Since the end of the Second World War, several member countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) have introduced foreign worker programs as a means of responding to domestic labour and skill shortages in certain sectors. In Canada, the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) was introduced during a period of low unemployment rates with the aim of ensuring that the employment of foreign workers supports economic growth and helps create more opportunities for all Canadians.

Employer interest in the TFWP has grown over time; the program has become a key tool in assisting employers, in certain sectors and regions, meet short-term skill requirements when qualified Canadian or permanent resident workers are not available.

As a demand driven program, the TFWP enables employers in Canada to hire foreign workers on a temporary basis to meet short-term skill and labour needs when Canadians are not available. Employers can recruit workers into any profession and from any source country, subject to employees and workers meeting specified criteria. The TFWP responds to short-term regional, occupational, and sectoral skills and labour demands while protecting employment opportunities for Canadians. Temporary foreign workers enjoy the same rights and protections as Canadians. The objectives of this evaluation are to assess:

• The continued relevance of the TFWP;
• Its performance in achieving immediate and, to the extent possible, intermediate intended outcomes; and
• Its performance in terms of efficiency and economy.

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