Prime Minister Mark Carney and Ontario Premier Doug Ford will stand together in Ottawa on 21 October to announce assistance for industries and workers hammered by the latest round of U.S. tariffs. While the package focuses on steel and automotive plants, immigration practitioners expect side-programmes to fast-track work-permit renewals and extend open permits for affected foreign workers, mirroring supports introduced during the 2018–20 trade dispute. Advance briefings suggest the federal government will cover a portion of wages for idled staff and offer loan guarantees to strategically important manufacturers. Similar 2019 programmes allowed temporary foreign workers to maintain status and access Employment Insurance without triggering the usual requirement to leave Canada after job loss. With Stelco and parts suppliers signalling hundreds of potential layoffs, unions are pressing Ottawa to re-issue public-policy exemptions that let workers change employers without a new Labour-Market Impact Assessment. Consultants say such flexibility is critical for retaining skilled welders and machinists who waited years for permanent-residence pathways. Carney’s office has not confirmed immigration components, but sources in Employment and Social Development Canada indicate a time-limited facilitative measure is “under active consideration.” Any announcement will need Cabinet approval and could be published in the Canada Gazette as early as next week. Canadian subsidiaries of multinationals should watch for details on eligibility thresholds, as previous tariff-relief programmes capped supports based on revenue declines and domestic headcount.
Source: Global News
