New changes announced on October 21, 2024, to Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) requirements under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW Program).

Wage threshold for high and low-wage streams

Under the TFW Program, when employers apply for an LMIA in either the high or low-wage streams, the hourly wage offered by the employer for the requested position determines which stream applies.

Starting November 8, 2024, the provincial and territorial wage threshold used to determine the applicable stream will be increased by 20% over the current level.

As of November 8, employers, before submitting an LMIA application, will be able to consult the updated reference table available on the TFW Program website to find out the new applicable thresholds. This change does not apply to LMIA applications received before November 8 that are currently being processed, or those for which decisions have already been made.

The Government of Canada is continuing to strengthen the integrity and quality of our temporary resident programs while supporting the country’s economic goals and labour market needs.

As part of the broader measures announced in September 2024, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) is changing open work permit (OWP) eligibility for family members of international students and foreign workers.

Effective January 21, 2025, only spouses of certain international students and foreign workers will be able to apply for a family OWP.

Family OWPs will be limited to spouses of international students who are enrolled in

• master’s programs that are 16 months or longer
• doctoral programs, or
• select professional and eligible programs

Family OWPs will also be limited to spouses of foreign workers who are employed in

Important update from Employment and Social Development Canada

1. Temporary Foreign Worker Program Policies

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW Program) recently published some of its policies on the Open Government information portal.

Effective October 9, 2024, the following seven policies are now available on the Open Government portal:

The Calgary Catholic Immigration Society (CCIS) hosted its third annual Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) Assembly on October 5, 2024, at the Kerby Centre in downtown Calgary. This year’s theme, Empowerment through Education, resonated deeply with the 195 migrant workers in attendance, who left feeling more knowledgeable and empowered about their rights and responsibilities in Canada.

Hasmik Asmaryan, the director of Business, Employment, and Training (BETS) at CCIS, kicked off the event with a heartfelt welcome, acknowledging the contributions of attendees, speakers, guests, and community partners in making newcomers feel at home in Canada. The day was packed with informative sessions and one-on-one consultations that kept everyone engaged and informed.

The first session, Pathways to Permanent Residency, was led by immigration law expert Jatin Shory from Shory Law. He shared insights on recent changes to the TFW program and their impact on foreign workers. Rowan Fisher from Osuji and Smith Law discussed the Alberta Advantage Immigration Program and raised awareness about common scams targeting newcomers. Jessica Juen, Program Manager of the TFW program at CCIS, moderated the sessions, ensuring all questions were addressed and highlighting the wide range of services available to support foreign workers.

Attendees then chose from a variety of breakout sessions tailored to their needs. Brian Krueger and Simonette Pili from the Temporary Foreign Workers Advisory Office discussed workers’ rights and responsibilities, while Barry Mulaney from Employment Standards covered employment-related compliances. Steve Holzer from Occupational Health & Safety provided best practices and safety guidelines. The breakout sessions concluded with Rowan Fisher addressing challenges faced by vulnerable workers seeking open work permits. Simultaneously, Aneta Popa from the BETS team offered practical job search advice, including resume writing and navigating the Canadian job market.

The morning sessions were followed by one-on-one consultations with four lawyers—Jatin Shory, Rowan Fisher, Laura Ann Goulding, and Russ Weninger—who provided free legal advice to 50 TFWs. The BETS team, including Kerry Han, Aneta Popa, Mahyar Alinejad, Smriti Arora, and Hasmik Asmaryan, offered employment consultations to 52 TFWs, sharing tips on resumes and cover letters.

In response to the current employment environment, the following changes will be implemented, effective by September 26, 2024:

• The Government of Canada will refuse to process Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) in the Low-Wage stream, applicable in census metropolitan areas with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher. Exceptions will be granted for seasonal and non-seasonal jobs in food security sectors (primary agriculture, food processing and fish processing), as well as construction and healthcare;
• Employers will be allowed to hire no more than 10% of their total workforce through the TFW Program. This maximum employment percentage will be applied to the Low-Wage stream and is a further reduction from the March 2024 reduction. Exceptions will be granted for seasonal and non-seasonal jobs in food security sectors (primary agriculture, food processing and fish processing), as well as healthcare and construction; and
• The maximum duration of employment for workers hired through the Low-Wage stream will be reduced to one year (from two years).

 To know more, click here

Important update for Temporary Foreign Workers Evacuating from Jasper wildfire:

Click here to find support available for Temporary Foreign Workers affected by Jasper Wildfire. You may also scan the QR code from the poster below and register yourself to get support.

Don't wait in line and apply for immigration services online

Study authorization extended for work permit holders.

To learn more visit: New measure to benefit foreign workers looking to improve their skills - Canada.ca

The Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) Program allows students who have graduated from eligible Canadian designated learning institutions (DLIs) to obtain an open work permit to gain valuable Canadian work experience.

To know more cleck here

If you’re applying for a work permit, and your family members want to come to Canada, they must also apply to visit, or to work or study in Canada. They can apply at the same time as you.. Click here to know more

Temporary Foreign Workers from Guatemala received a total amount of  $32,025.13This total includes missing refund cheques dated back as far as 2013. 

The problem all have faced is not having a permanent Canadian mailing address where their tax refunds are lost or "returned to sender" once these people return to Guatemala, since the employer chose not to hold on to their mail until their back on the following year.

CCIS staff with the help of community volunteers helped in educating the workers and assisted in connecting with Canada Revenue Agency to do the paper works and coordination.

The Government of Canada announced on December 2, 2022  the extension of work permits to family members of temporary foreign workers. Expanding the eligibility for work permits to family members accompanying the principal applicant to Canada will help address labour shortages by assisting employers in finding the workers they need.

Starting in January 2023, through a temporary 2-year measure, Canada will expand eligibility to work in Canada to spouses and working-age children through a phased approach for workers at all skill levels.

The temporary measure will be implemented in 3 phases to ensure its successful implementation:

• Phase 1 will enable family members of workers coming to Canada through the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program or the International Mobility Program to apply for an open work permit.
• Phase 2 aims to expand the measure to the family members of workers from the low-wage stream of the TFW Program, following consultations.
• Phase 3 will include consultation with agricultural partners and stakeholders to assess operational feasibility for expanding the measure to family members of agricultural workers.

There will be no changes to the TFW Program, these changes will only apply to spouses and working-age children of temporary foreign workers.

Read More >>

On September 26, 2022, The Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Carla Qualtrough and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC) Sean Fraser announced that new amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations (Temporary Foreign Workers) are now in force. These 13 new regulatory amendments include measures to strengthen protections for TFWs and will enhance the integrity of the TFW Program and the International Mobility Program (IMP) to read more:

Government of Canada strengthens protections for temporary foreign workers as new regulations come into force – Canada.ca

Alberta’s Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) Advisory Office helps temporary foreign workers, international students (with work authorization) and employers understand their rights and find solutions to situations involving unfair, unsafe or unhealthy working conditions

Temporary Foreign Workers | Alberta.ca

More than a hundred participants took part in the whole day Alberta Filipino Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) Assembly held on September 24, 2022, at the Kerby Gymnasium in Calgary.

The assembly was a first in terms of inter-agency collaboration between CCIS , Philippine government, Alberta government, and community partners to promote the rights and welfare of temporary foreign workers.  The event was organized by CCIS in partnership with the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary, Philippine Overseas Labor Office (POLO), Overseas Workers Welfare Association (OWWA) , and Edmonton-based Catholic Social Services (CSS). The program was opened by Labour Attaché Jainal Rasul, Jr.  of POLO, Jessica Juen of CCIS and Consul General Zaldy Patron of the Philippine Consulate General in Calgary.

Organizers and resource persons. (Firsr row , left -right: Edwin Silang, CSS; Neil Nicolas , POLO; Lilia de Guzman , OWWA; Olive Macawili, POLO, Consul General Zaldy Patron, Labor Attache Jainal Rasul Jr., Vice Consul Stephanie Cruz, Imelda CAbansag, OWWA; Second Row L-R: Edwin Chavez, CCIS;  Jessica Juen, CCIS; Paul Huismon  and Simonette PIli, Government of Alberta;; Zoe Lambert, Workers Resource Centre; Byanca Nimijean , ACT Alberta; and Lawyer Jatin Shory)

 Foreign workers and community members from Calgary, Edmonton, High River, Banff, Red Deer and as far as Camrose, were so thankful and happy to learn about their rights and welfare and their specific concerns addressed in the assembly.

In the morning, Calgary Workers’ Resource Center’s  Zoe Lambert discussed TFW Rights and Responsibilities . This topic was supplemented by speakers from Alberta’s Ministry of Labour and Immigration , Maggie Godzic of Employment Standards and Simonette Pili of TFW Advisory Office , by providing information about the role of the TFW Advisory Office and pointers on submitting complaints to Employment Standards office and conflict resolution process.

Alberta’s Ministry of Labour and Immigration. Know more about programs and policies to support a diverse workforce, promote safe, fair and healthy workplaces and attract skilled workers

Find out about Alberta’s basic employment standards, what to do if you think they are not being followed, and educational materials to help you better understand them. Know too how to make a complaint.

Link: Employment standards | Alberta.ca