Earlier today, Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) announced important changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that will come into effect immediately. According to HRSC, these changes are aimed at strengthening and improving the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

The changes announced today will only impact Canadian employers who need to apply for a Labour Market Opinion (LMO) from Service Canada before being able to hire a foreign worker. The changes are as follows:

• Employers who require an LMO will now be required to pay a $275 processing fee for each position requested;
• Employers will no longer be able to indicate a lanague other than English or French as a requirement unless they can demonstrate it is essential for the position;
• Beginning August 28, 2013, employers will have to advertise the position for a longer period of time and more extensively;
• Demonstrating that hiring a foreign worker will not negatively impact Canadian citizens and permanent residents by answering new questions added to the LMO form.