On Friday, March 18, the Tourism Industry Association of Canada (TIAC) provided an update to industry that tourism business temporary foreign workers (hired for periods of 6 months or less) are exempt from current program caps.

Details include:

  • starting this summer, tourism businesses can hire outside of the 10% cap limit (please note this change is currently only for the 2016 season);
  • hires of less than 180 days will not be included in cap limit calculations (businesses can apply for as many 180-day positions as they wish, but these must be made in one combined application), and
  • the $1,000 fee per worker and LMIA requirements still apply.

While some of the updates are temporary until the program is reviewed, the updates come into effect before the summer tourism season for 2016. TIAC indicated they continue work to find long-term solutions to labour shortages including developing a strategy in advance of the parliamentary review of the program, which is set to take place later this year.

You can read the full release from TIAC by clicking here.

Thank you to TIAC for their advocacy work on items that matter to tourism businesses.