Federal government announces new fast-track program for foreign workers stuck in Canada

Temporary policy aims to fill labour shortages in agriculture, food processing and health care

Foreign workers stranded in Canada without work will now be able to fast-track approval for a new job.

The federal government announced Tuesday a new, temporary policy that will drastically reduce the time it takes for a temporary foreign worker to start a new position.

According to a department of immigration news release, many temporary workers with employer-specific work permits lost their jobs this spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While some have left Canada, others are unable to leave due to international travel restrictions or the reduction in flights available.

At the same time, the pandemic has had a significant impact on the Canadian labour market — the department says that while Canadians are encouraged to fill job vacancies in critical sectors, labour shortages in agriculture, food processing and health care could harm Canada’s food security and health care service capacity.

Under existing rules, to change jobs, a temporary foreign worker would need to apply and wait for a new work permit to be issued before starting to work at a new job. But under the new policy, effective immediately, a worker who is already in Canada and has secured a new job offer, typically backed by a labour market test, can get approval to start working in a new job even while their work permit application is being processed.

The department says this will cut what can often take 10 weeks or more down to 10 days or less.

“Immigrants, temporary foreign workers and international students are making considerable contributions to Canada’s response to the unprecedented challenge that COVID-19 poses,” Marco Mendicino, minister of immigration, refugees and citizenship, stated in a news release.

“We know and value their efforts and sacrifices to keep Canadians healthy and ensure the delivery of critical goods and services. The new policy we are announcing will allow Canadian businesses to recruit the workers they need and help unemployed workers contribute to the Canadian economy during this pandemic.”

To be eligible, workers must be in Canada with valid status, have an employer-specific work permit or have been working under a work permit exemption, and have submitted an application for a new work permit with a valid job offer under either the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program.

The applicant must then submit a request to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for review, and, if approved, authorization will be sent to the worker by email. There is no change to the role of the employer in the process of hiring foreign workers.