Rural employers across B.C. can breathe a sigh of relief after the province confirmed that they will be allowed to retain existing temporary foreign workers for another year, as long as they do not exceed the current 10 per cent cap.

Jessie Sunner, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills, explains that the province decided in favour of the extension to help alleviate the staffing shortages faced by rural employers.

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At the same time, she emphasizes that the province seeks greater control over its immigration streams and clearer pathways to permanent residency.

“It is very important that we recognize this is only a one-year extension. This only prolongs the issues that we are seeing,” Sunner said during Question Period on Monday.

“These are individuals that are coming here to support our economy, and we need to ensure we’re doing everything to support them.”

Communities along the Sunshine Coast have been outspoken about the need for further clarity regarding the future of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program.

“I work at a company, and I have got two friends who happen to be here under that work permit system. I’m worried that if they leave, there’s nobody to replace them,” Sechelt Mayor John Henderson told CityNews.

He is currently in Ottawa to advocate for the expansion of the program and views Monday’s announcement as an important first step.

“We are at essentially zero unemployment. So, these are not people that are taking jobs away from current residents, and that is why I say we urgently and desperately need them,” he added.

While in Ottawa, Henderson will also be asking for greater transparency from both the federal and provincial governments on the issue, saying the TFW program extension doesn’t appear to cover family visas.

“I’m hopeful of meeting with the ministers and their staff that we can come up with some emergency solution that will allow people to stay here, will allow us to keep families together and to keep our communities thriving,” the mayor said.