Canada’s economic recovery has made it hard for employers, including those in the tourism industry, to find the workers they need, so it is extending work permits to family members of temporary foreign workers.
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 says a government news release.
Presently, spouses were only eligible for a work permit if the principal applicant was working in a high-skill occupation.
"This temporary measure aims to improve the emotional well-being, physical health and financial stability of workers by keeping families together," says Sean Fraser, Minister of Immigration, "As a result, it is expected that the worker will better integrate into their overall work environment and community."
Starting in January through a temporary 2-year measure, Canada will expand eligibility to work in Canada to spouses and working-age children through a phased approach for workers at all skill levels. This would include families of workers in health care, trades and hospitality, for example. As a result of this new approach, it is estimated that family members of more than 200,000 foreign workers could begin working in Canada, offering a greater opportunity for both foreign workers seeking to work in Canada and for employers addressing their labour needs.
"Immigration will continue to play a vital role in addressing Canada’s labour shortages, and the Government of Canada will continue to implement policies aimed at helping employers with their staffing needs across all skill levels," adds Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Tourism.
“Everywhere I go, employers across the country continue to identify a lack of workers as their biggest obstacle," said Fraser. This will help employers find the workers they need to fill their labour gaps by expanding work permits to family members at all skill levels, resulting in family members of over 200,000 foreign workers being able to work in Canada.
“Labour is the number 1 challenge facing Canada’s tourism sector as we position ourselves for post-pandemic growth," explained Boissonnault. "Today, our government is bringing in innovative, family-based solutions to resolve this issue and help our tourism partners grow to meet the global demand for Canadian experiences from coast to coast to coast.”
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.
