P.E.I. rejects federal plan to expand low-wage temporary foreign worker hiring

The province said it does not believe expanding access to low-wage temporary foreign workers is necessary given current labour-market conditions.

| August 18, 2026 | News | 3 Comments

Prince Edward Island is the only Atlantic province refusing to participate in a federal measure that allows some rural employers to hire a greater share of low-wage temporary foreign workers.

The federal government introduced the temporary measure in July, allowing eligible employers in rural and remote regions to have temporary foreign workers make up as much as 20 percent of their workforce in certain low-wage sectors.

But P.E.I. has opted out.

According to CBC News, the measure is intended to provide additional flexibility to employers struggling to fill jobs in rural communities. Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick have agreed to participate.

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P.E.I.'s government, however, said it does not believe expanding access to low-wage temporary foreign workers is necessary given current labour-market conditions.

The decision comes as governments continue to grapple with Canada's reliance on temporary foreign labour and the impact of rapid population growth on housing, health care and other public services.

Ottawa tightened the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in 2024 amid rising unemployment and criticism over the growth of temporary migration. Among the changes was a reduction in the percentage of low-wage temporary foreign workers most employers could hire.

The new rural exemption loosens some of those restrictions for participating regions.

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Canada’s immigration system must put Canadian citizens, Canadian workers and Canadian values first. Temporary foreign workers and international students should be required to leave when their permits expire, citizenship should not be granted to those who support terrorism or reject Canada’s laws and values, and the federal government must reverse the damaging consequences of unchecked mass migration. We call on Canada’s leaders to restore order, enforce the rules, and to protect Canadian jobs and communities.

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Sheila Gunn Reid

Chief Reporter

Sheila Gunn Reid is the Editor-in-Chief, Alberta Bureau Chief, member of the board of directors, and host of The Gunn Show at Rebel News. Sheila also serves as President of the Independent Press Gallery of Canada. A mother of three and longtime conservative activist, Sheila is the author of bestselling books, including her most recent release, Independence Blueprint: What Alberta Can Learn From Quebec.

https://mybook.to/sheila

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