Canada Government Announce New Changes to Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Canada has announced major changes to its Temporary Foreign Worker Program in response to changing labor market demands and the employment landscape. These changes are intended to ensure that employers can access the skilled workers they require while safeguarding the rights of both foreign workers and Canadian citizens.
A more flexible and responsive immigration system is being fostered by these reforms, which are a critical first step. Canada aims to improve its competitiveness in the global arena while maintaining its commitment to equity and inclusion by enhancing worker rights and coordinating the program with new sector demands.
Changes to Canada TFWP 2024
Modifications to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) in Canada have been announced by Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault and Immigration Minister Mark Miller. Canada implemented several short-term policies to help improve labor market circumstances during the pandemic. But Canada has now started to remove these interim policies.
“The state of the economy has changed since then. Some of these measures are no longer necessary, according to Minister Boissonault, as the gap between unemployment and job openings is shrinking and the labor market is becoming more competitive.
The TFWP was created to grant work permits to foreign nationals who can assist in bridging Canada’s workforce shortage. Companies in Canada that want to use the TFWP to hire foreign workers must provide a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to bolster their application, proving that no suitable Canadians or permanent residents were available to take the position.
During the pandemic, Canada temporarily extended an LMIA’s validity duration to 12 months to improve labor market circumstances. The validity duration of an LMIA will now return to six months as of May 1st, 2024. Note that this change will not affect employers who are a part of the Recognized Employer Pilot program.
The proportion of low-wage workers who applied through the TFWP to a Canadian business’s workforce cannot exceed 20%. In 2022, Canada raised that ceiling to 30%, but only temporarily and only for specific industries. Only the construction and healthcare industries will be permitted to employ up to 30% of their personnel with low-wage TFWP work permits as of May 1st, 2024.
Further details
Note that seasonal employers and the agriculture industry will continue to benefit from the cap exemption. These adjustments are being made as Canada works to improve the integrity of its immigration laws, which are crucial to the country’s economy.
A rapid and unsustainable surge in international student enrollment has prompted Canada to propose modifications to its Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program, including a cap on study permits.
“Canada’s number of temporary residents has grown dramatically recently, and as of 2023, it might account for 2.5 million, or 6.2% of the country’s total population. Over the next three years, we want to reduce the number of temporary residents to 5%,” stated Immigration Minister Marc Miller.
Every new family and resident should have access to the resources they require and be prepared for success. Our ultimate objective is to guarantee a sustainable, well-managed immigration system that is needs-based.
Canada Express Entry System
Canada’s primary route for economic immigration is through the Express Entry system. An estimated 110,000 new immigrants are expected to enter the nation this year. In 2025 and 2026, this figure is expected to rise to 117,500 as well.
Given this fact, it might be crucial for immigrants and those thinking about immigrating to Canada to assess their eligibility for the various programs offered by the Express Entry system. This will help them not only ascertain their existing eligibility but also plan how to increase it in the years to come.
What is Express Entry?
Three Federal Canadian economic immigration programs are managed by the application management system Express Entry. These are the Canadian Experience Class (CEC), the Federal Skilled Trades Program (FSTP), and the Federal Skilled Workers Program (FSWP). There are different requirements for each of the three programs that applicants must fulfill to be qualified.
Candidates can join the Express Entry applicant pool once they meet the requirements for one of the Express Entry programs. At this stage, their marital status will have an impact on their point score under the complete ranking system (CRS), which is based on human capital variables like work, language proficiency, education, and work experience.
Every year, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) conducts lotteries for applicants under the Express Entry program. Applicants for permanent residence (PR) in Canada are invited by the government to apply if they meet the minimum cutoff score. Additionally, the department recently implemented category-based draws for individuals with particular professional backgrounds or highly sought-after language skills in Canada.
Applicants who have been invited to apply (ITA) and have submitted their application may be found eligible under these draws for any of the three Express Entry programs. A candidate must fulfill the requirements listed in their application and pass all required verifications. If this is approved, they will be given permanent resident (PR) status and be allowed to live, work, and study in Canada.
Eligibility Requirements for the FSWP
One of Canada’s primary pathways for skilled economic immigrants is the FSWP. Candidates must complete the program’s basic requirements and receive at least 67 points based on their human capital elements under the FSWP’s particular scoring grid to be eligible. Keep in mind that this score is different from the CRS score that applicants for each of the three Express Entry programs must sign to be considered for the pool.
Candidates must have at least one year of full-time or comparable work experience in the last ten years in a skilled occupation as defined under the National Occupation Classification (NOC), in addition to obtaining at least 67 points under the FSWP selection factor scoring grid.