Newfoundland and Labrador has opted into a federal temporary policy that gives eligible rural employers more flexibility when hiring low-wage temporary foreign workers. The measures apply only to employers located outside the province’s census metropolitan areas, as determined by Statistics Canada.
Temporary Measures for Rural Employers
The temporary public policy was enacted on April 1, 2026 to help employers using the Temporary Foreign Worker Program meet labour market needs in rural areas.
Eligible rural employers in participating provinces may be able to:
- Retain their current level of temporary foreign workers in low-wage positions if that level already exceeds the standard 10% cap
- Use a 15% cap instead of the usual 10% cap on the proportion of temporary foreign workers in low-wage positions
The policy is optional for provinces. Each province can decide whether to participate and which measures to adopt.
Newfoundland and Labrador will adopt both measures across all sectors.
The measures will take effect in the province on June 11, 2026 and are expected to remain in force until March 31, 2027.
Who Can Benefit
The measures apply only to eligible employers in rural areas of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Employers must still meet all regular Temporary Foreign Worker Program requirements. This includes showing that they first made efforts to recruit Canadian citizens and permanent residents.
The policy is intended to support rural employers in sectors that rely on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, especially where labour shortages have made low-wage positions difficult to fill locally.
Foreign workers may see new job opportunities in some rural Newfoundland and Labrador communities, depending on whether employers qualify.
Who Does Not Qualify
Employers cannot use these measures if they do not meet the standard Temporary Foreign Worker Program requirements.
Employers located outside rural areas of Newfoundland and Labrador are not eligible.
The measures also do not apply to Labour Market Impact Assessment applications submitted before June 11, 2026. They will apply only when an eligible employer submits a new LMIA during the effective period of the measures.
Low-wage positions under the permanent resident dual-intent stream are excluded.
A dual-intent LMIA generally supports two goals:
- The foreign worker’s permanent residence application
- The foreign worker’s temporary work permit application, allowing them to work in Canada while the permanent residence application is processed
Sector-Specific Exemptions
Some sectors and subsectors already have a 20% cap on the proportion of temporary foreign workers an employer can hire. These caps are not affected by the updated rural measures.
The unaffected sectors include:
- Construction, NAICS 23
- Food manufacturing, NAICS 311
- Hospitals, NAICS 622
- Nursing and residential care facilities, NAICS 623
Certain in-home caregiver positions in private households are also covered by the existing 20% cap, including:
- Registered nurse or registered psychiatric nurse, NOC 31301
- Licensed practical nurse, NOC 32101
- Home childcare providers, NOC 44100
- Attendant for persons with disabilities, home support worker, live-in caregiver, or personal care attendant, NOC 44101
Other Participating Provinces
Several other provinces have already opted into the federal temporary measures.
These include:
- British Columbia
- Manitoba
- New Brunswick
- Nova Scotia
- Quebec
Alberta and Nunavut are not participating.
Details from remaining jurisdictions have not yet been released, but are expected later.
Practical Impact
Newfoundland and Labrador’s participation gives eligible rural employers more room to use the Temporary Foreign Worker Program for low-wage roles during the effective period.
The main practical change is that rural employers may be able to retain existing temporary foreign worker levels above the usual 10% cap or use a higher 15% cap for low-wage positions.
For foreign workers, the policy may create additional opportunities in rural communities, but access depends on employer location, employer eligibility, LMIA timing, sector rules, and continued compliance with the regular Temporary Foreign Worker Program requirements.
Source article: www.cicnews.com
