The Province says it will allow some rural employers to keep temporary foreign workers longer, while stopping short of expanding the overall program.

“The Temporary Foreign Worker Program policy changes are intended as a short-term response to immediate labour pressures,” said Jessie Sunner, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills.

“B.C. is calling on the federal immigration minister to focus on long-term workforce solutions, not stopgaps, that reflect provincial needs and help communities, especially in rural and remote areas, recruit and retain skilled workers for the long term.”

The decision follows proposed time-limited policy changes announced by the federal government last month to address immediate labour shortages in rural communities.

B.C. says it will opt for a variance allowing rural employers to retain existing low-wage temporary foreign workers beyond the current 10 percent cap.

However, the province will not support a broader expansion that would increase the cap to 15 percent and allow employers to bring in larger numbers of new workers.

Seasonal, short-term and primary agriculture positions will continue to be exempt from the caps.

The province says the move is intended to provide short-term stability for rural employers facing recruitment challenges, while encouraging businesses to focus on domestic hiring, training and longer-term workforce solutions.

The Province says the proposed changes should be treated as a temporary response to immediate labour pressures and is calling on the federal government to prioritize long-term workforce solutions that reflect provincial needs and help rural and remote communities recruit and retain skilled workers.

By opting into the limited change, employers outside census metropolitan areas will be able to retain existing temporary foreign workers for an additional year, provided all other program requirements are met.

The province says it chose not to opt in to the second policy because increasing the low-wage cap would allow employers to rely more heavily on temporary labour, rather than connecting available jobs with local workers.

Instead, B.C. says it will continue focusing on reducing youth unemployment, strengthening skills development and supporting employers in transitioning away from ongoing reliance on temporary foreign workers.

To learn more, visit Government of British Columbia.