As uncertainty grows in the labour market and the need for skilled workers continues to increase, many employers are finding themselves with too much work and not enough help. A recent poll suggests that 47% of employers in Canada are facing a potential shortage of qualified employees, this is up over 12% from 2020. This number balloons up to a massive 72% for the agricultural and specialized skills fields. If you find yourself in need of workers, it may be time to start thinking outside the box and explore the Temporary Foreign Worker program.

Thousands of skilled workers are looking to immigrate to Canada every year, yet many employers are not aware of the requirements to bring these highly motivated and skilled workers to their companies.

To employ a temporary foreign worker a Canadian employer must show:

  1. That there is a labour or skills deficiency in the Canadian market; and
  2. That they have made all reasonable efforts to recruit a Canadian citizen for the position.

These requirements are satisfied through completing a Labour Market Impact Assessment. Once this assessment is complete, a Canadian employer can choose to post and hire off of a federal job board or they can extend an offer to a known foreign worker that satisfies their hiring requirements. Most temporary foreign workers are limited to four years of working in Canada. They also have the chance to apply for a permanent residence during their time in Canada.

About Mackrell International - Canada - Lindsay Kenney LLP is a full service business law firm with offices in Vancouver and Langley, BC and a member of Mackrell International. Mackrell International - Canada is comprised of four independent law firms in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. Each firm is regionally based and well-connected in our communities, an advantage shared with our clients. With close relations amongst our Canadian member firms, we are committed to working with clients who have legal needs in multiple jurisdictions within Canada.

This article is intended to be an overview and is for informational purposes only.