Changes to the temporary foreign worker prog.
The Canadian government has introduced measures to make it easier for Canadian employers to hire temporary foreign workers. Below are the five major changes:
- Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) are documents that demonstrate to the Canadian government that a foreign worker employed in Canada will not have a negative impact on the labour market. LMIA's will be valid for 18 months, vs. 9 months.
- Global Talent Stream and High Wage workers: the maximum duration of employment will be extended from two years to three years. This extension will help workers qualify for more pathways to permanent residency.
- Seasonal industries: the seasonal cap exemption will become permanent. There will no longer be a limit to the number of low-wage positions that employers in seasonal industries call fill through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The maximum duration of these positions will increase from 180 days to 270 days per year.
- Employers in the below seven sectors will be allowed to hire up to 30% of their workforce through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program for low wage positions for one year:
- Food manufacturing
- Wood product manufacturing
- Accommodation and food services
- Construction
- Hospitals
- Nursing
- Residential care Facilities
- Canada will no longer refuse LMIA applications for low wage occupations in the accommodation and food services and retail sectors in regions with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher.
