Internationally trained workers are an important part of the tourism workforce. Newcomers to Canada, international students, displaced persons, and young adventurers have long brought their experience, knowledge, languages, and passion to our sector, adding to the visitor experience and to the workplace culture of our operators.

In the current economic and political climate, questions of immigration and temporary international workers are in the spotlight. Many operators are worried about their workforce, and whether they’ll be able to reach their staffing targets to meet growing customer demand. The policy landscape is changing rapidly, and what’s happening at the national level doesn’t always translate in the same way to all of the provinces and territories.

Tourism HR Canada partnered with Saskatoon Immigration and Employment Consulting Services to evaluate the programs currently available, and to identify programs and options that may be of interest to tourism operators.

This analysis summarizes some of the recent changes in policy and draws attention to programs and pathways other than the Temporary Foreign Worker Program; while the program remains a useful resource for filling some positions, it is by no means the only option available, and some of the other programs may actually be easier to navigate for business owners.