On October 26, the federal government introduced changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Employers in sectors like food service, hospitality, and accommodations can still hire up to 30% of their workforce through the TFWP for positions paying below the provincial/territorial median hourly wage. Additionally, the maximum employment duration for positions below this wage threshold remains at two years. However, the government also reduced the LMIA validity period from 18 months to 12.
TIAO welcomes the extension of the 30% hiring cap for food service and accommodation workers, a policy we’ve been advocating for at the federal level, through our provincial partners, and in our 2022 State of the Ontario Tourism Industry Report. However, we are disappointed with the reduced LMIA validity period. A shorter LMIA duration puts pressure on businesses, especially seasonal tourism operators, to secure the workforce they need. This can result in missed revenue opportunities and hinder the growth and recovery efforts of our members. TIAO encourages the federal government to revisit the LMIA requirements under the TFWP to remove unnecessary cost and burdensome regulation and to ensure the TFWP meets the needs of the tourism and hospitality industry.
Please click here for more information about the federal government’s changes.
You can also click here to read TIAO’s State of the Industry Report 2022.