How Temporary Were Canada’s Temporary Foreign Workers?

Temporary foreign worker programs have become an increasingly important component of international migration to Western developed countries. However, there is little knowledge on how long foreign workers stay in the host country and what determinants are associated with their migratory trajectories. Using a national longitudinal administrative dataset of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) in Canada, this study examines their length and type of stay in Canada. It further examines the likelihood of staying given individual demographic characteristics, source-country attributes, host-country institutional factors and local community conditions. The results show that the majority of TFWs stayed in Canada only for a short period, while the majority of those who stayed for a long period obtained permanent resident status. Host-country institutional constraints play a dominant role in determining the length and type of stay of TFWs in Canada.