Canada plans to admit up to 230,000 foreign workers through its two major temporary work permit programmes in 2026, according to the federal government’s annual immigration levels plan.
The figure comprises 60,000 workers expected to enter through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and another 170,000 through the International Mobility Program (IMP).
The figures were contained in a post shared by CanadaVisa on its X handle on Friday, August 21, amid changes to the rules governing the employment of low-wage temporary foreign workers.
Under the revised rules, some employers operating multiple small work locations could be allowed to hire more low-wage foreign workers.
Previously, employers were generally restricted to hiring low-wage temporary foreign workers representing no more than 10 per cent of their workforce through the TFWP.
The limit is 20 per cent for some sectors classified as in-demand, including healthcare, construction and food production.
The new calculation allows employers with fewer than 10 workers at a location to hire one low-wage temporary foreign worker at that site. Employers operating in specified in-demand sectors can hire up to two workers at each qualifying small location.
Employment and Social Development Canadan (ESDC) updated the programme requirements on August 18, 2026, allowing eligible employers to calculate their low-wage foreign worker limits based on the workforce at individual locations.
The adjustment could benefit businesses with several small outlets or facilities because the calculation would no longer rely solely on their total workforce across Canada.
“For example, an employer operating several small restaurants, care facilities or construction-related locations could potentially qualify for more low-wage foreign workers than it would under a calculation based solely on its overall workforce,” the post read.
ESDC said the workforce calculation covers full-time and part-time employees, temporary foreign workers with approved Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) who have yet to begin work, as well as vacant positions for which an employer is seeking workers through an LMIA application.
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Employees working fewer than 30 hours a week on average are counted as 0.5 of an employee under the calculation.
However, the new measure does not eliminate the requirement for employers to obtain a positive or neutral LMIA before hiring or retaining workers through the TFWP.
The LMIA system is designed to determine whether qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents are available to fill the positions before employers recruit foreign workers.
Despite the revised calculation, the Canadian government continues to impose restrictions on low-wage TFWP recruitment.
Since September 2024, low-wage LMIA applications have generally not been processed for positions located in certain urban areas where the unemployment rate exceeds six per cent.
Employers using the low-wage stream must also meet additional conditions. These include covering workers’ transportation costs to and from Canada, ensuring they have access to suitable accommodation and providing private health insurance when they are not covered by a provincial or territorial health plan.
The International Mobility Program accounts for the majority of temporary work permits issued in Canada and generally allows eligible employers to hire foreign workers without going through the LMIA process.