Key Changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Now in Effect
Effective today, the following changes have been made to the TFW Program:
- Suspension of LMIAs in High Unemployment Areas: The government will no longer process LMIAs under the low-wage stream in census metropolitan areas with unemployment rates of 6% or higher.
- However, exceptions will be made for critical sectors, including primary agriculture, food processing, fish processing, construction, and healthcare.
- 10% Cap on Foreign Workers: Employers can now hire only 10% of their total workforce through the TFW Program, down from the previous 20% cap.
- Exceptions to this cap will apply to essential industries like agriculture, food processing, construction, and healthcare.
- Reduced Employment Duration: The duration of employment for workers hired through the Low-Wage stream is now limited to one year, reduced from the previous two-year maximum. In a related update, the government recently approved Quebec’s request to temporarily freeze new TFW approvals in Montreal’s low-wage stream, suspending LMIA processing for job offers below the province’s median hourly wage of $27.47.