Ottawa to limit number of low-wage temporary foreign workers in Canada – National
The federal government is taking steps to limit the number of low-wage workers. temporary foreign workers in Canada, with the exception of certain sectors.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement Monday in Halifax, where the Liberal cabinet meets for a summer retreat.
“We are tightening the rules and limiting eligibility to reduce the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers in Canada, with exceptions in certain sectors like health care, construction and food security,” Trudeau said.
As of September 26, the government will refuse applications for low-wage temporary foreign workers in regions where the unemployment rate is six percent or higher.
For employers, there will be a 10% cap on employees from the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program and a reduction in the maximum employment period from two to one year. according to Employment and Social Development Canada.
This comes after Quebec announced its own limits on low-wage temporary foreign workers last week. A six-month freeze in Montreal which will come into force next month.
THE Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFW) allows non-Canadians to work in the country on a temporary basis.
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Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault said the program was “designed to address labour shortages where qualified Canadians were unable to fill these positions.”
“Right now, we know there are more qualified Canadians to fill the vacant positions,” he said in a statement.
“The changes we are making today will put Canadian workers first and ensure Canadians can have confidence that the program is meeting the needs of our economy.”
Canada unemployment rate remained at 6.4% in July after two consecutive monthly increases, according to the latest employment report from Statistics Canada.
The TFW program has grown dramatically in recent years and has been criticized for reducing national wages and leaving workers vulnerable to abuse.
The number of temporary foreign worker positions has more than doubled since 2016, according to ESDC data.
It was the year after the federal Liberals were first elected in 2015.
In 2023, a total of 239,646 TFW positions were approved, compared to 90,314 in 2016. However, not all positions result in a work permit or entry into Canada of a temporary foreign worker, the ministry emphasizes.
The program was expanded in 2022 for several sectors experiencing labour shortages, increase the maximum proportion of low-wage temporary foreign workers to 30% of each employer’s workforce.
Trudeau said the program has helped the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but with inflation slowing and employment levels up from before, the country no longer needs as many temporary foreign workers.
“We need Canadian businesses to invest in training and technology and not increase their reliance on low-cost foreign labour,” he said.
“It’s not fair to Canadians who are struggling to find good jobs, and it’s not fair to temporary foreign workers, some of whom are being mistreated and exploited.”
Earlier this month, A damning report from the United Nations He described Canada’s temporary foreign worker program as a “breeding ground” for modern-day slavery because it creates a power imbalance that prevents employees from exercising their rights.
In the days that followed, federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the program had no fatal flaws. but “needs reform.”
Speaking Monday, Trudeau said his government would also explore changes to the high-wage component of the temporary foreign worker program and other adjustments.
A 90-day review will examine the changes while analyzing unemployment rates, Trudeau said.
And this fall, Ottawa plans to unveil an immigration plan that will look at both permanent and temporary residents.
“We are ensuring that the entire program meets the needs of Canadians and our economy as much as possible,” Trudeau said.
— with The Canadian Press and Reuters.
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