Data Explorer Public data, clearly presented

Interactive Public Data Explorer

Temporary Foreign Workers Explorer

Explore Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program through interactive charts, reports and downloadable analytics built from official Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada datasets.

  • Interactive charts
  • PDF reports
  • Official IRCC data
  • English & French

Canada at a glance

Temporary foreign workers in Canada · 2025

A national snapshot of Temporary Foreign Worker Program work-permit holders whose permits became effective in 2025.

TFW permit holders 169,390 Permits becoming effective in 2025 -13.0% from 2024
Top citizenship Mexico 43,965 permit holders · 2025
Top destination Ontario 50,870 permit holders
Largest program Other Temporary Foreign Workers with LMIA 98,300 permit holders

Figures represent Temporary Foreign Worker Program work permits becoming effective during the year, not the number of workers currently present in Canada.

Historical trend

Temporary foreign workers over time

TFWP work permits becoming effective · 2015–2026 YTD

Latest complete year · 2025 169,390

Latest year

Temporary foreign workers by province and territory · 2025

TFWP work-permit holders whose permits became effective in 2025, grouped by intended province or territory of destination.

Program mix

Temporary foreign workers by program · 2025

Distribution across published Temporary Foreign Worker Program categories.

Countries of citizenship

Leading countries of citizenship · 2025

Top 10 countries of citizenship among TFWP work-permit holders in the latest complete year.

Featured analysis

Examine how Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program has expanded, how it intersects with the domestic labour market, and whether the safeguards intended to protect Canadian workers are working as designed.

This evidence-based analysis examines youth employment, employer recruitment, LMIA decisions, compliance and enforcement, permit extensions, and the federal policy response — while distinguishing what the public data establishes from what it cannot prove.

Read the analysis
How to use the Temporary Foreign Workers Explorer

This explorer provides several ways to examine Temporary Foreign Worker Program work-permit-holder data published by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.

Province and program

Compare provinces and territories, published program categories, and annual trends.

Country of citizenship

Examine countries of citizenship, leading source countries, and changes over time.

Occupation

Explore published four-digit NOC occupations and compare their provincial distribution.

Industry analysis

Industry groupings such as restaurants, health care, construction, agriculture, and transportation are being developed.

Coming soon

How to interpret the figures: The results represent work-permit holders according to the year in which their Temporary Foreign Worker Program permits became effective. They do not represent everyone currently working in Canada, positive Labour Market Impact Assessments, jobs filled, or a point-in-time count of valid permits.

Search criteria

Explore Temporary Foreign Worker Program data

Select a destination, program category, and year range.

Choose a destination province or territory, or include all of Canada.

Choose a published Temporary Foreign Worker Program category.

Results measure work-permit holders whose Temporary Foreign Worker Program permits became effective during the selected period. They do not represent positive LMIAs, jobs filled, or people currently present in Canada.