A new Teamsters Canada research paper released on April 17 reveals that Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) approvals for long-haul truck-driver positions soared from 1,950 in 2010 to more than 8,200 in 2024—a 320 % jump over 14 years. The union argues the numbers, extracted from federal program data obtained through Access-to-Information requests, show employers are leaning on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) as a “permanent business model” instead of raising wages and improving conditions to attract domestic drivers. Trucking accounts for 35 % of Canada’s trade by value, and chronic driver shortages have long worried exporters and retailers. The federal government responded by adding the occupation to its Express Entry occupation-targeted draws and by allowing sector-specific LMIA processing. Critics, however, say the short-term fix has morphed into dependence: foreign drivers now make up an estimated 14 % of the long-haul workforce nationally, and in some prairie provinces the share exceeds 25 %.
![Report finds temporary foreign-worker permits for Canadian truck drivers have quadrupled since 2010]()
For migrant drivers trying to navigate Canada’s visa and work-permit requirements, platforms such as VisaHQ can simplify the process with step-by-step guidance, real-time status tracking and up-to-date information on LMIA rules—services available at https://www.visahq.com/canada/
The report highlights compliance concerns. Teamsters investigators documented cases of $5,000 recruitment fees, unpaid overtime and drivers sleeping in trucks because employer-provided accommodation failed inspections. Because work permits are employer-specific, migrant drivers are often reluctant to file complaints for fear of dismissal and deportation. For fleet operators, the findings foreshadow tighter oversight. Ottawa’s 2026-2028 Regulatory Plan already proposes licence-suspension authority for repeat TFWP violators and mandatory posting of compliance audits. Shippers should prepare for potential driver-shortages if enforcement actions lead to permit suspensions. Industry associations counter that without foreign labour, freight rates would spike and supply chains would suffer. They urge government to speed up recognition of overseas commercial-driver licences and to expand the Rural Renewal immigration stream so migrant drivers can transition to permanent residence more quickly—a solution the union also supports, provided workers gain open permits and the right to switch employers.
For migrant drivers trying to navigate Canada’s visa and work-permit requirements, platforms such as VisaHQ can simplify the process with step-by-step guidance, real-time status tracking and up-to-date information on LMIA rules—services available at https://www.visahq.com/canada/
The report highlights compliance concerns. Teamsters investigators documented cases of $5,000 recruitment fees, unpaid overtime and drivers sleeping in trucks because employer-provided accommodation failed inspections. Because work permits are employer-specific, migrant drivers are often reluctant to file complaints for fear of dismissal and deportation. For fleet operators, the findings foreshadow tighter oversight. Ottawa’s 2026-2028 Regulatory Plan already proposes licence-suspension authority for repeat TFWP violators and mandatory posting of compliance audits. Shippers should prepare for potential driver-shortages if enforcement actions lead to permit suspensions. Industry associations counter that without foreign labour, freight rates would spike and supply chains would suffer. They urge government to speed up recognition of overseas commercial-driver licences and to expand the Rural Renewal immigration stream so migrant drivers can transition to permanent residence more quickly—a solution the union also supports, provided workers gain open permits and the right to switch employers.
