Ottawa-The government is introducing some time-limited changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP) to help rural employers facing labour shortages.

Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu said provinces can request that rural employers be permitted to retain their current number of low-wage TFWs and temporarily increase the allowable share of them to 15 per cent from 10 per cent of their workforce in eligible rural regions.

These measures can be implemented within two weeks of a positive request from a province or territory and could begin as early as April 1 and would remain in place until March 31, 2027.

Hajdu said the change would enable rural employers to address their workforce challenges while maintaining strong safeguards to ensure Canadians remain first in line for available jobs.

Employers in the health care, construction and food processing sectors will continue to be subject to a 20 per cent cap on their low-wage temporary foreign workforce.

Seasonal sectors such as fish and seafood processing and tourism will continue to benefit from the existing TFW Program cap exemption for seasonal positions.

Strong local businesses and a reliable workforce are essential to keeping rural economies growing and communities thriving across Canada, Hajdu said.

However, in regions experiencing severe labour shortages, the TFWP allows employers to hire foreign workers to address critical, short-term workforce gaps when qualified Canadians or permanent residents are not available.

Employers who use the TFWP must meet strict requirements to ensure jobs are offered to Canadians first. Employers must demonstrate that genuine efforts to recruit Canadian workers were unsuccessful and must continue domestic recruitment while their application is under review.

Workers hired through the TFWP represent approximately one per cent of Canada’s workforce and help support key sectors such as agriculture, food processing, construction and health care.

In response to evolving labour market conditions, several measures were implemented between October 2023 and November 2024 to reduce reliance on the TFWP and ensure Canadians continue to have first access to available jobs.

While these changes have reduced overall reliance on the program, some rural communities continue to face acute labour shortages due to low unemployment rates and ongoing difficulties attracting, recruiting and retaining workers. In these regions, employers are struggling to find the workers needed to keep essential businesses operating and local economies moving.

The government will continue to monitor labour market conditions and work closely with provinces, industry stakeholders and labour organizations to protect the integrity of the program and ensure Canadians continue to have access to available jobs across the country.

This news report prepared for National Newswatch