“Everywhere I go, employers across the country continue to identify a lack of workers as their biggest obstacle. Today’s announcement will help employers find the workers they need to fill their labour gaps by expanding work permits to family members at all skill levels, resulting in family members of over 200,000 foreign workers being able to work in Canada. Our government is going to continue helping employers overcome labour shortages, while also supporting the well-being of workers and uniting their families.”
– Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship
“Labour is the number 1 challenge facing Canada’s tourism sector as we position ourselves for post-pandemic growth. Today, our government is bringing in innovative, family-based solutions to resolve this issue and help our tourism partners grow to meet the global demand for Canadian experiences from coast to coast to coast.”
– Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance
New Family Work Permits to be granted!
The rate of Canada’s economic recovery has made it difficult for employers, including those in the tourism sector, to find the necessary labour force.
Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, and Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, have announced that Canada will grant work permits to the family members of temporary foreign workers.
Expanding eligibility for work permits to family members accompanying the principal applicant to Canada will help address labour shortages by assisting employers in recruiting the necessary workers.
Prior to this announcement, spouses were only eligible for a work permit if the principal applicant performed a high-skill job.
This temporary measure aims to improve the mental health, physical health, and financial stability of workers by preserving the family unit. As a result, it is anticipated that the employee will integrate more effectively into their workplace and community.
Canada will expand eligibility to work in Canada to spouses and children of working age beginning in January 2023 as part of a temporary 2-year measure for workers of all skill levels.
This would include, for example, the families of health care, hospitality, and trade workers.
It is estimated that more than 200,000 family members of foreign workers could begin working in Canada as a result of this new approach, providing greater opportunities for both foreign workers seeking to work in Canada and addressing labour needs of employers.
Three Phases
For its successful implementation, the temporary measure will be implemented in three phases:
- Phase 1 will allow family members of workers entering Canada through the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program to apply for an open work permit. am to apply for an open work permit.
- Phase 2 will expand the measure to include family members of workers from the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, following consultations
- During Phase 3, agricultural partners and stakeholders will be consulted to determine the operational viability of extending the measure to agricultural workers’ families.
Immigration will continue to play a crucial role in addressing Canada’s labour shortages, and the Canadian government will continue to implement policies designed to assist employers with their staffing needs at all skill levels.
Fast facts
- The measure will be implemented gradually, starting with the high wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and International Mobility Program.
- Between January and October of 2022, Canada issued over 645,000 work permits, nearly four times the 163,000 issued during the same period in 2021.
