The end of the Workforce Solutions Road Map Special Measures signifies several adjustments to Canada’s temporary resident policies, effective May 1, 2024:
April 24, 2024
- Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) will now be valid for only six months, down from the previous 12 months. This means that a work permit application must be submitted or presented at a port of entry within six months of receiving a positive LMIA.
- Employers identified in the 2022 Workforce Solutions Road Map can no longer have 30% of their total workforce sourced through the low wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). All employers are now limited to 20% of their workers from the low wage stream, with exceptions for the construction and health care sectors.
- In addition to regular LMIA job advertising and recruitment requirements, employers must now actively recruit asylum seekers in Canada with valid open work permits before applying for an LMIA.
These changes complement the existing requirement for employers to review the wages of foreign workers on LMIA-based work permits annually to ensure they match the prevailing wage in the region, which is updated annually and typically increases.