By shifting more jobs into the low-wage stream, where stricter employer requirements apply, the government said it hopes to ensure domestic talent, particularly from underrepresented groups such as youth, Indigenous persons, women, and people with disabilities, are given better access to job opportunities.

“This change to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program reinforces our commitment to protecting temporary foreign workers, while prioritizing the Canadian workers available to join the labour force,” Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault said in a statement. “By raising the threshold for high-wage stream positions, we are supporting wage growth for Canadians.”

The reforms also include the removal of a key verification tool. As of October 28, employers will no longer be able to use attestations from accountants or lawyers to prove business legitimacy when applying to hire foreign workers.

Instead, the government will enhance information-sharing with provincial and territorial partners to improve the integrity of the program and prevent misuse.

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program has two streams: the low-wage stream, for jobs below the median wage, and the high-wage stream, for positions that pay above it. The changes are expected to move approximately 34,000 positions from the high-wage to the low-wage stream, subjecting them to stricter regulations, including requirements for housing and transportation for workers.