Temporary Foreign Worker Program: Newest Developments
August 13, 2024Attention retailers who employ temporary foreign workers: The federal government has made a few updates to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program including:
- Tighter enforcement of the 20% cap on temporary foreign workers;
- Stricter oversight in high-risk areas during Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) processing and inspections;
- Potential LMIA fee increases and regulatory changes regarding employer eligibility.
More concerning however was Minister Boissonnault’s warning that he is considering eliminating future applications under the low-wage stream of the program. While many of these elements are proposals for now, his tone and possible change in policy direction could hurt retailers who use temporary foreign workers. RCC is actively engaged with other stakeholders to oppose these changes due to their potential impact on retailers facing labour shortages.
