Canadian Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) Undergoes Major Changes

December 2016POEA MARKET UPDATE NO. 02-17CANADIAN TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKER PROGRAM (TFWP) UNDERGOES MAJOR CHANGESThe Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) has announced that, effective immediately, the four-year cumulative duration rule will no longer apply to temporary foreign workers in Canada. This rule, also known as the "four-in, four-out" rule, meant that certain foreign workers became ineligible to work in Canada for four years upon completion of four years of work in Canada. The rule was originally put in place by the previous Conservative government in April, 2011. At that time, the government stated that the provision was implemented primarily to prevent situations in which workers remain in Canada for such a prolonged-period that they begin to lose ties with their country of origin without gaining permanent residence in Canada.However, the rule faced difficulty in implementation as it affects not just workers themselves but also families, employers, and communities who had established economic and social ties. On December 13, 2016, the IRCC, together with the Ministry of Employment, Workforce Development, stated that it was immediately ending...