Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

The TFWP is the federal program that lets Canadian employers hire foreign workers for temporary jobs when no Canadian is available, through an LMIA.

Also called: TFWP, TFW Program, temporary foreign workers, TFW

What temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) means

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) is a federal program run by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). It lets employers hire foreign nationals to fill temporary labour and skill shortages when qualified Canadians and permanent residents are not available.

What sets the TFWP apart is the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). Under the TFWP, the employer must first get a positive LMIA from Service Canada. Hiring that does not need an LMIA, such as under a trade agreement or for a worker who already has an open work permit, falls under a separate program called the International Mobility Program.

The program covers many kinds of jobs: high-wage and low-wage positions, seasonal farm work, in-home caregivers and specialized tech roles. Since 2024, the federal government has tightened the rules, especially for low-wage jobs, so what worked a few years ago may not work now.

How it works

The usual path has four steps. You advertise the job to Canadians and keep records of the results. You apply for an LMIA and pay the $1,000 fee for each position. If the LMIA is positive, you send a copy and the job offer to the worker. The worker then applies to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) for a work permit, which usually ties them to your business, the job and the location.

Your duties continue after the worker arrives. You must give the worker the wage, job and working conditions in the offer, and a signed employment agreement that sets them out. You must follow the employment standards of the province or territory where the work is done. You may not take the worker's passport or work permit. You may not charge the worker recruitment fees, or recover the LMIA fee from them, and you must make sure any recruiter you use does not charge them either. Keep records of regular and overtime hours worked.

Service Canada inspects employers who use the program. Employers found non-compliant can face administrative monetary penalties of up to $1 million a year and can be banned from the program, temporarily or permanently. IRCC publishes a list of employers found non-compliant or ineligible.

A common mistake is changing the job after the worker arrives: different duties, a different location, or fewer hours than promised. A worker on an employer-specific permit cannot simply switch to a different job with you. If something needs to change, check the rules first.

Is it the same in every province?

The TFWP is a federal program and applies everywhere in Canada, but the worker's wages, hours and safety are governed by the employment standards of the province or territory where they work. Quebec has its own role in hiring temporary foreign workers, and Service Canada has a separate page for Quebec employers.

Example: A greenhouse prepares for its first TFW hire

Ana manages a 25-person greenhouse in the Fraser Valley, British Columbia. She plans to hire two workers through the program for the growing season.

Before she applies, she writes a job description, checks which stream fits, and keeps a log of every Canadian who applied to her ad. She prepares a written employment agreement with the wage and hours, sets up a timesheet for each worker, and tells her recruiter in writing that the workers must not be charged any fees.

Onboarding checklists in Staffkin

Staffkin's onboarding checklists help you track first-week tasks for a new hire, such as signing the employment agreement and setting up a timesheet.

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Free tools and guides for this

Questions about temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

What is the difference between the TFWP and the International Mobility Program?

The TFWP requires the employer to get an LMIA first. The International Mobility Program covers work permits that do not need an LMIA, such as under trade agreements or for open work permit holders.

Can I make a temporary foreign worker pay for their recruitment?

No. Employers may not charge or recover recruitment fees from temporary foreign workers, and must make sure recruiters acting for them do not either.

What happens if I break TFWP rules?

Service Canada can issue monetary penalties of up to $1 million a year and can ban you from the program. Your business name can be published.

Do provincial employment standards apply to temporary foreign workers?

Yes. Employment standards apply to the work done in the province or territory, so rules such as the minimum wage where the work is done apply to temporary foreign workers too.

Official sources

General information for Canadian employers, not legal advice. Rules differ by province and territory and change over time, so check with your provincial employment standards office (or the federal Labour Program if you are federally regulated) before you rely on it. See employment standards by province.

Checked against official sources on 4 November 2026.