But labour advocates say the changes won\u0027t fix a fundamental flaw in the program that has left TFWs vulnerable to exploitation and abuse
Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough announced a string of adjustments to the Temporary Foreign Worker program that will ease restrictions and allow employers to bring in more low-wage workers from abroad.
Canada’s labour shortage neared 1 million unfilled jobs in the final quarter of 2021, up 80 per cent over pre-pandemic levels, according to a March 22 report from Statistics Canada. Job vacancy peaked at around 988,000 empty jobs in September, gradually declining to 830,000 in January — the last month for which data is available.
Limits won’t apply at all to seasonal industries, such as seafood processing, which already had been exempt since 2015. Those seasonal jobs will be allowed to last 270 days a year, up from 180 days. The changes will allow food processors in Canada to hire an additional 12,000 TFWs this year, according to an estimate from Food and Beverage Canada , a lobby group.Article content