Temporary Foreign Worker Program Overhauled
Today, the Government of Canada announced a comprehensive reform of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). The following are some highlights of the reforms:
- new Labour Market Impact Assessments introduced in place of Labour Market Opinions
- new International Mobility Programs (IMPs) created for the those workers not subject to the LMIAs
- access to the TFWP will be limited ensuring that Canadians are first in line for available jobs
- wage levels will now replace National Occupation Classification as the main criteria for administering the TFWP
- employers with 10 or more employees applying for a new LMIA are subject to a cap of 10% on the proportion of their workforce that can consist of low-wage temporary foreign workers
- applications for the lowest wage, lowest-skill entry level occupations in the food services, accommodation and retail trade sectors will be barred from the TFWP in areas of high unemployment
- LMIAs for low-wage temporary foreign workers will be reduced to one-year periods
- employers seeking to hire higher wage temporary foreign workers will now be required to submit transition plans to demonstrate how they will increase efforts to hire Canadians
- a new Job Matching Service for Canadians introduced
- stronger enforcement and tougher penalties
- LMIA fee is increased to $1000 for every temporary foreign worker position requested
- moratorium on the food service sector ended immediately
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