As Ottawa eyes immigration cuts, Manitoba associations are bracing for workforce changes.

“It’s very concerning, obviously, with the extreme reduction,” said Shaun Jeffrey, chief executive of the Manitoba Restaurant & Foodservices Association.

The federal government plans to slash temporary resident admissions to 385,000 in 2026 from 673,650 in 2025. Both 2027 and 2028 will see 370,000 acceptances, the 2025 budget reads.

Meanwhile, permanent resident admission targets will hover at 380,000 per year for three years, down from 395,000 in 2025.

Temporary foreign workers account for “a very small part” of the province’s restaurant employee pool. Still, the workers are essential in rural areas, Jeffrey said.

He expects rural eateries to cut hours if they can’t fill positions normally taken

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