Question Period Note: Temporary worker program

Measures and data for temporary workers

• The government is taking back control over the immigration system to return to sustainable levels and focus immigration on the areas where it has the greatest impacts.

• The 2026-2028 Immigration Levels Plan reduces temporary resident arrivals, setting a cap of 230,000 new temporary workers in 2026 and notionally 220,000 in 2027 and 2028.

• The Plan is focused on attracting top global talent to help build Canada’s economy while ensuring that immigration remains sustainable.

• There were 67% fewer new workers arrivals in the first four months of 2026, compared to the same period in 2024 - a clear sign that the measures we’ve put in place are working.

If pressed on 33k:
• The In-Canada Workers Initiative will support the labour needs of smaller communities by accelerating the transition of up to 33,000 work permit holders, who are already contributing to Canada’s economy, to permanent residence in 2026 and 2027.

• It supports the Government's ongoing efforts to reduce the share of non-permanent residents to less than 5% of the population by the end of 2027, while providing certainty to those already contributing to the Canadian economy.

• This initiative focuses on areas essential to local economies—ensuring that smaller communities can attract and retain the talent they need to maintain a healthy economy over the long term, while reducing pressures on communities, social services and rental costs for Canadians.

• Canada manages temporary workers through two programs: the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, jointly administered with ESDC, and the International Mobility Program, administered by IRCC.

Temporary Resident Volumes

• The 2026–2028 Levels Plan reduces overall immigration targets to support the economy, while easing pressure on services and housing. The Government has also committed to reducing temporary residents to 5% of Canada’s population by the end of 2027.

• We are achieving this target, in part, by strategically recalibrating the TFWP and IMP to be more responsive to economic priorities and emerging labour market needs.

• Additionally, the Government will, as another one-time initiative, accelerate the transition of up to 33,000 temporary workers to permanent residency in 2026 and 2027.

• This initiative focuses on areas essential to local economies—ensuring that smaller communities can attract and retain the talent they need to maintain a healthy economy over the long term, while reducing pressures on communities, social services and rental costs for Canadians.

• Eligible applicants being admitted this year were already selected through well established regional immigration programs led by provinces, territories and community partners, as well as occupation-driven pilots, and they have well estab• lished ties to their communities.

In-Canada Workers Initiative

• As announced in Budget 2025, this initiative will target individuals who are already supporting their smaller communities’ labour and economic needs while contributing to Canada’s rural economy across a wide range of in-demand sectors acknowledging their strong roots in their communities and their contributions to Canada’s economy.

• The Department will focus on processing applications of workers who have already applied for permanent residence in small communities and under various well-established economic programs and occupation driven pilots including the Provincial Nominee Program (PNP), the Atlantic Immigration Program (AIP), the Community Immigration Pilots (CIP), Caregiver pilots and the Agri-Food Pilot.

ESDC - Reducing the Number of Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs)

• In fall 2024, ESDC implemented a series of measures aimed at reducing the number of TFWs under the TFWP such as :
o Introducing a 10% cap on low-wage temporary workers, refusal to process LMIAs in census metropolitan areas with unemployment 6%, and reduced maximum employment duration from two years to one year. Healthcare, construction, and food security/processing occupations are exempt from the cap and refusal to process.
o Increasing the wage threshold for the high‑wage stream by 20% above the provincial or territorial median wage.

• To address chronic labour shortages in rural and remote communities, ESDC allows eligible employers to maintain current low‑wage TFW levels and temporarily increase the cap to 15%; provinces/territories may opt in, with measures in place until March 31, 2027, while employers must continue robust domestic recruitment.

IRCC – Addressing unsustainable growth in the International Mobility Program

• IRCC has taken steps to reduce the number of workers under the IMP, effective January 21, 2025, IRCC restricted spousal open work permit access to spouses of graduate‑level students (master’s programs of 16 months or more, doctoral, selected professional programs) and to spouses of temporary workers in senior management, professional occupations, or priority sectors aligned with government needs.

• IRCC has updated the Post‑Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) program to better align with labour market needs by ending eligibility (as of May 15, 2024) for students in private college–delivered programs under curriculum licensing agreements, and by introducing language requirements and limiting non‑degree graduates (as of Nov. 1, 2024) to fields linked to long‑term labour shortages.

Facilitative measures to support labour market priorities

• Beyond prioritizing applications in essential sectors, targeted measures have also been introduced to more broadly attract specific skill sets and experiences, including:

New Innovation Stream under the IMP

• In March 2024, IRCC launched a new Innovation Stream under the IMP to support high‑growth Canadian companies by providing LMIA‑exempt work permits for foreign nationals hired in TEER 0–3 occupations by employers selected by ISED through the Global Hypergrowth Project.

Supporting TFWs who are potentially transitioning to permanent residency in Quebec

• As of March 13, 2026, IRCC introduced a time‑limited public policy allowing select in‑Canada TFWs invited by Quebec to apply under its new skilled worker PR program to extend employer‑specific work permits, enabling them to continue working for up to 12 months while transitioning to permanent residence; the measure is valid until December 31, 2026 and applications are processed on a priority basis.

Worker Protection and Compliance Under Temporary Foreign Worker Programs

Employer Compliance Regime

• IRCC works closely with ESDC to enforce employer compliance and protect temporary foreign workers, supported by strengthened 2022 regulatory amendments that expanded inspection authorities and defined abuse to include reprisals.

• Non‑compliant employers face warning letters, fines of $500 to $100,000 per violation (up to $1M annually), and temporary or permanent bans, and are publicly listed,

• Budget 2025 commits to transferring employer‑focused IMP compliance inspections to ESDC to streamline oversight and reduce duplication.

Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers

• The Open Work Permit for Vulnerable Workers allows temporary foreign workers on an employer-specific work permit who are experiencing, or at risk, of abuse to quickly leave their situation and find other employment opportunities in Canada.

• If pressed: We recognize the recent increase in demand for these permits. However, this rise does not necessarily indicate widespread abuse within temporary worker programs.

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