In order to address labor shortages throughout Canada, the Canadian government announced the extension of work permits to family members of temporary foreign workers.
Starting in January 2023, through a temporary 2-year measure, Canada will expand eligibility to work in the country to spouses and working-age children through a phased approach for workers at all skill levels.
The temporary measure will be implemented in 3 phases to ensure its successful implementation:
- Phase 1 will enable family members of workers coming to Canada through the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program or the International Mobility Program to apply for an open work permit.
- Phase 2 aims to expand the measure to the family members of workers from the low-wage stream of the TFW Program, following consultations.
- Phase 3 will include consultation with agricultural partners and stakeholders to assess the operational feasibility of expanding the measure to family members of agricultural workers.
There will be no changes to the TFW Program, these changes will only apply to spouses and working-age children of temporary foreign workers. The working age for children varies by industry and province. Please reach out to your immigration specialist for more information.
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