Canadian Industries in High Demand for Temporary Foreign Workers – ASKMigration: Canadian Lifestyle Magazine

Canada has seen a dramatic rise in the number approved temporary foreign workers for employment over the last few decades. This trend underscores a significant shift in the labor market and highlights the country’s evolving approach to addressing workforce shortages. Let’s dive into the details to understand what’s driving this change and what it means for various industries and future policy directions.

The number of TFW approvals has risen dramatically

To put things in perspective, the number temporary foreign workers who have been approved to work in Canada grew from 90,000 in 2016, to almost 240,000 by 2023. This increase of more than twice the amount reflects an increasing reliance on foreign workers to fill vacancies across a wide range of sectors. The COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 may have slightly disrupted this upward trend, but it still shows that there is a persistent and clear demand for foreign workers.

Where the Growth is Happening

Different industries experience this growth to varying degrees.

• Healthcare:
  Nurse Aides, Orderlies, and Patient Service Associates have seen an astonishing rise in approvals—from a mere 16 in 2018 to 2,514 in 2023. This rise reflects the increased demand for healthcare support positions, which was amplified by a pandemic and a aging population that needs more care.
• Food Services
  Food counter attendants, kitchen assistants, and related support occupations saw a significant increase in approvals from 170 in 2018 to 8333 in 2023. The approvals for food service supervisors and chefs also increased significantly. This boom reflects the strong recovery and growth of the hospitality sector. Businesses are adjusting to new post-pandemic standards.
• Construction and Trades
  The number of approvals for construction trades assistants and laborers increased from 132 in 2018, to 5,353 at the end of 2023. This surge is indicative of expanding infrastructure projects as well as an active construction industry.
• Transportation:
  The number of transport trucks drivers approved increased from 1,584 in 2018, to 7,297 by 2023. This increase highlights the importance of logistics and supply-chain operations, which has become even more critical in recent years because of heightened demand for efficient transportation and delivery.