IRCC Promised to Prioritise Current TFWs - But Many Still Don’t Benefit

Over the past few months, I’ve had consultations with countless Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) who are already in Canada; working hard, paying taxes, and contributing to communities that depend on them.

Yet based on those conversations and the latest federal and provincial immigration trends, it’s clear that IRCC’s promise to help “current workers transition to permanent residence” doesn’t apply as broadly as it sounds. In practice, many of the TFWs already here are being left out.

Despite years of experience and continuous employment in Canada, these workers find that current immigration programs such as Express Entry, Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs), and pilot streams are increasingly focused on specific occupations, high wages, and rural settlement, rather than rewarding long-term contribution or Canadian work history.

Who Is Not Benefitting from IRCC’s “TFW Priority”

Here’s a look at the groups most affected:

1. Low-Wage Earners

Workers whose LMIA positions fall under low-wage streams often find no viable PR pathway, even if they’ve been employed in Canada for years.

• Many low-wage LMIA positions don’t meet the wage thresholds for most PNP streams.

• These roles are often excluded from Express Entry because they don’t fall within eligible TEER categories.

• Some pilot programs (like the Agri-Food or Caregiver pathways) are limited to very specific employers or job types, leaving others out entirely.

  
  

2. TEER 4 and TEER 5 Occupations (Even When in High Demand)

While these roles are essential; from food service supervisors to farm workers and general labourers, they rarely meet the criteria for permanent residence.

• Express Entry excludes TEER 4 and 5 occupations.

• Only a few provinces offer limited pathways, and those are highly competitive or tied to specific employers and regions.

• Despite being in demand, these workers are often stuck renewing work permits without a clear long-term solution.

  
  

3. TFWs in Urban Centres

Provinces like B.C. and Ontario have made it clear that rural and regional applicants get preference under their current PNP streams.

• Living in major cities like Vancouver or Toronto now reduces your chances of being nominated.

• PNP scoring systems increasingly award extra points for rural employment or residence, meaning city-based workers may never reach the cut-off even with years of Canadian experience.

  
  

4. Mid-Skill Occupations Without Provincial Alignment

Many workers in construction, hospitality, or transportation roles find that their TEER level or occupation doesn’t match current provincial priorities.

• BCPNP draws in 2025 have heavily targeted healthcare, tech, and early childhood education, leaving many other sectors with no invitations for months.

• OINP’s Employer Job Offer and Human Capital streams increasingly focus on specific NOC codes, with wage and regional restrictions that exclude a large share of current TFWs.

  
  

5. Workers With Strong Experience But Moderate CRS Scores

Even those who qualify for Express Entry face another barrier: sky-high CRS cut-offs.

• The 2025 PNP-only draw required a staggering 763 CRS points.

• Category-based draws (like healthcare and STEM) have slightly lower cut-offs but are restricted to narrow occupational lists.

• For everyone else, Express Entry remains out of reach even after years in Canada.

  
  

6. Employers Trying to Support Long-Term Staff

Employers who want to retain loyal TFWs are also frustrated.

• Many can’t offer the wage levels required to qualify for provincial streams.

• Those located in urban centres can’t access rural-targeted PNPs.

• Changes to provincial nomination criteria and new administrative hurdles (like employer registration portals) make sponsorship difficult.

  
  

Bottom Line

IRCC’s stated goal of helping current workers transition to PR sounds encouraging, but when you look closely at the 2025 Express Entry and PNP draws, it’s clear the real beneficiaries are a narrow group of high-scoring, high-wage workers in targeted occupations or rural areas.

For everyone else, especially those in essential but lower-wage or TEER 4–5 roles the path to permanent residence remains as uncertain as ever.