Canada immigration news: New TFW rules start today [Video]

New changes to Canada’s temporary foreign worker (TFW) program are now in effect. Here’s what to know:

What’s changed?

As announced by Employment and Social Development Canada in August, several changes activated Thursday.

Going forward. the federal government will stop processing Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), specifically those in the TFW program’s low-wage stream, in areas of the country with an unemployment rate of six per cent or higher. By refusing to process these forms, the government will prevent employers, in most cases, from hiring TFWs as long as unemployment remains high in their area.

As well, employers are now prohibited from hiring more than 10 per cent of their workforce through Canada’s TFW program, a percentage applied, as above, to the low-wage stream. Previously, that cap was set at 20 per cent.

Finally, a participant in the TFW program may only be employed in a low-wage job for one year,reduced from the prior limit of two …