The federal government is temporarily loosening restrictions on the hiring of low-wage temporary foreign workers in rural Canada, saying some communities still face severe labour shortages even as unemployment rises nationally.
Employment and Social Development Canada said rural employers in eligible regions will be allowed to increase the share of low-wage temporary foreign workers in their workforce to 15 per cent from 10 per cent. The measure, which must be requested by provinces or territories, could take effect as early as April 1 and will remain in place until March 31, 2027.
The move creates a targeted exception to Ottawa’s recent efforts to tighten the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, or TFWP, as concerns grow over Canada’s reliance on temporary labour and pressure on the job market.
Federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said the change is intended to address persistent worker shortages in rural regions while keeping Canadians first in line for available jobs.
“Canadians must always be first in line for available jobs, but in some rural regions employers are facing persistent labour shortages,” Hajdu said in the government’s release. She said the time-limited measures are meant to address “urgent workforce gaps” while supporting the industries that keep rural communities running.
Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development, said rural Canada cannot be treated the same way as major urban labour markets.
“In many parts of rural Canada, employers are dealing with tight labour markets, smaller local workforces, and fewer people able to move where the jobs are,” Belanger said.
The change means qualifying rural employers will be allowed to retain their current number of low-wage temporary foreign workers and, in some cases, hire more up to the new 15 per cent cap.
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