The HBPA board and staff have been working diligently to find ways to get skilled backstretch workers to alleviate the shortage at the racetracks in Ontario. While changes in criteria in the previous foreign worker program makes it inaccessible to the large majority of trainers, another avenue is being explored: the International Rural Exchange (IRE) Canada program, a non-profit organization that facilitates paid work-travel for young adults aged 18 to 25.
Corinne Phillips of the HBPA explained, “At the height of the previous program, well over 150 foreign workers came to Canada. But over the past few years, due to changes in the program, those numbers decreased and contributed to the shortage of workers at the tracks.”
These changes began in September 2024, when the criteria to be eligible for a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) changed, directly affecting trainers at Woodbine and Fort Erie. An LMIA letter states that a temporary foreign worker is needed to fill the job, that no Canadian resident is available to do said job, and that hiring the foreign worker will not have a negative impact on the Canadian labour market. The new LMIA criteria will currently not process applications showing:
- a median wage below the provincial threshold (Ontario’s is $36.00/hr) and
- low-wage positions in regions with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher (Woodbine and Fort Erie Racetracks both fall in that category)
Through the IRE Canada program, in order for employers to become hosts, they must complete an application, interview with the IRE team, have an on-site or virtual workplace inspection, and pay a $100 membership fee. After membership is approved, the IRE team will match employers with potential workers. They will conduct an interview and if both parties agree, the IRE team will help process the visa application (which can take four to six weeks, depending on the worker’s home country). Visas can be issued for up to three years, again depending on the country, and employers can apply for visas up to three times for the worker. The visa program is run by International Experience Canada (IEC) and about 35 countries in Europe, Asia, and the Americas are eligible for inclusion through their Working Holiday and Young Professional visas.
The cost to the employer for a worker’s employer-specific work permit is $1,490, while an open work permit costs $1,260, including taxes. If the worker leaves employment within the first eight weeks, IRE will find another worker or grant the employer a full refund, minus the $100 membership cost.
For more information about this program, please contact Corinne Phillips at the HBPA’s Woodbine office at 416-675-3802 or email cep@hbpa.on.ca.
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