Alberta Foreign Worker Program

 

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is a federal initiative enabling Canadian employers to address temporary labor and skill shortages by hiring foreign nationals when local residents are unavailable. The TFWP encompasses four distinct work programs that evolved over time, including Live-in Caregivers, Seasonal Agricultural Workers, Skilled Workers, and Low Skilled Workers. Each program serves specific purposes, such as caregiving, seasonal farming, specialized skills, and addressing labor shortages in lower-skilled jobs. TFWs share common features like “closed” permits, time-limited work periods, and employer-specific work restrictions. Employers require government approval through a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA), formerly known as a positive Labor Market Opinion (LMO), confirming efforts to prioritize Canadian hires. The TFWP operates based on employer demand, and its regulations and categories have undergone.

 

As of May 1st, Alberta has lifted restrictions on hiring new temporary foreign workers, including pending applications submitted before this date. Previously, Alberta maintained a “refusal to process” list for certain occupations, aiming to prioritize unemployed Albertans for these roles. The Canadian government, overseeing the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), followed Alberta’s advice in refusing applications for these occupations. With around 88,000 job vacancies in the province, Alberta contends that easing TFWP restrictions will address labor shortages in sectors struggling to find local workers.

 

The province plans to monitor the impact of this change and adjust as needed. The TFWP allows Canadian employers to hire foreign workers when suitable local candidates are unavailable, typically requiring a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) application to evaluate the impact on the domestic labor market. Canada, facing nationwide labor shortages with over 800,000 job vacancies, has seen federal and provincial governments relax regulations to facilitate the recruitment of foreign talent. In April, the Canadian government eased TFWP rules in response to the country’s low unemployment rate and high job vacancy rate.

 

 

 

Source: https://www.aclrc.com/questionsanswers

https://www.cicnews.com/2022/05/alberta-lifts-restrictions-on-temporary-foreign-workers-0525077.html#gs.1uuab0