The most important modifications to Canada’s Momentary International Employee Program (TFWP) in 2024 – a 12 months in evaluation…

All through 2024, Canada’s federal authorities made vital modifications to the Momentary International Employee Program (TFWP).

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These modifications embody the next:

Right here’s a better take a look at the most important updates to the TFWP in 2024:

Discount in LMIA validity

Canadian employers seeking to rent international staff beneath the TFWP want to finish the federal government’s labour market check, often known as the Labour Market Influence Evaluation (LMIA).

Throughout the pandemic, the federal government briefly elevated the validity interval of a Labour Market Influence Evaluation to 12 months to assist handle labour market challenges.

Nevertheless, as of Might 1, 2024, the validity of an LMIA has reverted to 6 months. This rollback was introduced on March 21 by Immigration Minister Marc Miller and Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault.

*Employers taking part within the Acknowledged Employer Pilot program are exempt from this transformation.

Guests now not in a position to apply for work permits from inside Canada

On August 28, IRCC ended the short-term public coverage that allowed sure guests to use for sure work permits from inside Canada.

This short-term public coverage was initially launched in August 2020 as a COVID-19 pandemic measure, and had been set to finish on Feb 28, 2025.

With this public coverage having ended, many guests had been required to go away Canada previous to making use of for job-offer supported work permits, together with work permits issued beneath the TFWP.

Suspension of processing of low-wage LMIAs

On August 26, the Canadian authorities introduced that it might now not course of LMIAs for the Low-Wage stream in census metropolitan areas (CMAs) with unemployment charges of 6% or increased.

This transformation got here into impact on September 26, 2024.

The federal government added that exceptions will probably be made for seasonal and non-seasonal jobs in meals safety sectors (major agriculture, meals processing, and fish processing), in addition to building and healthcare.

The federal government updates the checklist of CMAs with unemployment charges above 6% each three months. The following replace is about to happen on January 10, 2025.

Quebec additionally halted processing of LMIA functions for low-wage positions in CMAs within the province with an unemployment fee of 6% or increased. This additionally got here into impact on September 26, 2024.

The province additionally introduced that it might droop the processing of LMIAs to candidates in Montreal with job presents beneath the Quebec median hourly wage (which interprets to $27.47 CAD).

This short-term measure was carried out on September three, 2024 and is predicted to be in place till March three, 2025. It doesn’t apply to employers making use of for LMIAs in sure industries reminiscent of agriculture, building, meals processing, training, and well being and social service sectors.

Period of employment for staff by means of low-wage stream

In August, it was additionally introduced that the utmost period of employment for staff employed by means of the low-wage stream will probably be decreased to at least one 12 months (from two years).

This transformation got here into impact on September 26, 2024.

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Workforce composition caps

The share of low-wage staff a Canadian enterprise can make use of by means of the TFWP has undergone vital revisions over time.

In 2022, the cap was briefly raised to 30% for sure sectors.

In 2024, the next modifications had been made:

• On Might 1, 2024, the cap returned to 20%. Solely companies within the building and healthcare sectors might proceed using as much as 30% of their workforce by means of the low-wage stream of the TFWP.
• Nevertheless, on August 26, the federal government introduced additional reforms. It decreased the 20% cap to 10% of an employer’s complete workforce. This utilized to the low wage stream and got here into impact on September 26.
• In the meantime, in sectors reminiscent of building and healthcare, the cap on the proportion of low-wage positions decreased to 20%, additionally as of September 26.

Attestations now not accepted

As of October 28, employers are now not allowed to make use of attestations from the next as proof of offering or service:

• a lawyer or every other member in good standing with a legislation society;
• a Chartered Skilled Accountant (CPA); or
• an official from a monetary establishment.

Improve of wage necessities for high-wage stream

On October 22, 2024, Employment and Social Growth Canada (ESDC) raised the minimal hourly wage necessities for the high-wage stream of the TFWP.

Efficient November eight, candidates should earn the upper of the 2 choices listed beneath:

• at the least 20% greater than the median wage for his or her place of their area to qualify; or
• the wage that’s inside the wage vary that present staff on the similar employer (employed for a similar job, with the identical expertise and years of expertise, and who work on the similar location) earn.

Beforehand, to be eligible, candidates wanted to earn the median wage for his or her place, of their space, as listed on Canada’s Nationwide Job Financial institution, or a wage inside the vary that present staff on the similar employer earn (whichever is increased).

Annual targets established for TFWP work permits

For the primary time, this 12 months’s Immigration Ranges Plan – introduced October 24 – set targets for short-term resident admissions.

The federal government has proposed the next breakdown for admissions of short-term residents in Canada for the following three years:

As proven within the above desk, web new work permits issued beneath the TFWP are set to stay 82,000 for the following three consecutive years.

These targets are in keeping with the federal government’s objective to scale back short-term resident ranges as a proportion of Canada’s general inhabitants from 7% to five% by the tip of 2026.

Word: Whereas the 2025 goal is agency, the immigration ranges set for 2026 and 2027 are notional targets. IRCC revises and confirms the following 12 months’s goal on or earlier than November 1 annually.

Evaluation proposing future modifications

In 2024, the federal authorities’s Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) held a collection of conferences on the TFWP and submitted a report recommending modifications to this system sooner or later.

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