The Government of Canada has announced a new measure that will allow parents of temporary foreign workers to work, so now workers can bring their families with them.

Immigration Minister Sean Fraser said the measure will be in effect from January 2023 and will include families of workers in sectors such as health, commerce and hospitality.

“This will allow more than 200,000 workers who have family in Canada or who will come to Canada to continue to be with their loved ones and work while they are here to support themselves.”

Sean Fraser

Through this measure, the Canadian government aims to address the labor shortage in the country and to help employers with staffing needs at all levels.

In addition to meeting workforce demands, the new measure aims to improve the emotional well-being, physical health and financial stability of workers by keeping families together.

Who can get the permit?

The program will last two years and the license can be obtained by the spousesas good as adult children Canadian residents holding a work permit.

The program will include three phases to ensure its implementation:

• Phase 1 will allow family members of workers coming to Canada through the high-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program to apply for an open work permit.

• The final phase of the proposal targets agricultural workers, who make up the majority of workers in the program. The process will include consultations with the provinces, which play a role in the program by inspecting worker housing and setting other standards.

According to Fraser, Canada faces a significant labor shortage and that the lack of workers could be one of the biggest challenges to the country’s economic recovery from the pandemic.

Moreover, he added that this measure is also a matter of justice for foreign workers, who should not have to separate from their families to earn a living.

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