Canada: Temporary Foreign Worker Program Improvements Extended

The government of Canada has extended improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) until October 30, 2023, to address labor shortages throughout the country. These include allowing employers in sectors with demonstrated labor shortages in low-wage positions (including accommodation and food services, constructions, and food manufacturing) to hire up to 30% of their workforce through the TFWP (instead of the usual 10% cap); and maintaining the longer validity of 18 months for Labour Market Impact Assessment approvals (up from the usual six-month validity or nine-month validity during COVID-19), among others. The government will continually review relevant policies to ensure there is no displacement or negative effects on Canadian workers or working conditions.