As of January 2024, more Canadian employers can apply for the second phase of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)'s Recognized Employer Pilot (REP).
REP, designed for compliant employers, offers faster processing, longer Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) validity, and simpler applications.
Eligibility requires obtaining at least three positive LMIAs over five years and hiring temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in ‘in-shortage’ jobs, according to the Canadian Occupations Projection System (COPS).
Phase 1, launched in September 2023, was for primary agriculture employers. Phase 2 expands to more than 80 in-demand occupations across various sectors.
#TFWP, #Recognized_Employer_Pilot, #LMIA, #REP, #foreign_workers
January 17, 2024
On January 11, 2024, the Government of Canada extended the temporary policy for out-of-status migrants to help employers and address critical labour shortages in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
This extension runs for six months until July 2, 2024. Back in 2019, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) started a pilot program with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) that provided permanent residency status to 500 out-of-status construction workers.
This initiative was expanded last year, doubling the number of applicants to 1,000 individuals.
#IRCC, #GTA, #CLC, #construction_workers, #out_of_status_workers
January 17, 2024
Their contracts are tied to a single employer, limiting their flexibility. A proposed $500-million class action lawsuit is being prepared to challenge these rules.
The case represents workers in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Temporary Foreign Workers Program-Agricultural Stream over the past 15 years.
The allegations are yet to be proven in court. A 2022 report states that Canada's reliance on these workers has grown, with their numbers increasing by 600% since 2000.
Advocates for migrant workers believe the lawsuit is crucial for securing more rights for them.
#Foreign_workers, #TFWP, #agricultural_workers, #seasonal_workers, #farm_workers
January 17, 2024
On January 9, 2024, Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, opened the new temporary resident pathway for extended family members of Canadian citizens and permanent residents residing in Gaza.
This measure aims to provide a safe haven for Palestinians living in Gaza with supporting family members in Canada.
Eligible family members include spouses, children, siblings, parents or grandparents of a Canadian citizen or permanent resident, and their immediate dependents.
Once in Canada, they can apply for a fee-exempt study or work permit.
They will also receive three months of health coverage and access to settlement services like language training and job support.
Despite the challenging exit conditions in Gaza, Canada is working with partners to facilitate the exit of eligible individuals.
#Gaza, #Palestine, #Israel, #temporary_measures_for_Palestinian_nationals
https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/temporary-resident-pathway-opens-palestinian-185000454.html
January 10, 2024
