Last week the Minister of Immigration announced two policy changes that will help hoteliers staff up for the summer. 

Work Permits for TFW Family Members 
The Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship (IRCC), Sean Fraser and the Minister of Tourism and Associate Minister of Finance, Randy Boissonnault announced that work permits will be extended to family members of Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW). 

What this means for members is that the partners and family members of TFWs will also be eligible to work in Canada. This will be done through a phased approach beginning in January of 2023, in a temporary 2-year measure. The phases are as follows:  

• Phase 1: Family members of the high-wage stream of the TFW program or the International Mobility Program can apply  
• Phase 2: Family members of the low-wage stream of the TFW can apply  
• Phase 3: Consultations will begin to assess whether agricultural workers will be included in this measure.  

International Experience Canada Program boosted by 20% 
Minister Fraser also announced a 20% increase to the number of applicants eligible for the International Experience Canada (IEC) program.  
Our members will now have access to nearly 90,000 candidates to help fill labour gap. The IEC Program allows youth from Canada’s partner countries to work and travel in Canada for up to 2 years and includes the Working Holiday, International Co-op and Young Professionals categories. Applicants will be able to apply as of January 9, 2023. 

These are both steps in the right direction, and each step will lead us to a better suite of policies that support our future workforce. We are pleased to see this progress. 

Don’t hesitate to reach out to our team if you have any questions.