Employers and temporary workers to benefit from family work permits to address labour shortages
As the Canadian economy recovers, employers, including tourism industry employees, have had difficulty finding workers. However, an announcement stated that temporary workers would now be eligible to obtain work permits for their families
On Friday, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship, Sean Fraser announced that family members of temporary foreign workers will be eligible to apply for work permits.
Canada is expanding work permits for family members! Starting in 2023, spouses and children of a principal applicant will be eligible to work in Canada. https://t.co/einP1Op4RC
“Expanding the eligibility for work permits to family members accompanying the principal applicant to Canada will help address labour shortages by assisting employers in finding the workers they need,” he said in a press statement.
Before this announcement, spouses were only eligible for a work permit if the principal applicant worked in a high-skill occupation. However, temporary workers will benefit from family work permits starting in 2023.
Families will be kept together as part of this temporary measure. By that, workers’ emotional well-being, physical health, and financial security will improve. Ultimately, the goal is to provide the worker with a better integration into their work environment and community.
Phase 1 will enable family members of workers coming to Canada through the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker 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 Temporary Foreign Worker Program, following consultations.
Phase 3 will include consultation with agricultural partners and stakeholders to assess operational feasibility for expanding the measure to family members of agricultural workers.
Canada has issued over 645,000 work permits between January and October 2022—nearly 4 times more than the 163,000 issued over the same period in 2021.
“Should I apply for a work permit or a student permit? Is there a better option for me? Which path should I follow?”. We receive this type of question all the time and, to be honest, there is not a straight answer as a number of factors go into this decision. However, you can use these three questions to help you decide.
By having realistic expectations, you can work efficiently towards your immigration goals. So let’s dive right into it!
Q1: What is my English proficiency? Is it important to work or study in Canada?
This is key to determining the program you can apply to. On one hand, if you have a beginning level of English, perhaps the best and only option is to start a study program before thinking about working. On the other hand, if your proficiency is higher (certified by a standardized test such as IELTS) you can consider other immigration options, like the Provincial Nominee Program.
The IELTS scale (1)
Q2: How much money can I invest? Studying and working are compatible?
Immigrating always involves a considerable cost. However, determining how much you’re willing to invest can make or break your immigration options.
For example, you must consider the annual cost of living in the city or province you wish to live in, the average salary for your desired job, and how long it will take for you to recoup your investment.
In addition, there are other factors to look at such as working while studying, the number of hours you are allowed to work, the industry you are planning to work in, etc.
Check out the cost of living of the most popular cities ranked from lower to higher cost of living.
Maybe you initially planned on working in Canada, but you do not qualify for any program. Don’t let that discourage you! After all, there are several pathways to immigrating to Canada; each step counts toward achieving your ultimate goal.
The Global Talent Stream allows highly skilled workers in certain occupations to receive a temporary work permit in two weeks or less. This new option was announced just a few weeks ago as a pillar of Canada’s Global Skills Strategy, which aims to help innovative companies grow by ensuring they can quickly access the highly skilled talent they need.
This initiative is equally beneficial for Canadian businesses and foreign workers. With two-week-work permit processing, companies are able to fill open positions quickly by hiring foreign talent just as fast as they might hire local talent. The two-week processing also applies for an open work permit for a spouse and study permit for dependent children of the primary applicant. Thus, individuals and their families are able to fast track the application process and begin working much quicker than ever before.
The Global Talent Stream is just one of many options available for temporary foreign workers. Thus, it gives Canadian employers the opportunity to select which of the many work permit options works best for their company and its workforce.
There are two categories of the Global Talent Stream. Category A is available for booming businesses that have been referred by an Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Designated Partner. A list of partners was released on June 12, 2017 and can be found below. These businesses are required to commit to creating jobs for Canadians, either directly or indirectly. Employers who seek to hire foreign workers in one of the designated high-skill occupations fall under Category B. These businesses must commit to increasing investments in skills and training for Canadians. Working in collaboration; the government, labour market experts, and key stakeholders have come up with the following list of eligible occupations.
List of Partner Organizations for Category A
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
BC Tech Association
Business Development Bank of Canada
Communitech Corporation
Council of Canadian Innovators
Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario
Global Affairs Canada’s Trade Commissioner Service
ICT Manitoba (ICTAM)
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada – Accelerated Growth Service
MaRS Discovery District
National Research Council – Industrial Research Assistance Program
Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration
Ontario Ministry of Economic Growth and Development
VENN Innovation
Eligible National Occupation Classification (NOC) Codes for Category B(This list is subject to change based on labor market demands)
0213 Computer and Information Systems Managers
2147 Computer Engineers (except software engineers and designers)
2171 Information Systems Analysts and Consultants
2172 Database Analysts and Data Administrators
2173 Software Engineers and Designers
2174 Computer Programmers and Interactive Media Developers
2175 Web Designers and Developers
2241 Electrical and Electronics Engineering Technologists and Technicians
2283 Information Systems Testing Technicians
5241 Digital Media and Design
Requirements for Businesses and Workers Applying Under Global Talent Stream
Along with the above minimum requirements, businesses wishing to bring in foreign workers under either category of the Global Talent Stream must commit to two additional benefits including, but not limited to, the following: creating jobs, investment in skills and training, transfer of knowledge to Canadians, and improving company performance. Businesses may meet this requirement in any of the following ways: hiring more Canadians, training existing employees in new methods, forming paid internship programs for local students, and increasing revenue and investments. Employers are also required to pay their foreign workers the prevailing wage or higher.
Applicants who are interested in priority processing of their work permit applications must meet the minimum eligibility requirements of the Global Talent Stream. Applications must be made online on or after July 12 and must come from outside Canada. Two-week processing does not apply to applications made from within Canada, although these applicants are able to maintain implied status if applying to do the same work under the same conditions as their initial work permit.
Our team of immigration consultants can help you determine your eligibility and prepare your work permit application. To find out if you qualify for expedited processing of your work permit application, contact us to discuss your options.
If you are employer looking to hire foreign workers to fill labour shortages, click here to find out more.
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced the launch of the new Global Talent Stream, a part of the Canadian government’s new Global Skills Strategy. As a result, certain high-skilled workers may now be able to obtain their temporary work permits in 2 weeks. This includes an open work permit for a spouse and a study permit for dependent children of the primary applicant.
The Global Talent Stream is comprised of two categories:
Category A is available for employers who have been referred by an Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) Designated Partner
Category B allows certain employers to hire foreign workers in one of the designated high-skill occupations.
Employers are required to develop a Labour Market Benefits Plan, which highlights their commitment to the Canadian labour market.
Our team of immigration consultants can help you determine your eligibility and prepare your work permit application. To find out if you qualify for expedited processing of your work permit application, contact us to discuss your options.
If you are an employer looking to hire foreign workers to fill labour shortages, click here to find out more.
Alberta has launched a new pilot program that prevents Canadian employers in the province from hiring temporary foreign workers in one of 29 high-skilled occupations. Applications through the Temporary Foreign Worker program for these occupations will be placed on a “refusal to process list” and employers who attempt to hire foreign workers in one of these prohibited occupations will be redirected to available local workers. This two year pilot program will be closely watched by the federal government and, if successful, might be implemented in other provinces or federally. The goal of this initiative is to ensure that Canadians are first in line for available jobs. The jobs included in the 29 banned occupations include engineers, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, construction, and truck drivers. The selection of these particular jobs was based on the unemployment in Alberta and may be adjusted as time goes on.
If you are a Canadian employer looking to hire foreign workers, click here for more information or contact us to speak with a qualified immigration consultant.
Useful Resources for Canada
Useful Resources for U.S.
Our Local Immigration Services
