14 August 2015 – Filipinos in Canada whose status of residence in the country fall under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, including, but not exclusive to, those who are subject to the “four years in and four years out” residency limitation under the terms and conditions of their contract of employment, now have an additional option of availing themselves of the various reintegration assistance programs prepared for returning overseas workers by the Philippine government on their return to the Philippines. The assistance comes in the form of:
- Domestic and/or overseas employment facilitation
- Training for employment facilitation
- Livelihood assistance
- Enterprise Development
- Biyaheing Agripreneur
Queries may be directed to the National Reintegration Center for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) (NRCO) of the Philippine Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE): www.nrco.dole.gov.ph, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +632.526.2633. Information is also posted online and may be obtained from the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa, the Philippine Consulates General and from the Philippine Overseas Labor Offices in Toronto and Vancouver, and the Philippine Consular offices in Charlottetown, Edmonton, Halifax, St. John’s, and Winnipeg.
Changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), a plan designed and implemented by the Canadian government, impact those workers who fall nder the previous categories of high-skilled workers (NOC skill type 0 or NOC skill level A or B), low-skilled workers (coded at the NOC C or D skill level), Agricultural Stream, and the Live-in Caregiver Program.
Under its new iteration, the TFWP now covers high-wage positions, low-wage positions, the Primary Agricultural Stream, the highest-demand, highest-paid or shortest-duration, and the Caregiver Program. The new TFWP now refers to only those streams under which foreign workers enter Canada at the request of employers following approval through a Labor Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).
Filipino nationals and their employers affected by the ongoing reforms are expected to comply with the terms and conditions for employment as agreed upon by the parties concerned. Compliance may further help ensure the long term viability and prospect for further employment of a foreign worker in Canada.
The Philippine diplomatic and consular offices in Canada continues to monitor developments that affect Filipino temporary workers in Canada, as the Philippine government affirms its commitment to ensuring the protection and welfare of Filipinos working overseas and in providing assistance programs for the benefit of both departing and returning overseas Filipino workers. END