With growing labour and skills shortages across the country, many Canadian employers are struggling to fill jobs that are essential to their operations. The Government of Canada recognizes these challenges and wants to help employers hire the workers they need, while also reducing the administrative burden of such a task and ensuring temporary foreign workers are protected from abuse.
On August 8, 2023, the Honourable Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development, and Official Languages,announced REP, a three-year pilot initiative to address labour shortages and how it will cut red tape for repeat employers who meet the highest standards of worker protections, while not undermining efforts to improve worker protections.
Under REP, eligible employers will gain access to Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) that are valid for up to 36 months, while also benefitting from a simplified LMIA application, should they need to hire additional workers from the same occupation during the Pilot.
This will help employers better plan for their staffing needs and reduce the number of different LMIAs they need to submit over three years. Recognized employers will also benefit from a Job Bank designation that shows their recognized status to prospective workers.
To participate in REP, employers must have a minimum of three positive LMIAs for the same occupation over the past five years from a list of occupations that have been designated as in-shortage based on Canadian Occupational Projection System data. These employers will be subject to a more rigorous upfront assessment process based on their history and track record with the program, ensuring that REP targets employers with the best recruitment practices.
REP will be rolled out in two phases: first, primary agriculture employers will be able to apply starting in September 2023, while all other employers will be eligible to apply in January 2024. Employer applications for REP will close in September 2024.
REP is one measure being launched alongside a series of other initiatives aimed at improving the TFW Program.
Opportunities for technical briefing sessions will be available for interested stakeholders,
who may convey their request for a briefing to: edsc.dgce.tet-tfw.seb.esdc@hrsdc-rhdcc.gc.ca
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The Temporary Foreign Worker Program
Employment and Social Development Canada
