On March 13, 2026, the Federal Government announced new, time-limited flexibility measures under the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program to support employers in rural regions. Under this change, eligible rural employers will be able to:
- Maintain their current number of low-wage TFW; and
- Temporarily increase the allowable share of low-wage TFWs from 10% to 15% of their workforce.
These measures can be implemented within two weeks of a province or territory's positive request to the federal government and could begin as early as April 1, 2026. They will remain available until March 31, 2027.
Rural employers should:
- Assess their labour needs and determine the workforce gaps; and
- Prepare their Labour market Impact Assessment (LMIA) strategy.