Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program is designed as an extraordinary measure to be used when a qualified Canadian is not able to fill a job vacancy. The Government of Canada is taking steps to strengthen the integrity of the TFW Program and protect foreign workers from fraud and abuse. In light of such measures, effective November 8, 2024, the starting hourly wage for workers coming into Canada through the high-wage stream will be increased to 20% higher than its current level, which is the median wage in the applicable province or territory of work. This represents an increase to the existing threshold of between $5 and $8 per hour, depending on the province or territory of work. Further, effective October 28, 2024, employers will no longer be able to use attestations from professional accountants or lawyers to prove their business legitimacy. He added that the TFW Program will further build on existing information sharing agreements with provincial and territorial partners, as well as existing employer registries, to enhance data sharing. These measures will help to ensure that only genuine and legitimate job offers are approved, helping prevent misuse of the program and ensuring stronger worker protection.
The Government indicates that these reforms are designed to prioritize the hiring of domestic workers, while keeping up with the TFW Program’s goal of protecting Canada’s economy and Canadian workers. This will result greater number of jobs subject to the stricter rules of the low-wage stream, including additional employer requirements related to housing, transportation and recruitment of workers already in Canada.
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