Canada is cutting its number of temporary foreign workers by thousands, and rolling back some expansions of the program through 2022, as the government struggles to reduce the number of temporary residents.
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program brings non-Canadians into the country to work on a short-term basis. Introduced as a way to address labour shortages, the program has grown dramatically and has come under fire for depressing wages and leaving workers vulnerable to abuse, in part because of permits that tie workers to employers.
A UN special rapporteur called it a “breeding ground for forms of contemporary slavery”.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his cabinet is also considering cuts to permanent resident streams. Trudeau is trailing in polls ahead of next year’s election as a growing share of Canadians say Canada is bringing in too many immigrants.
“We’re looking at a number of different streams to make sure that as we move forward, Canada remains a place that is positive in its support for immigration, but also responsible in the way we integrate and make sure that there are pathways to success for everyone who comes to Canada,” Trudeau told reporters on Monday.
He said the government would present a comprehensive plan on immigration levels this autumn.
Canada has long prided itself on welcoming newcomers, but its government is under pressure to reduce the number of temporary residents, which has risen dramatically in recent years.
The government has promised to take further measures to reduce the number of temporary residents to 5% of Canada’s total population in three years. Its share was 6.8% in April and the Bank of Canada has said it expects that number to rise.
The changes announced Monday would end the hiring of low-wage temporary foreign workers in communities with unemployment rates of 6% or higher, reduce the share of low-wage temporary foreign workers in employers’ workforces to 10% and shorten the duration of low-wage temporary foreign worker permits from two years to one year.
These changes will exempt certain sectors, including agriculture, food processing, construction and healthcare.
These measures, combined with changes made earlier this year, are expected to reduce the number of temporary foreign workers by about 65,000, Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault told reporters on Monday.
The changes are “a great first step, but it’s only a first step,” said Mike Moffat, an economist and senior director at the Smart Prosperity Institute, who called for an end to the low-wage clause.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
