As part of its efforts to address labor shortages, the Canadian government will launch the recognized employer Pilot in September. Under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), the recognized employer pilot will aim to reduce the administrative burden for repeat employers who have demonstrated compliance with the TFWP’s requirements in the past.
In addition, eligible employers will benefit from a simplified application process for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) under the REP.
To recruit foreign workers under the TFWP, Canadian employers must complete an LMIA. LMIAs are used to demonstrate that there are no workers available to do the job for which the company is recruiting in Canada. According to the Canadian government, these steps will help eligible employers better plan their staffing needs and reduce the number of LMIA applications they need to submit. A Job Bank designation will also show prospective employees that the employer is recognized.
To be eligible to participate in the REP, employers must have a minimum of three positive LMIAs for the same occupation over the past five years based on Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS) data. Employers that have a history with the TFWP will be subjected to a more rigorous upfront assessment process, ensuring that the REP only targets employers with high-quality recruitment practices.
There will be two phases to the rollout of the REP. Employers in primary agriculture will be able to apply starting in September 2023.
In January 2024, all other employers will be eligible to apply. The Recognized Employer Pilot (REP) is scheduled to end in September 2024, and employer applications will no longer be accepted.
Employers who are eligible under the REP can anticipate a streamlined application process for future Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications, particularly for jobs listed in the Canadian Occupational Projection System (COPS).
Additionally, during the pilot phase, participating employers should anticipate fewer interactions with the Department of Employment and Social Development (ESDC). This decrease is made possible by simplified LMIA forms, which make it easier to hire more temporary foreign workers during the REP’s pilot phase.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is being improved through a number of initiatives, the Canadian government emphasizes, including the REP.
In order to give stakeholders more in-depth knowledge of the REP and the application procedure, ESDC has stated that it intends to provide technical briefings. We’ll soon communicate more details about these briefings.