers will be required to investigate all available options, which may include the recruitment of asylum seekers who are in possession of legitimate work permits in Canada.
Reduce Canada's dependence on temporary foreign workers
Employers are expected to conduct annual reviews of the earnings of temporary foreign workers beginning January 1, 2024. The purpose of these reviews is to ensure that the wages reflect increases to the prevailing wage rates for the occupation and region in which the workers are employed. The purpose of these assessments is to ensure that companies continue to pay temporary foreign workers at the prevailing wage level throughout the duration of their employment by means of wage increases. When wages are evaluated, the vast majority of the time, the workers' earnings are increased. This is something that happens. If this is not the case, they will not change and will not be reduced upon review.
It is the intention of the Government of Canada to continue monitoring the conditions of the labor market in order to guarantee that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW Program) is in line with the current economic requirements, that Canadians are given priority when it comes to job opportunities, and that the rights of temporary foreign workers in Canada are safeguarded.
It is the intention of these measures to lessen Canada's reliance on temporary workers from other countries and to assist employers in filling job openings by providing assistance to Canadian workers. The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is intended to be adaptable to the many shifts that occur in the marketplace for employment. When Canadians and permanent residents are not accessible, it provides assistance to employers in Canada in temporarily filling labor and skill shortages they may be experiencing.
There are no limits or caps placed on the total number of work permits that can be requested or issued in a given year under the TFWP, which is a demand-driven government program. The objective of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), which is jointly administered by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) and the Immigration and Refugees Canada (IRCC), is to address temporary skill shortages.
Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program
There was a significant increase in demand for the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program in 2022 as a result of the post-pandemic economy, low unemployment rates, and record-high job vacancy rates. In order to alleviate the labor shortages that were occurring, the Program implemented a number of policy reforms.
As a result of shifting conditions in the labor market and a decrease in the number of available jobs, the government is making modifications to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in order to guarantee that the program will continue to be utilized only in situations when there are no workers in Canada who are capable of performing the required duties.
