Employing Temporary Foreign Workers In Agri-Business During COVID-19

There has been great controversy over Canadian employers bringing temporary foreign workers to Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many Canadians are currently out of work and wonder why foreign workers are being given jobs instead of Canadians. However, in the midst of the pandemic, there is great need to sustain the food supply in Canada. Foreign workers from countries such as Mexico have the expertise needed to work in agri-business, whereas many Canadians do not.

In an effort to support food security during the uncertain time of COVID-19, the Government of Canada has decided to temporarily relax some requirements for employers seeking to bring in temporary foreign workers in the Agriculture, Food Processing, and Trucking industries. These relaxed requirements allow employers to get these vital workers to Canada, and keep them here longer, with less of the administrative burden that ordinarily goes hand-in-hand with Labour Market Impact Assessment applications