Today’s federal government announcement of temporary changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to help employers experiencing severe labour shortages is a first step towards building a more strategic and predictable workforce that supports Canadian businesses, including the restaurant industry.
Restaurants Canada has been calling for a targeted approach to immigration that includes taking into account the needs of rural, remote and tourism areas, where the pool of qualified or available workers can be insufficient or where needs may vary by time of year. Access to a reliable and predictable source of labour is essential to the economic and social fabric of these communities. TFWs account for just 3% of our workforce but help fill critical gaps that allow restaurants to continue operating and provide jobs for Canadians.
Across much of the country, particularly in rural and non-urban communities, unemployment remains well below the national average, and demographic pressures are intensifying labour shortages. Restaurants in these areas often struggle to find enough qualified or available workers and need to rely on the TFW program, particularly for specialized roles like chefs and cooks, or for overnight shifts.
The restaurant and foodservice sector is Canada’s fourth largest employer, with nearly 1.2 million workers, including more than 500,000 youth representing 40% of our workforce. Dozens of other industries, from agriculture to manufacturing, technology to tourism to transportation, benefit from the success of our industry.
While the measures announced today are only temporary, they are a step in the right direction to help some restaurants address labour shortages in the near term. Restaurants Canada urges all provinces and territories to include the foodservice industry in their priority sectors for affected regions.
— Kelly Higginson, President and CEO, Restaurants Canada
Milena Stanoeva, Restaurants Canada | media@restaurantscanada.org | 647-921-1758
Restaurants Canada is a national, not-for-profit association advancing Canada’s diverse and dynamic foodservice industry. Restaurants are a $125 billion industry employing nearly 1.2 million Canadians and the number one source of first-time jobs in Canada. Visit restaurantscanada.org for more information.
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…| media@restaurantscanada.org | 647-921-1758 About Restaurants Canada Restaurants Canada is a national, not-for-profit association advancing Canada’s diverse and dynamic foodservice industry. Restaurants are a $124 billion industry employing nearly 1.2…
