Hiring a temporary foreign worker

Employers from all types of businesses can recruit foreign workers with a wide range of skills to meet temporary labour shortages.

You may be able to hire eligible foreign workers to work for you temporarily if you can prove that:

• you cannot find suitable Canadians or permanent residents to fill the jobs
• bringing the workers to Canada will not have a negative impact on the Canadian labour market, and
• you meet all other requirements and conditions.

Citizenship and Immigration Canada works with Service Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency to manage the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

Note: If you are looking for a permanent solution to a long-term skill shortage, consult your provincial or territorial government about immigration programs or see Hire a federal skilled worker in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.

Learn about:

• Before applying
• How to hire a foreign worker
• After hiring
• Extending a worker
• Frequently asked questions

To find out what a foreign worker must do to come to Canada, see Working temporarily in Canada: Who can apply in the Related Links section at the bottom of this page.

Related Links

• Employer’s roadmap to hiring and retaining internationally trained workers
• Hire a federal skilled worker
• Hire a live-in caregiver
• Myths and misconceptions about foreign workers (HRSDC)
• Working temporarily in Canada: Who can apply