Pierre Poilievre recently claimed that the federal government has issued work permits beyond the planned cap for 2025. According to the conservative party, “Carney’s government has issued 105,000 new Temporary Foreign Worker permits in the first six months of 2025 alone. The Liberals are on track to issue the most TFW permits ever, despite a promised cap of 82,000.”
However, this interpretation is misleading. The 82,000 figure represents a target for new arrivals, not a cap. The 105,000 permits issued between January and June 2025 include renewals and permits for workers who are already in Canada. Only 33,722 permits were allocated for new foreign nationals entering Canada. This is 41% of the 82,000 target, according to Immigration Minister Lena Diab.
Decline in Temporary Resident Arrivals
Contrary to Poilievre’s assertion, data show that temporary worker arrivals have declined by 50% in 2025. From January to June, Canada welcomed 125,903 fewer foreign workers compared to the same period last year. The government’s reforms, which were launched in 2024, aimed to reduce canada temporary work visa resident levels to 5% of the population by 2026. The important reforms included:
- Low-wage streams were reduced from 30% to 10%
- Moratoriums were imposed in regions with unemployment rates of 6% or higher.
- Raising minimum wages by 20% above the median wages for high-wage positions.
- Making job offers is subject to stricter assessments.
What is the TFWP?
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program was launched in 1973. This program helps employers to hire foreign workers and fill labour gaps. Employers must apply through the LMIA process. This is to ensure that hiring temporary workers will not affect the domestic workforce. The TFWP has multiple streams, which include:
- Global Talent Stream for highly skilled roles.
- Permanent Residence Stream for workers applying for residency
- High-wage and Low-wage streams for jobs above or below median wages.
- Primary Agriculture and Caregiver streams for specific industries.
Employers must meet recruitment criteria, demonstrate efforts to hire candidates first and adhere to strict compliance requirements.
What is Coming Up Next?
Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the controversy by defending the TFWP, stating that temporary foreign workers are not the main cause of immigration growth. He also acknowledged that the government is reviewing the effectiveness of the program. However, there were no immediate changes planned. Carney highlighted that many businesses across Canada view access to temporary foreign workers as critical to their operations.
How Can Croyez Immigration Support?
Transparent guidance is offered for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Our support will help applicants:
- Stay updated on immigration rules and changes in policies
- Assess their eligibility and choose the right stream
- Assist with documentation and LMIA applications.
- Make sure the employer complies with the requirements of recruitment.
- We guide you through each step of the process
- Help in exploring the pathways to PR
Get in touch with Croyez Immigration to simplify your TFWP process and make it successful.
