Upcoming Changes To Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

Thủ tướng Mark Carney vừa thông báo chính phủ đang chuẩn bị điều chỉnh Chương trình Lao động Nước ngoài Tạm thời – Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Đây là chương trình cấp giấy phép lao động cho lao động nước ngoài đến làm việc hợp pháp tại Canada.

1. New Statement from the Federal Government

On September 10 in Edmonton, during a meeting with the Liberal Party, Prime Minister Carney said the TFWP “needs a focused approach, targeting strategic sectors and the specific needs of each region.” He affirmed that the government is proactively implementing these goals but did not announce details of specific changes.

2. What are TFWP and LMIA?

• TFWP (Temporary Foreign Worker Program): Chương trình chính của Canada để cấp giấy phép lao động (work permit) cho người lao động nước ngoài.
• LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment): Đánh giá tác động thị trường lao động do Bộ Việc làm và Phát triển Xã hội Canada thực hiện.
  • Objective: To verify that hiring foreign workers does not reduce employment opportunities for Canadian citizens and permanent residents, and may even increase employment opportunities for local residents.
  • Only once the LMIA is approved can the foreign worker apply for a work permit.

3. Opinions from the opposition

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has criticized the TFWP, saying it reduces job opportunities for Canadians and calling for it to be ended entirely.

4. Changes implemented in the past 18 months

The federal government has made several moves to tighten the TFWP program, including:

• Numerical Cap: Targets 82,000 new TFWP workers by 2025.
• Low-Wage LMIAs Suspended: Applicable to areas with unemployment rates of 6% or higher.
• Raise the high-wage bar: The minimum wage requirement for high-wage workers is 20% higher than the regional median wage.
• Reduce TFWP staff ratio: Lower the ceiling on the ratio of foreign workers in the total number of employees of each enterprise.
• Spousal Open Work Permit (SOWP) Restrictions:
  • Only granted to spouses of TFWP workers in TEER 0 or 1, or certain TEER 2 or 3 occupations that are experiencing labor shortages.
  • The main employee must have at least 16 months remaining on his/her license.

According to government data, from January to June 2025, the number of new work permits decreased by 50% compared to the same period in 2024, with only 33,722 new TFWP permits issued.

5. Implications for businesses and foreign workers

The tightening measures reflect a preference for domestic workers. Canadian businesses looking to hire foreign workers need to:

• Prepare LMIA documents carefully, meet new requirements on salary and quantity.
• Closely monitor government announcements to avoid disruption to hiring plans.
• International workers also need to update regulations to ensure conditions for obtaining permits.