There is good news for the family of temporary foreign workers in Canada, as they are now eligible for work permits under temporary measures. As of January 30, the family of temporary foreign workers (TFW) will be able to work in Canada, amid the labor shortage in the country.
With the new measures, the work permit for the family of temporary foreign workers would only be granted to those who are spouses, common-law partners or dependent children of the worker whose work implies training, education, experience and responsibilities (TEER) .
Those who are the primary applicant and have an open work permit are also eligible for a work permit.
If applicants are the spouse, common-law partner or dependent child of an economic class permanent resident applicant who has a work permit, they would also be eligible for a work permit in Canada.
By allowing work permits for families of temporary foreign workers, the Canadian government hopes to improve the financial situation by bringing more foreign workers into the Canadian workforce.
Between January and October 2022, Canada has issued more than 600,000 work permits to foreign workers.
The new temporary measures would include children aged 16 or over of all principal applicants. Families of workers in the health, commerce and hospitality sectors can apply.
Speaking about the lack of manpower, the Canadian immigration minister said: “Wherever I go, employers across the country continue to identify the lack of workers as their biggest obstacle. Today’s announcement will help employers find the workers they need to fill their job gaps by expanding work permits to family members at all skill levels, resulting in more family members than 200,000 foreign workers can work in Canada”.
“Our government will continue to help employers overcome labor shortages, while supporting the well-being of workers and bringing their families together.”
There would be three phases of the new measure: phase 1 would allow the families of those temporary foreign workers or people who enter through the International Mobility Program to submit their application; Phase 2 would include families of workers in the low-wage stream, and Phase 3 would include consultation with farm partners and others to determine whether the measure would be extended to families of farmworkers.