Tourism Employers: New TFW Restrictions Could Disrupt Your Hiring Plans
Tourism businesses across five of BC’s seven Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) — including Vancouver, Kelowna, Kamloops, Nanaimo, and Abbotsford — are now ineligible to hire new low-wage Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) until at least the summer.
This is due to a federal regulation introduced in 2024, which states that any CMA with a 3-month average unemployment rate above 6% will be issued a “refusal-to-process” notice for low-wage LMIA applications by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC).
What Does This Mean for Your Business?
This update could significantly limit your ability to hire Temporary Foreign Workers in non-exempt roles, putting extra pressure on sectors like accommodation, food services, and recreation.
What You Can Do
Don’t wait to adjust your hiring strategy. There are alternative pathways — and go2HR is available to help you explore them.
From workforce development programs to local recruitment and training solutions, our Regional HR Consultants are ready to support you in building a plan that keeps your business moving forward.
