Canada's immigration cuts leave the restaurant industry facing severe worker shortages

The Canadian restaurant sector is bracing for serious challenges as federal immigration restrictions threaten to worsen an already critical staffing crisis. With Ottawa slashing temporary resident admissions by 43 percent for 2026, industry leaders warn this could add another 50,000 vacant positions to the nearly 150,000 openings expected by 2027. Restaurant operators, many of whom are immigrants themselves, say the cuts not only make it harder to recruit reliable staff but also block pathways to permanent residency for workers who have spent years building their careers here. About 40 percent of restaurants are currently operating at a loss or barely breaking even, and with one in four restaurant workers being immigrants, the sector fears these policy shifts will push operations to the breaking point.

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