In the current context of immigration in Quebec and international recruitment, many businesses find themselves unable to renew the work permits of their temporary foreign workers. Rules are changing, regional quotas are quickly reached, and even employees who have been integrated for several years sometimes have to leave their jobs because there are no solutions available.
Take Company A, for example, based in an urban area, has reached the regional cap for its foreign worker immigration program. As a result, it can neither renew existing permits nor begin new procedures for international hires, despite a pressing need for skilled labor.
The regions: recruitment solutions still available despite the labor shortage in Quebec
Meanwhile, companies located in regional areas still have some leeway to attract and retain foreign talent. These organizations, which often face more severe labor shortages in the manufacturing, agricultural, and industrial sectors, still have access to certain programs that allow them to hire temporary and permanent foreign workers.
This imbalance between regions creates an opportunity to think differently about workforce mobility and the relocation of foreign workers already present in Quebec.
Workforce Mobility: Transferring Workers Between Employers
Some firms specializing in recruitment and immigration now facilitate collaborative approaches between companies. The idea? To establish a bridge between employers who can no longer renew the permits of their qualified foreign workers and those, typically located in eligible regions, who are legally able to hire those same workers without excessive delays.
This coordinated transfer can help:
- Preserve the expertise already present in Quebec across key sectors;
- Ensure continuity of employment for the affected workers;
- Address the urgent need for specialized labour in regional businesses;
- Maximize the use of existing immigration programs, in full compliance with the law.
Ensuring Stability for Foreign Workers: Supporting Their Life and Career Projects in Quebec
It is essential to emphasize that this kind of transfer happens with the active consent and involvement of the worker and must comply fully with immigration laws and policies.
In most cases, these are individuals who genuinely wish to continue building their lives and careers in Quebec or elsewhere in Canada. They are already integrated, may have family here, and are eager to avoid job interruptions or forced returns to their home countries. A transfer to another employer thus becomes a respectful and responsible way to maintain their employment and personal stability, all while remaining aligned with federal and provincial regulatory frameworks.
This is not a transactional shift of labour. It is a collective commitment to upholding professional integration and continuity, for the mutual benefit of the worker and both local and regional employers.
Inter-Company Collaboration: Turning Immigration Constraints into Regional Workforce Strategies
In an increasingly regulated and competitive immigration environment, agility and solidarity between employers are key.
By collaborating strategically at the regional level, companies can transform 2025 immigration quota challenges into concrete opportunities, to retain skilled talent, support local and sectoral economic development, and above all, reinforce the stability of foreign workers who are already contributing here.
Written by: Mathieu Hudon – National Director of Business Development & Marketing
Passionate about workforce attraction and retention challenges, he focuses on practical solutions that align employer needs with the aspirations of Canadian and future Canadian talent.
Bedard Human Resources shares practical, field-tested solutions to meet the real challenges of recruitment and talent management.
