Government of Canada reforms the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

The Government of Canada is taking quick and decisive action to address concerns about the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and ensure that Canadians are always at the front of the hiring line.

“Our government has been conducting a review of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to make sure that Canadians are considered first for available jobs,”. “We are now ready to put in place changes that will reform the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.”

Stemming from the ongoing review of the TFWP, and as announced in Canada’s Economic Action Plan 2013, the Government is introducing legislative, regulatory and administrative changes that will:

• effective immediately, require employers to pay temporary foreign workers at the prevailing wage by removing the existing wage flexibility;
• effective immediately, temporarily suspend the Accelerated Labour Market Opinion process;
• increase the Government’s authority to suspend and revoke work permits and Labour Market Opinions (LMOs) if the program is being misused;
• add questions to employer LMO applications to ensure that TFWP is not used to facilitate outsourcing of Canadian  jobs;
• ensure employers who rely on temporary foreign workers have a firm plan in place to transition to a Canadian workforce over time through the LMO process;
• introduce fees for employers for the processing of LMOs and increase the fees for work permits so that the taxpayers are no longer subsidizing the costs; and
• identify English and French as the only languages that can be used as a job requirement.

The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and other primary agricultural occupations will be subject to the reform that will increase the Government’s authority to suspend and revoke work permits and LMOs if they are being misused. However, they will be unaffected by the remaining reforms, as there are proven acute labour shortages in this industry and the unfilled jobs are truly temporary.

The results of these changes will strengthen and improve the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to support our economic recovery and growth, and ensure that more employers hire Canadians before hiring temporary foreign workers. However, when skills shortages are acute, the Program is an important short‑term, last resort for businesses so that they can continue to grow and contribute to Canada’s prosperity.

As part of the ongoing review of the TFWP, the Government will seek input from Canadians on further changes to ensure that the Program is working in the best interests of Canadian workers and businesses. Cross-Canada consultations will be held over the coming months with businesses, industry and trade organizations, unions and others on additional changes to the TFW Program.