Garden in the Gulf declines to raise temporary foreign worker cap, only Atlantic province to do so

Prince Edward Island has become the only Atlantic province that has rejected a measure implemented by the federal government to allow rural employers to hire more temporary foreign workers (TFWs).

In March, the feds announced that the cap on TFWs would be temporarily raised from 10% of a workplace to 15% for rural employers like farmers.

In a statement to CBC, the government of PEI stated that the measure, implemented to supplement farmers and other affected industries with labour during the growing and harvest season, was not necessary.

"After considering the available information and the needs of Island employers, Prince Edward Island determined that participation in the temporary measures was not required at this time."

The provincial government stated that it had conducted a review across industries that would be affected, including agriculture, hospitality, and the food service sector.

"As part of that review, provincial officials engaged with potentially affected employers and explored workforce solutions, including existing permanent immigration pathways for year-round positions that met program criteria," the statement continues.

The statement alludes to the fact that the provincial government would rather see an influx of permanent immigration that would be geared towards year-round jobs, not workers imported to be used in seasonal work.

Concerns for the province's refusal to participate in the program have been expressed by local businesses who say they are struggling to find staff in the province's more rural areas.

According to JobWatchCanada.com, PEI currently has 340 employers that use TFWs or other kinds of temporary foreign labour.

Although this is a lower total than its fellow Maritime counterparts, the province still has a significant part of its overall workforce being staffed by TFWs.

PEI rejects Fed's offer to let rural employers hire more TFWs