CIMM – Temporary Foreign Worker Facilitation – October 24, 2023

Key Facts and Figures

• The Department issued approximately 692,760 work permits from January 1 to August 31, 2023, compared to about 274,690 over the same period last year. Work permit issuance under the IMP has increased over time in comparison to those issued under the TFWP (83% versus 17% respectively between 2017-2022), as has the issuance of open work permits.

Key Messages

• Temporary foreign workers help keep Canada competitive by filling short‑term labour and skills gaps.
• IRCC recently introduced a number of facilitative measures to support employers and workers. These include creating an open work permit measure for holders of an American H‑1B visa, expanding eligibility under the Francophone Mobility stream, and providing access to open work permits for the spouses and dependents of all temporary workers entering Canada under IRCC’s International Mobility Program. These measures aim to increase the number of workers available to fill labour shortages and skills gaps in various sectors, while supporting family reunification.
• We are also continuing to prioritize applications in essential sectors such as agriculture, food processing, and health care.

Supplementary Information

• Worker protection measures:
  • introduced new and stronger protections for TFWs through amendments to the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations;
  • invested $49.5M in the Migrant Worker Support (MWS) Program to support and empower migrant workers by helping them to learn, understand, and exercise their rights in Canada; and,
  • improved the quality of employer inspections to hold employers accountable for the treatment of workers.