Altec’s Insight | Canada’s Growing Demand for Foreign Workers

The number of temporary foreign workers (TFW) permitted to work in Canada has doubled compared to five years ago, according to a report from Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).

Public data from ESDC reveals that in 2023, employers were approved to hire nearly 240,000 (239,646) TFWs. Five years ago, this number was less than half of the 2023 figure, with 108,988 TFWs in 2018.

Note: This data only reflects foreign workers in Canada holding closed work permits, which require a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

This indicates a rising trend in employment since 2016, excluding 2020, partly due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That year, ESDC data shows employers were approved to hire slightly more than 90,000 TFWs (90,314).

However, it is important to note that the data provided in this article does not necessarily correlate with an increase in the number of TFWs in Canada. This is because, despite the rising approval numbers, it does not account for employers who later decide not to hire the TFWs.

Instead, these data suggest that more employers are recruiting temporary workers to fill vacancies in their organizations.

Overall Growth in TFW Approvals by Region

The following data outlines the number of positions filled by TFW approvals across Canada since 2016:

• 2016: 90,314

• 2017: 98,146

• 2018: 108,988

• 2019: 130,457

• 2020: 125,279

• 2021: 133,196

• 2022: 222,847

• 2023: 239,646

Growth in TFW Approvals by Industry

Other data indicate that the number of TFW approvals in these ten industries has seen the highest increase from 2018 to 2023. This article will list the National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2021 codes for each occupation.

1. Nurse aides, orderlies, and patient service associates

2. Food counter attendants, kitchen helpers, and related support occupations

3. Construction trades helpers and labourers

4. Janitors, caretakers, and building superintendents

5. Administrative assistants

6. Retail sales supervisors

7. Transport truck drivers

8. Food service supervisors

9. Cooks

10. Fish and seafood plant workers

Reasons for This Growth

According to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), by 2023, temporary residents accounted for 6.2% of Canada’s population, reaching 2.5 million people.

In comparison, data released by Statistics Canada last year showed that “the 2021 Census included only 924,850 non-permanent residents (NPR), accounting for 2.5% of Canada’s total population.”

Note: Among these 924,000+ NPRs, 40.1% had work permits only, while another 14.2% held both work and study permits.

This growth over the past year and five years can be attributed to temporary measures taken by the Canadian government “to help alleviate labour market conditions, especially during the pandemic.”

In other words, many Canadian employers, especially those in low-wage positions dominant in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), needed help to fill vacancies, and the government’s response was to increase the number of TFWs granted permission to work in Canada.

Other TFWP changes introduced during the pandemic include:

• Exemptions allowing foreign workers to continue traveling to Canada

• Extension of some LMIA validity periods

• Accelerated processing for certain TFWP applications

At Altec Global, we are dedicated to helping individuals achieve their Canadian immigration dreams, no matter how challenging the circumstances may seem. If you need immigration assistance, we encourage you to contact our team for a personalized assessment.