Company defends use of TFWs, citing need for ‘continued rigour and scrutiny’ of new applications, while touting local talent
Tim Hortons has launched a national hiring campaign calling on Canadians to apply to join a Tim Hortons restaurant this summer, as the chain moves to fill 10,000 new local positions.
The announcement is also part of a push by the company to publicly distance itself from earlier use of the federal Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), according to a company statement released May 25.
“This is part of the brand's strong, ongoing commitment to hire locally, whenever possible, in every community we serve."
The campaign runs across television, digital, paid social and in-restaurant channels, and is designed to support both natural turnover and growth from 80 new restaurant openings planned for this year across Canada. Restaurant owners hosted 400 local hiring events in March and April, with more scheduled throughout 2026.
TFWP use declining
Previously, the chain has lobbied the federal government to loosen restrictions on the use of temporary foreign workers in its restaurants.
Tim Hortons said in the May 25 statement that this push came as as restaurants faced acute staffing shortages coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, and the compay had pushed back when the government announced plans to limit applications.
"Today in 2026, with high youth unemployment nationally, lobbying for expanded access is no longer necessary," the company said, adding that restaurant owners "understand the need for continued rigour and scrutiny for any new temporary foreign worker applications.”
Of the chain's 110,000 team members, roughly 4,000 — or 3.6 per cent — currently hold positions under the program, said the company, adding that it’s a number that has declined steadily since 2024.
“These are positions in communities where restaurant owners faced documented labour shortages and went through the full government approval process before hiring.”
Spotlight on youth, diversity at Tim Hortons
The company also emphasized its focus on diversity in staffing.
“Tims restaurant owners don't discriminate in their local hiring – anyone entitled to work in Canada is welcome to work at their restaurants. This includes Canadian students, international students, people with disabilities, mature workers, Indigenous people, new Canadians and members of the local community of all ages – always with the aim to hire locally every time they can.”
Roughly 45 per cent of the chain's current team members are between the ages of 15 and 24, making Tim Hortons restaurant owners among Canada's leading employers of youth, it said.
Tim Hortons also highlighted its investment in Canadian youth through the Timbits Sports program, Tim Hortons Foundation Camps and the Tim Hortons Scholarship program.
Expansion and financial backdrop
The hiring push accompanies a broader period of investment for the chain announced last week. Tim Hortons restaurant owners are putting $270 million toward building and renovating 480 restaurants across Canada this year, alongside a $130-million corporate contribution, according to a company statement released May 22.
The 480 projects span every province and territory, with Ontario leading at 214 locations.
Those investments come on the heels of strong financial results. Tim Hortons recorded its 20th consecutive quarter of positive comparable sales in the first quarter of 2026, with system-wide sales for the segment growing 2.4 per cent on a constant currency basis to $1.74 billion US, according to parent company Restaurant Brands International's May 6 earnings release.
