The Temporary Foreign Worker Program allows Canadian employers to bring foreign workers to Canada when they are not able to find willing or able Canadians to fill jobs that they have available. However, a recent news story found that the Royal Bank of Canada may be bringing in foreign workers to replace their Canadian workers, and this created a huge backlash.
In response, which may be overkill, the Canadian government has come out with some very strict changes to the temporary foreign worker program in Canada.
What are the changes to the Canadian Temporary Foreign Worker program?
The changes to the Foreign Worker Program include:
- English and French are the only two languages that could be used as a job requirement under the program.
- Fees will be charged on Labour Market Opinion applications, and work permits will have higher fees.
- In the Labour Market Opinion process, employers must indicate how they will eventually transition to a Canadian workforce.
- When employers are applying for Labour Market Opinions, they will be asked questions to ensure that the Foreign Worker program is not being used to outsource Canadian jobs.
- The government will have more authority to revoke or suspend work permits when they think the program is being misused.
- The Accelerated Labour Market Opinion process is being cancelled, effective immediately.
- Also effective immediately, employers must pay temporary foreign workers the prevailing wage with no flexibility.
These changes will mean a lot of different things for temporary foreign workers and the employers who need to bring them to Canada! What are your opinions on the new changes? If you need help applying for a Labour Market Opinion or bringing foreign workers to Canada, please contact us.
President & CEO
Michael Niren
Mr. Niren is CEO of VisaPlace LLC and the President and Managing Partner of VisaPlace Legal Canada, an immigration law firm based in Toronto, and VisaPlace Legal US a law firm registered in The District of Columbia, USA. Mr. Niren is a graduate of Osgoode Hall Law School in Toronto, a member of the Law Society of Upper Canada, the Canadian Bar Association’s Citizenship and Immigration Section, American Lawyers Association, and an Associate Member of the American Bar Association.
