Tim Hortons says it plans to hire around 10,000 local workers this year, marking a shift away from its previous dependence on the temporary foreign worker (TFW) program. The company says it has already held 400 hiring events during March and April, with more recruitment efforts planned throughout the rest of the year.
The move represents a notable change for the coffee chain, which turned to the TFW program during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 when labour shortages made it difficult to fill positions.
Even so, the company insists that local hiring has always been a priority.
“Our restaurant owners have always been committed to local hiring. We think one of the biggest misperceptions about Tim Hortons is how the TFW program has been used,” said Tim Hortons communications director Michael Oliveira in an email to CBC News.
Tim Hortons says about 4,000 employees — roughly 3.6 per cent of its restaurant workforce — are currently employed through the TFW program, and that those workers are based in areas facing documented labour shortages.
The federal government had expanded the use of temporary foreign workers in 2022, allowing businesses to hire up to 20 per cent of their workforce through the program, while sectors such as food service were permitted to go as high as 30 per cent. That cap was reduced back to 10 per cent in 2024.
At the time, Tim Hortons supported keeping the program in place, arguing it helped restaurants cope with staffing shortages. Lobbying records show that Restaurant Brands International, the parent company of Tim Hortons, was still discussing immigration policies tied to the TFW program with the government as recently as 2025.
The company had also faced criticism from both Conservative and NDP politicians over its use of temporary foreign workers.
Now, with youth unemployment rising, Tim Hortons says further lobbying on the issue is no longer needed. Recent records show immigration policy is no longer part of Restaurant Brands International’s discussions with the government.
Statistics Canada reported youth unemployment reached 14.3 per cent in April, significantly higher than the national unemployment rate of 6.9 per cent.
Expansion plans amid growing competition
The hiring announcement comes alongside a broader expansion strategy for the company. Tim Hortons recently revealed plans to open 80 new restaurants across Canada before the end of the year, while also renovating another 400 existing locations.
Ontario will receive the largest share of the new stores with 26 locations, followed by Alberta with 17 and Quebec with 14.
The timing also coincides with news that American coffee and doughnut chain Dunkin’ is preparing to re-enter the Canadian market.
Earlier this month, Montreal-based Foodtastic announced it had secured a deal to bring Dunkin’ back to Canada after the brand exited the country in 2018.
Foodtastic CEO Peter Mammas told CBC News the first new Dunkin’ location could open within six months, with plans for hundreds more stores in the future.
Tim Hortons, however, says its expansion has been in development for years and is not connected to Dunkin’s return.
“Opening a new restaurant … involves landlords, leasing, permits, construction — all which take more than a year to come together — so this is part of our long-term investment in Canadian communities, largely funded by our local, Canadian restaurant owners,” Oliveira said.
Still, David Pullara, a business consultant and marketing instructor at York University’s Schulich School of Business, believes the timing suggests Tim Hortons is responding to renewed competition.
According to Pullara, Dunkin’ could appeal strongly to younger customers because of its modern image and cultural appeal.
“I think that Dunkin’ does represent a real threat,” said Pullara.
He noted that Tim Hortons has made efforts to stay culturally relevant through partnerships with Canadian celebrities such as Justin Bieber and Ryan Reynolds.
At the same time, Pullara believes Tim Hortons’ emphasis on supporting Canadian communities and local hiring may be its strongest advantage against Dunkin’.
“You go to any community in Canada and you can find a Tim Hortons, right? It’s a fixture in most Canadian communities,” Pullara said. “I think that Canadians will remember that.”
With youth unemployment becoming an increasing concern nationwide, Pullara added that companies promising to create local jobs are likely to earn public support — even though Dunkin’s Canadian expansion is also being backed by a Canadian company, Foodtastic.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving diaspora communities across 44 languages. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, Unifor, NEPMCC, and the Canada Freelance Union. He holds CAVCO Personnel Number SINH0106. Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
