Summary of the Evaluation of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is legislated through the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations. One of the key objectives of the program is to provide Canadian employers with access to temporary foreign workers when qualified Canadians or permanent residents are not available.

Key findings

• The program plays a crucial role in helping Canadian employers temporarily fill different types of labour needs
• The program helps protect jobs for Canadians and permanent residents, and can contribute to job creation and economic growth in some sectors
• Overall, there is no evidence pointing to a risk for job displacement or wage suppression at the national level in Canada. In 2019, temporary foreign workers represented only 0.49% of the total labour force in Canada. There is, however, evidence of varying factors affecting employment and working conditions in localised labour markets. This points to some risks of job displacement or wage suppression in some specific sectors, occupations, and regions

Recommendations

• Better engage employers and key stakeholders on the objectives of the program
• Explore alternative approaches for application-based processing for returning or frequent program users who maintain good track records in the program
• Clarify processes to help program officers assess labour market impacts and shortages more consistently

Visit the website for the full Evaluation of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.