Text : Basile Moratille / Translator’s Francisco Salazar
Photo : Nini FromParis
Employment Services for Temporary Foreign Workers: Uncertainty Remains
Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) and their accompanying family members are, in principle, no longer eligible for employment services previously offered through a network of Quebec-based organizations funded by the Ministère de l’Emploi et de la Solidarité sociale (MESS).
The suspended services include:
• Employment counseling and career coaching;
• Individual support (such as help with résumés or interview preparation);
• Job retention assistance.
When the suspension of services for TFWs took effect on February 1, 2025, there was a general understanding of who would be impacted—and, conversely, who would remain eligible for employment services.
To recap, those who remained eligible included:
• Permanent residents, of course;
• Individuals already registered with a partner organization as of February 1;
• Former international students with a Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP).
There had been some discussions about adding other sector-based exceptions, particularly in agriculture, IT, and engineering. However, no further updates have been provided to date.
Now, one month after the implementation of this measure—introduced without any formal public announcement or official explanation—uncertainty persists. Both organizations and the immigrant communities affected are still unsure which services remain available and who exactly is eligible.
Regarding services
The suspension is understood to apply specifically to services previously funded by MESS.
This means that all other services, especially those funded by MIFI, remain available. These include:
• Objectif Intégration sessions;
• French language courses; and
• Any other programs or pilot projects run by individual organizations with dedicated funding.
And these programs are far from insignificant. Some exist through bilateral agreements, which makes them less visible. For example, there are support services for asylum seekers with open work permits or those receiving social assistance, groups that do not fall under the previously mentioned categories. Yet such programs do exist. Organizations like CACI and INICI have signed pilot agreements with MESS to support this clientele living in Montreal. Similarly, Perspective Carrière provides reception services for asylum seekers through an agreement with the City of Laval, to name just a few examples.
Regarding eligible individuals
Asylum seekers with valid work permits, as well as recognized refugees, are obviously eager to know whether they are eligible for services—and, if so, through which organization.
The same applies to Ukrainian nationals still under the AVUCU program, who are supposed to be eligible for public employment services—and in fact are at certain organizations, such as CACI.
At the end of January, we also raised the question of whether TFWs (and their families) holding a Quebec Selection Certificate (CSQ) are eligible. However, this group has not been clearly referenced anywhere, nor have the organizations consulted explicitly confirmed them as eligible.
Case-by-case answers
One of the main challenges TFWs face today is figuring out how to distinguish between the general rule (the suspension of free services) and the possible exceptions that may exist within individual organizations.
They now must navigate between:
• Those strictly following the suspension;
• Those with agreements involving other public or private partners, allowing them to continue offering services to certain groups;
• Those running specific pilot projects.
At least one organization, CITIM, has even chosen to temporarily maintain all its services for TFWs, pro bono. In 2023, CITIM also launched its Parcours Travailler au Québec a free group activity introducing participants to the local job market. It is open to residents of the Island of Montreal, including Canadian citizens, permanent residents, and temporary residents with open work permits (including Working Holiday Visa holders and common-law partners). This activity also remains available.
Waiting for more clarity…
