Research publications

Temporary foreign workers have been an important feature of Canada’s labour market landscape for decades. In essence, temporary foreign workers are foreign nationals engaged in work activities who are authorized to enter and to remain in Canada for a limited period with the appropriate documentation. In Canada, they are grouped in two overarching temporary labour migration programs. The first one is the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), which assists employers in filling specific labour market gaps when Canadians and permanent residents are not available. The TFWP consists of several major streams, which have diverse requirements and operating procedures. These are: the high-wage stream (which refers to positions with wages at or above the provincial or territorial median hourly wage); the low-wage stream (which refers to positions with wages below the provincial or territorial median hourly wage); the primary agriculture stream (which refers to temporary foreign workers engaged in on-farm primary agricultural work, and includes the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program); the Global Talent Stream (which offers a shorter processing time to help employers obtain highly skilled or specialized temporary foreign workers more quickly); and the Caregiver Program (which refers to positions involving the care of children or family members with high medical needs). These TFWP streams require employers to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) will issue a positive LMIA if an assessment indicates that hiring a temporary foreign worker will have a positive or neutral impact on the Canadian labour market. Where an LMIA is required, a positive LMIA must be obtained before the temporary foreign worker can apply to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada for a work permit.

Over the past 70 years, growing numbers of Indigenous people in Canada have moved to urban centres. Today, more than half of the Indigenous population live in urban areas. Indigenous people may move permanently or temporarily to the city to access employment, educational opportunities or services that are not available in their communities. Indigenous people have built vibrant communities and developed organizations to provide essential services that support their transition to the city. However, a number of reports and stakeholders have identified gaps in services for urban Indigenous populations. These gaps may lead Indigenous people to access general provincial programming, which may not be culturally appropriate. Indigenous people may also experience racism and discrimination when accessing services, which can have negative effects on their well-being. Factors that may contribute to gaps in services for urban Indigenous people include jurisdictional disputes between federal and provincial governments and inadequate funding. Accurate data is necessary to identify existing needs and allocate funding accordingly. However, Indigenous organizations have concerns about the accuracy of existing population data on urban Indigenous people.

This document outlines initiatives that have been undertaken at the federal level to try to address the challenges related to the recognition of foreign qualifications. These include funding programs such as the Foreign Credential Recognition Program, pre- and post-arrival settlement services and the recent integration of some form of foreign credential recognition into economic immigration program requirements. However, these initiatives are limited and pressure will continue for fairer recognition of foreign qualifications and improved economic opportunities for newcomers.