Construction Recruitment External Workers Service (CREWS)

Welcome to the CREWS website.

In 2001, the Greater Toronto Home Builders’ Association (now the Building Industry and Land Development Association) and the federal government signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to streamline the process of hiring temporary foreign workers to meet the construction industry’s need for a skilled workforce.

The MOU mandated the creation of the Construction Recruitment External Workers Service (CREWS) to manage, control and facilitate the industry’s role in the foreign worker process. The MOU was officially in place until September 24, 2007. After this date, CREWS continued to assist employers with their applications for Labour Market Opinions from Service Canada in an effort to meet the industry’s labour market needs.

After eight very successful years, the Board of Directors has made a decision to wind down CREWS effective December 31, 2009.