As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Recommendation 1

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada increase the cap for temporary foreign workers in the agri-food sector from 20 to 30%.

Recommendation 2

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada make permanent its Public Policy on Exemptions to Work Permit Conditions When Changing Employment, and publicize this policy more widely, including by offering webinars to employers and employees in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

Recommendation 3

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada prioritize processing work permits for temporary foreign workers moving to a new employer, and work to reduce the paperwork burden in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program; and that Employment and Social Development Canada improve processing times for Labour Market Impact Assessments.

Recommendation 4

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, while recognizing the principle of contractual agreements between the two parties, allow temporary foreign workers to initiate new work permit applications from within Canada, with no regulatory or practical requirement for the current employer to be involved.

Recommendation 5

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada simplify the application process for the open work permit for vulnerable workers, lower the evidentiary threshold for success, and prioritize interviews with the worker when there is doubt about the application.

Recommendation 6

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada provide funding to organizations and legal providers that are recognized as culturally sensitive, trauma-informed and capable of assisting vulnerable workers in submitting their application for the open work permit for vulnerable workers.

Recommendation 7

That Employment and Social Development Canada increase the percentage of unannounced, on-site inspections conducted by Service Canada and increase the use of more severe sanctions on employers, up to and including banishment from the program, when an inspection reveals breaches of the employment contract or abuse of a worker.

Recommendation 8

That Employment and Social Development Canada prioritize on-site visits and publish annual statistics about the number of inspections conducted, including whether they were virtual, on site, announced or unannounced, and the results of these inspections.

Recommendation 9

That Employment and Social Development Canada and Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada develop accessible materials for foreign workers to receive prior to and upon their arrival in Canada that provide details, in their own language, on how the Temporary Foreign Worker Program works, including their rights while working in Canada.

Recommendation 10

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada create, in consultation with stakeholders, a two-hour, mandatory paid workshop for temporary foreign workers about their rights and responsibilities while in Canada; that this workshop be presented by an independent, non-governmental organization; and that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada be invited to be present at the discretion of the temporary foreign workers and the non-governmental organization during these workshops to answer questions.

Recommendation 11

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, after consultation with Quebec, the provinces and territories, issue sectoral and regional work permits to workers accepted under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program; that the department define sectors broadly, providing workers with access to a wide range of employers that are experiencing labour shortages; and that the department discontinue the use of closed work permits for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

Recommendation 12

That Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada develop a comprehensive plan to provide more pathways to permanent residency for Temporary Foreign Workers in the Low-wage and Primary Agriculture streams and agri-food sector, separate from other pools of candidates in economic classes.

Recommendation 13

That, modeled on the Table de Concertation du Québec, the Government of Canada create a forum bringing together relevant government, employer, worker and union stakeholders, to address issues and foster best practices in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.