Research summary – Job Bank use by employers of temporary foreign workers

Why this study

The Employment Insurance (EI) Commissioner for Employers asked for this study. It was part of the 2019 to 2020 EI Monitoring and Assessment Report.

Employers applying to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) must have a positive Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). In 2017, it became mandatory for these employers to first post on Job Bank. Job Bank is a website with job postings and career information. It is run by the Government of Canada.

Before this study, not much was known about firms that used both Job Bank and the TFWP. For example, the size and location of the firm, or the kinds of jobs the firms posted on Job Bank. The number of job postings that were used by firms applying for TFWs through the program was also unknown.

What we did

The study linked 2 data sources:

• the Job Bank data platform, and
• the LMIA/TFWP database

Once linked, job postings used for LMIA/TFWP applications were identified. Information about firms and jobs came from the Job Bank. The study analyzed the patterns in the usage of Job Bank by employers who applied for an LMIA.

What we found

From 2015 to 2019, almost 1 in 5 Job Bank postings were used in a TFWP application.

TFW-related job postings were different from others. In general, TFW-related job postings tended to be:

• advertised longer
• mid-to-high skill jobs
• advertised as permanent or contract roles
• full-time jobs
• located in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia
• lower hourly wage jobs
• higher annual salaried jobs

This study also looked at firms that used the Job Bank. It found that firms applying for LMIAs:

• had fewer employees
• were mostly in the sectors of accommodation and food services, other personal services, and agriculture
• were more likely to post in January through March each year
• tended not to reduce their need for TFWs over time

What it means

The TFWP is supposed to help firms meet short-term labour and skills shortages. This is why all jobs filled by TFWs must first be posted on Job Bank. Therefore, it is important to know how firms use the Job Bank.

This study shows that most job postings on Job Bank are not filled by TFWs. Therefore, the Job Bank serves its purpose as a website that provides Canadians with useful job postings and career information.

Contact Us

Skills and Employment Branch, Labour Market Information Directorate, Policy Research and Geomatics Division

Email: ESDC.NC.SSPB.RESEARCH-RECHERCHE.DGPSS.CN.EDSC@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca