B.C. opts into federal temporary foreign worker exemption for rural employers, but rejects higher cap

British Columbia is partially opting into a federal temporary foreign worker (TFW) program aimed at providing relief for rural employers facing labour shortages.

Ottawa said on March 13 it would permit rural employers to retain their current number of TFWs, and eligible rural regions would be able to temporarily increase the allowable share of TFWs from 10 per cent to 15 per cent.

The program was available as of April 1, but provinces and territories have to request the exemption.

B.C. said in a release Monday it will opt into the program, allowing rural employers to keep their existing low-wage TFWs. However, the province said it will not increase the cap to 15 per cent to allow employers to bring in more temporary foreign workers.

“The Temporary Foreign Worker Program policy changes are intended as a short-term response to immediate labour pressures,” said Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Minister Jessie Sunner in a statement.

“B.C. is calling on the federal immigration minister to focus on long-term workforce solutions, not stopgaps, that reflect provincial needs and help communities, especially in rural and remote areas, recruit and retain skilled workers for the long term,” she said.

The federal government estimates about 585 rural employers in B.C. exceed the 10 per cent cap on low-wage temporary foreign workers.

Premier David Eby has been critical of the TFW program, saying it ties workers to a single employer and raises the possibility of exploitation.

Some rural communities, like Sechelt on the lower Sunshine Coast, have said they rely heavily on TFWs to fill jobs due to a lack of local workers. Sechelt Mayor John Henderson said he’s seeking a long-term immigration strategy for rural communities.

Restaurants Canada also called on provinces to opt in to the federal program.

“We need long-term workforce solutions that include investments in youth training, technology and immigration with a path to permanent residency, but in the meantime, restaurants need workers now,” said president Kelly Higginson in a statement earlier this month.