In a March 11 press release, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) cautioned that more than 1.3 million temporary work permits will run out before the end of 2026, including 300,000 by March 31 alone. Sectors such as agriculture, hospitality and manufacturing—already reporting near-record vacancy rates—face the greatest exposure. CFIB argues that recent policy shifts—tighter Labour-Market Impact Assessment caps, caps on low-wage positions and new refugee-system rules—complicate renewals. It urges Ottawa to introduce a grandfathering clause and a streamlined path to permanent residency for lower-skilled foreign workers who have stayed in status and paid taxes. If no action is taken, 57 % of surveyed employers say they will scale back growth plans and 18 % may shut down operations. Mobility practitioners should audit permit-expiry dashboards, prioritise early renewals, and explore bridging open work permits or provincial nominee options before quotas tighten later this year. For policymakers, the data highlight a looming contradiction: Canada’s 2026–28 Immigration Levels Plan reduces overall admissions even as demographic retirements accelerate. Without retention tools, the small-business labour crunch could intensify just as the World Cup and other mega-events boost demand for service workers.
Source: Cision Newswire
