Latest news with #TemporaryForeignWorkerProgram
Toronto Sun
22-07-2025
- Business
- Toronto Sun
CHARLEBOIS: Time for Canadians to serve themselves
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program for food service has run its course as a generation of young Canadians has been pushed to the sidelines A food service cashier at work. Photo by Getty Images The federal government's recent overhaul of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) for food service has prompted predictable outcry from restaurant operators. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account As of January 2025, new caps limit TFWs to just 10% of a food service business's workforce — down from 20% or more in recent years — and shorten work permits from two years to one. But this policy shift is not punitive. It reflects an overdue economic recalibration. Put plainly, the TFWP in food service has run its course. This is a rational policy correction, not regulatory overreach. Youth unemployment in Canada, particularly among those aged 15 to 24, now stands at 14.2% — a sharp indicator that domestic labour is available but being overlooked. That's roughly one in seven young Canadians looking for work but unable to find it. Meanwhile, the sector continues to rely heavily on imported labour for entry-level roles that, with the right conditions, could and should be filled by Canadians. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The TFWP was designed as a stopgap — an emergency tool for employers unable to find domestic workers. In many industries, such as agriculture and seafood processing, that rationale still holds. But in food service — particularly in urban and suburban markets — it has become something else: A structural labour strategy aimed at suppressing wages, lowering turnover, and sidestepping long-term investments in human capital. The numbers tell the story. In 2021, according to Statistics Canada, about 140,000 temporary residents — many under the TFWP — were employed in accommodation and food services, accounting for 17% of all temporary foreign workers in Canada. That same year, foreign nationals represented roughly 10% of the overall food service workforce. In certain quick-service chains, the concentration was even higher, effectively displacing Canadian youth from traditional workforce entry points. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Between 2018 and 2023, employer approvals for low-wage food service positions through the TFWP surged more than 4,800%. This is no longer a temporary fix — it is institutional dependency. The economic cost is subtle but significant: A generation of young Canadians has been pushed to the sidelines. Historically, more than one-quarter of Canadians began their working lives in food service or hospitality. These jobs have long served as a training ground for interpersonal skills, time management, and resilience — essential soft skills for the broader labour market. We've now outsourced that social utility to temporary labour. Read More This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. This is not to dismiss the complexity of the restaurant sector. Since 2020, the number of food service establishments in Canada has dropped from more than 100,000 to about 87,000, reflecting the deep and lasting impact of the pandemic. Margins remain tight. Menu prices are rising. But consumer behaviour hasn't collapsed — in fact, it's evolved. In 2025, according to Canada's Food Sentiment Index released by Dalhousie University, Canadians are spending 39% of their food budget at restaurants (up from 37% in 2023), and average monthly per capita spending has hit $198 — a record. The demand is there. Canadians are still showing up, despite rising costs. If operators are required to raise wages to attract local workers, evidence suggests diners will continue to foot the bill. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Still, labour costs are only part of the equation. Governments could provide relief by adjusting fiscal and regulatory pressures. Automation is another worthy option. But relying indefinitely on temporary labour to balance the books is poor economics. The TFWP still has a role to play in select industries with clear recruitment challenges, but its use in food service — particularly in areas with ample domestic labour — should be phased out. Wage suppression is not a growth strategy. Neither is sidelining Canadian youth from their first real economic opportunity. This is about building a more resilient, equitable and sustainable food service sector — one that serves Canadians and is staffed by them too. — Dr. Sylvain Charlebois is the Director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University and co-host of The Food Professor Podcast. He is currently a visiting scholar at McGill University in Montreal. Sunshine Girls Canada Sunshine Girls Columnists Celebrity
Toronto Sun
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Toronto Sun
$3.7 million in fines laid for breach of migrant labour regulations in first half of 2025
Immigration Minister Marc Miller speaks with reporters ahead of the Liberal cabinet meeting on Parliament Hill in West Block, on Tuesday, Oct. 22 2024. Photo by Bryan Passifiume / Postmedia Network Breach of migrant labour regulations are on pace to hit record fines against Canadian employers this year, according to Blacklock's Reporter . This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Figures show federal inspectors in 2025's first half laid $3,738,000 in fines for various violations, from a few hundred dollars to several thousand. That figure compared to a total of $4.1 million for all of 2024, and $1.54 million for all of 2023. A total of 19 employers were also banned from the program from one to five years and in rare cases lifetime bans have been imposed for failure to address abuse or reprisal allegations. These penalties followed cabinet complaints that Canadian employers had 'gotten addicted' to using the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. 'To some extent the country has indeed gotten addicted to temporary workers,' then Immigration Minister Marc Miller told Senate Question Period in Oct. 8, 2024. 'Businesses have taken advantage of that. They have leveraged that opportunity. I think there is some responsibility there. What we don't want to do I think is over-correct and make sure we are not throwing the country into a recession, that we are not damaging vital industries.' Read More Cabinet proposed this year to cut the migrant workforce by reverting to 2014 regulations that capped employers' hiring of foreigners at 10% of payroll. Among those employers with some of the highest violations in 2025 were Canadian Nectar Products Inc. of Montague, P.E.I. (fined $212,000), Petro Canada of Grassland, Alta. ($164,000) and True North Freight Solutions Inc. of Brampton, Ont. ($150,000). RECOMMENDED VIDEO Toronto & GTA Toronto Blue Jays Toronto & GTA Crime World
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Business Standard
30-06-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
Canada lifts wage bar for temp workers by 4%; Indian immigrants face impact
Canada has raised the wage thresholds for employers and foreign workers applying under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), a change that could affect thousands of Indians already working or hoping to work in the country. The new wage requirements came into force on June 27, 2025. Employers submitting a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA)—a mandatory step for most work permit applications under the TFWP—must now meet higher wage benchmarks across nearly all provinces and territories. In 2023, over 188,500 people held TFWP work permits in Canada, according to Statistics Canada. India topped the list with 41,115 permits. What's changed and how it works The updated wage threshold determines which stream a worker and employer fall under—either high-wage or low-wage. The distinction affects the application process and available pathways. • If the wage being offered meets or exceeds the threshold for a particular province, the application falls under the high-wage stream. • If it falls below, it must go through the low-wage stream, which faces additional restrictions. Here's how the thresholds have changed across provinces: Alberta: From CAD 35.40 to CAD 36.00 British Columbia: From CAD 34.62 to CAD 36.60 Ontario: From CAD 34.07 to CAD 36.00 Quebec: From CAD 32.96 to CAD 34.62 Manitoba: From CAD 30.00 to CAD 30.16 Saskatchewan: From CAD 32.40 to CAD 33.60 Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island: All raised from CAD 28.80–28.85 to CAD 30.00 Newfoundland and Labrador: From CAD 31.20 to CAD 32.40 Yukon: From CAD 43.20 to CAD 44.40 Northwest Territories: From CAD 47.09 to CAD 48.00 Nunavut remained unchanged at CAD 42.00 The current exchange rate is approximately 1 Canadian dollar to 61 Indian rupees, which means a wage threshold of CAD 36.00 in provinces like Alberta or Ontario amounts to around ₹2,200 per hour. Freeze on low-wage applications in high-unemployment areas Employers in areas with unemployment rates above 6 per cent are already barred from applying for low-wage LMIAs under a moratorium that started on September 26, 2024. The new wage thresholds may push more job roles into the low-wage category, making them ineligible in such regions. The freeze will remain in place until July 10, 2025. Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) affected include: Toronto (8.6 per cent), Windsor (9.3 per cent), Peterborough (9.9 per cent) Edmonton (7.3 per cent), Calgary (7.8 per cent), Vancouver (6.6 per cent) Montréal (6.7 per cent), Hamilton (7.3 per cent), Kitchener (8.5 per cent) If a role previously qualified under high-wage but now falls below the new wage cut-off, employers in these cities can no longer sponsor a TFWP worker for that position. Further restrictions based on workforce composition There are additional restrictions for employers with too many low-wage roles: • For most employers, low-wage workers cannot exceed 10 per cent of the total staff at a worksite. • For employers in construction, food manufacturing, hospitals, and nursing care, the cap is 20 per cent. Low-wage LMIA applications will be rejected if they breach these thresholds. Caregiving roles also face tighter rules Specific in-home caregiving positions also fall under scrutiny. These include: NOC 31301: Registered nurses and psychiatric nurses NOC 32101: Licensed practical nurses NOC 44100: Home childcare providers NOC 44101: Attendants for persons with disabilities, live-in caregivers, personal care attendants According to the federal government, these categories are under review for future restrictions, in light of workforce composition concerns. Why the TFWP is being tightened The Temporary Foreign Worker Program allows Canadian employers to hire foreign nationals when local workers are unavailable. But throughout 2024, the programme drew criticism for alleged abuse, wage suppression, and overuse—issues linked to housing shortages and strained public services. In response, the government introduced several measures: LMIA validity was cut from one year to six months Duration of employment under the low-wage stream was reduced Annual targets were introduced to control the number of new TFWP admissions Visitors can no longer convert to job-supported work permits under the programme What is a Labour Market Impact Assessment? A Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) is a document that some Canadian employers need before they can hire foreign workers. It serves as proof that hiring a foreign worker is necessary for a position because no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to fill it. When granted, a positive LMIA, also known as a confirmation letter, indicates approval to proceed with hiring from abroad. How does an LMIA work? For foreign workers aiming to work in Canada, securing an LMIA is often a critical step in obtaining a work permit. Here's what's required for the process: Job offer letter Employment contract Copy of the LMIA LMIA number Once these are secured, the worker can move forward with their work permit application. How do employers apply for an LMIA? Employers must first demonstrate that they have made extensive efforts to hire locally before submitting an LMIA application. This process typically involves: Posting the job vacancy in Canada for several weeks Interviewing suitable local candidates Documenting the hiring process to show the need for a foreign hire Application cost and processing time Cost: $1,000 per position. Processing time: Applications may take from several weeks to a few months, depending on the specific stream and demand. What happens after getting an LMIA? Once an employer receives a positive LMIA, the foreign worker can apply for a Canadian work permit using the LMIA and related job documents. Exemptions to LMIA requirements? Not all employers are required to obtain an LMIA. Some can hire foreign workers without this document through certain International Mobility Programs, which cater to specific job types and international agreements. Employers can check their eligibility under these programs before applying for an LMIA.
Economic Times
28-06-2025
- Business
- Economic Times
Canada hikes wage thresholds for Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Agencies Canada has increased the wage thresholds for employers hiring under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), a move that will impact new Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications submitted from June 27, 2025, as per a CIC News report. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) confirmed the revision affects nearly all provinces and territories, altering how foreign nationals qualify under either the high-wage or low-wage streams of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is used by employers when no Canadian citizen or permanent resident is available to fill a job. The program's classification between high-wage and low-wage streams is determined by comparing offered wages against the median hourly wage of the province or territory. Wage thresholds revised across provinces The updated wage benchmarks will directly influence employer eligibility for LMIAs. For example, the threshold in Ontario rose from CAD 34.07 to CAD 36.00, while British Columbia saw an increase from CAD 34.62 to CAD 36.60. The threshold in Nunavut remained unchanged at CAD 42.00. Provinces such as Quebec, Alberta, and Nova Scotia also recorded moderate must apply under the high-wage stream if they offer wages at or above the new thresholds. Otherwise, they must proceed under the low-wage stream, which faces additional limitations. Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) reiterated that a moratorium remains in effect for LMIA applications under the low-wage stream in areas with unemployment rates at or above 6%. This policy, active since September 26, 2024, will continue until at least July 10, federal government has also restricted low-wage LMIA approvals based on the structure of an employer's workforce. Generally, low-wage positions must not exceed 10% of the total workforce at a given location. However, specific industries like construction (NAICS 23), food manufacturing (NAICS 311), hospitals (NAICS 622), and nursing care facilities (NAICS 623) are permitted a 20% cap. Moreover, ESDC confirmed that similar restrictions now apply to select caregiving roles under the National Occupation Classification (NOC) system. This includes roles such as registered nurses (NOC 31301) and home childcare providers (NOC 44100). 'ESDC and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) are reviewing the effects of including these in future measures,' the statement added. Policy changes reflect government's broader reforms The changes come amid increased scrutiny over the TFWP in 2024, when reports surfaced alleging worker exploitation and wage suppression. The federal government has since implemented several reforms: shortening LMIA validity to six months, cutting employment durations under the low-wage stream, capping new foreign worker admissions, and eliminating in-country job-supported work permit options for updates reflect a broader policy shift aiming to balance the country's labour market needs with concerns about temporary resident volumes and pressure on public services. (Join our ETNRI WhatsApp channel for all the latest updates) Elevate your knowledge and leadership skills at a cost cheaper than your daily tea. The bike taxi dreams of Rapido, Uber, and Ola just got a jolt. But they're winning public favour Second only to L&T, but controversies may weaken this infra powerhouse's growth story Punit Goenka reloads Zee with Bullet and OTT focus. Can he beat mighty rivals? 3 critical hurdles in India's quest for rare earth independence HDB Financial may be cheaper than Bajaj Fin, but what about returns? Why Sebi must give up veto power over market infra institutions These large- and mid-cap stocks can give more than 23% return in 1 year, according to analysts Are short-term headwinds from China an opportunity? 8 auto stocks: Time to be contrarian? Buy, Sell or Hold: Motilal Oswal initiates coverage on Supreme Industries; UBS initiates coverage on PNB Housing
Time of India
23-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
What's the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that is deepening jobs and housing squeeze in Canada
In a greenhouse in Ontario, Jorge Ramirez checks the irrigation lines, his fifth season as a temporary foreign worker in Canada. "I send money back to my family in Mexico. It helps a lot," he says. But back in Ottawa, political tensions are heating up over the very program that brought Jorge here. Conservative MP Jamil Jivani recently called for the termination of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, claiming it is failing Canadians. His remarks sparked a debate on what the TFWP is, how it functions, and whether its benefits still outweigh its social costs. Also Read: Conservative MP Jamil Jivani calls for an end to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Semua yang Perlu Anda Ketahui Tentang Limfoma Limfoma Pelajari Undo What is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program? The TFWP is a federal program that allows Canadian employers to hire foreign nationals temporarily to fill labor shortages. It is managed jointly by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) and Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). Live Events Employers must typically apply for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), demonstrating that no Canadian worker is available for the role. Once approved, a foreign national can apply for a work permit and begin employment in Canada. The TFWP includes provisions to ensure fair treatment. Employers must provide safe working conditions, pay for transportation and housing for some worker categories, and comply with Canadian labor laws. Major working streams and sectors of the program The program is segmented into various streams: High-Wage Workers, Low-Wage Workers, the Global Talent Stream, In-Home Caregivers, Foreign Agricultural Workers, and Foreign Academics. Agriculture and In-home caregiving make up a significant portion of this program, but each stream addresses different labor needs in the market. The Global Talent Stream, for instance, facilitates fast-track hiring of highly skilled workers in tech and research sectors. Meanwhile, the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program brings laborers from Mexico and the Caribbean for up to eight months a year. Rise in Canada's unemployment rate Jivani's criticism is rooted in economic concerns, including the 14% youth unemployment rate as of April 2025. Critics argue that the TFWP suppresses wages and discourages investment in training Canadian workers. "Young Canadians are being left out," Jivani said. "Instead of investing in our people, we are relying on cheap labor from abroad." Government response Employment Minister Patty Hajdu responded by defending the TFWP, highlighting its role in supporting agriculture, hospitality, and healthcare sectors. "We are scaling the program to reflect actual labor shortages, not to replace Canadian workers," Hajdu stated. Prime Minister Mark Carney's government has pledged to reduce the number of temporary foreign workers and cap total temporary residents to 5% of the population by 2027. This move is part of a broader immigration reset aimed at managing infrastructure and public service demand. Quebec has a different approach Quebec maintains its own guidelines under the TFWP. For example, all LMIA applications must be submitted in French unless they concern in-home caregivers. Quebec also has exemptions for certain skilled workers already holding work permits and Quebec Selection Certificates (CSQs). A pilot project in partnership with the federal government allows Quebec employers in specified NOC categories to bypass recruitment requirements until the end of 2024. Business groups caution against abrupt changes that could disrupt sectors reliant on temporary foreign workers. "We need balance," says an executive from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business. "Without foreign workers, many farms, restaurants, and hospitals simply cannot function."
