Employment and Social Development Canada announced more changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program on April 4, 2022 that will be of particular interest to horticulture.

-  Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will be valid for 18 months, an increase from nine months. (Prior to COVID-19, LMIAs were valid for six months).

-  The maximum duration of employment for High-Wage and Global Talent Streams workers will be extended from two years to three years. This extension will help workers access pathways to qualify for permanent residency, enabling them to contribute to the Canadian workforce for the long-term.

Minister Carla Qualtrough also announced that she will convene the inaugural TFW Program Ministerial Consultative Roundtable in June 2022 to hear directly from worker representatives and other stakeholders on how to make the program stronger and more effective for workers, employers and their communities. The focus of the first roundtable will be on housing accommodations.

For future reference, the Canadian government estimates that 50,000 to 60,000 foreign agricultural workers come to work in Canada each year which accounts for more than 60 per cent of all foreign workers entering Canada under the TFW Program. 

For more details, link here: https://bit.ly/3qYh9xm

Source:  Employment and Social Development Canada April 4, 2022 news release