Canadian immigration policy continues to swing back and forth, with the federal government already moving to ease certain restrictions only months after sharply cutting targets last fall.
In the latest swing, Ottawa announced on March 13 a relaxation of rules for the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program in rural Canada. At the request of any premier, it will boost the allowable share of low-wage TFWs in rural workforces from 10 percent to 15 percent.
The move highlights a growing tension at the heart of Canada’s immigration system: Ottawa is trying to reduce overall immigration levels and respond to a more skeptical public, while managing millions of temporary residents already in the country and accommodating employers who complain of labour shortages. The result is a policy that loosens even as it tightens.
