Ottawa, Quebec amend Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Changes are coming for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) in Quebec.

Under an agreement between the federal and Quebec governments, the program will allow employers to have 20 per cent of temporary foreign workers in low-wage positions and employed in certain economic sectors designated by Quebec. This is up from 10 per cent.

"The government of Canada recognizes the importance of balancing the labour needs of Quebec employers while ensuring that the economy works for Canadians,” says Carla Qualtrough, minister of employment, workforce development and disability inclusion. “Implementing and exploring flexibilities in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program will help to ensure that we can continue on the road to economic recovery."

There will also now be an exemption from existing advertising and recruitment requirements for a larger number of occupations, designated by Quebec; and an exemption from the current policy on the refusal to process a Labour Market Impact Assessment application (LMIA) in certain geographic regions, designated by Quebec.

The agreement will also see the implementation by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada of new measures under the International Mobility Program that would allow for an additional 7,000 work permits to be issued annually to holders of a Certificat de sélection du Québec.

Previously, the federal government has announced proposed new regulations to help prevent the mistreatment or abuse of these workers during their stay in Canada.

These changes will be part of a pilot project that will run until Dec. 31, 2023, after which the government will evaluate the measures.

"Quebec is a unique province, with an immigration context that is also unique. The new agreement on the International Mobility Program Plus will contribute to meeting the workforce needs of Quebec, all while permitting newcomers to establish themselves and prosper,” says Marco Mendicino, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship. “We will continue to collaborate to bring in the workers that Quebec needs to support its economic recovery."

In November 2020, the government increased its immigration targets for the next three years: 401,000 permanent residents in 2021, 411,000 in 2022 and 421,000 in 2023.