B.C. to partially adopt temporary foreign worker program changes

Apr 23, 2026 | 5:20 AM

VICTORIA — The B.C. government is opting in to a recent policy change by Ottawa, allowing rural employers to retain existing low-wage temporary foreign workers beyond the 10 per cent cap for another year.

However, B.C. will not be adopting a second federal policy change, which would allow rural employers to increase their allowable share of temporary workers to 15 per cent.

Speaking in question period on Monday, Post Secondary Education and Future Skills Minister Jessie Sunner said B.C. went with the first option to address labour challenges businesses are facing.

But she said the program also has problems and that closed work permits, which restrict temporary foreign workers to one employer, can lead to exploitation.

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“These are individuals that are coming here to support our economy,” Sunner said.

“We need to ensure we’re doing everything to support them. We do need to reform the program. We can’t just have one-off extensions. We need to reform the program and that is why our government is advocating to the federal government regularly to say that we need to have greater control over the economic immigration that we have in our province.”

Seasonal, short-term and primary agriculture positions will remain exempt from the temporary foreign worker caps.

by Victor Kaisar

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B.C. to partially adopt temporary foreign worker program changes

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