Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has promised to cut the number of low-paid temporary foreign workers in his country.
That decision came as the country struggled to cope with the perils of mass immigration, which is straining public resources in areas such as housing and healthcare.
This year, 97% of Canada’s population growth is with immigrants and Trudeau administration has blamed for allowing too many foreign workers to supply insufficient job opportunities or housing. This has led to an increase in the unemployment rate with approximately 1.4 million ITICS members out of work leaving the national figure at a steady incline, and likely to reach as high as 6.4 per cent
Targeting these concerns, Trudeau promised change in the ‘Temporary Foreign Worker Program’, currently operated by a Conservative government from which labour right groups and even the U.N. victims rights head have said continues modern slavery practices.
The program permits some Canadian companies to hire foreign nationals for temporary positions if they can prove qualified locals are unavailable, but has been criticized as being misused by employers looking to side-step home-grown labour.
With immigration accounting for a staggering 97% of Canada’s population growth last year, Trudeau’s government has faced criticism for allowing too many foreign workers into the country without adequate expansion of employment and housing. The result has been a surge in unemployment, with around 1.4 million people left without jobs as the rate rises to 6.4%.
In a bid to address these concerns, Trudeau plans to reform the ‘Temporary Foreign Worker Program’, which has been criticized by labor rights groups and the United Nations for perpetuating modern forms of slavery. The program allows Canadian employers to hire foreign nationals for temporary jobs when qualified Canadians are not available, but has been accused of being exploited by employers to bypass local workers.
Under the new plans, employers will be restricted from hiring foreign workers in sectors such as food processing, agriculture, construction, and healthcare, except in areas with unemployment rates below 6%. Additionally, the proportion of low-wage foreign workers will be reduced from 20% to 10% of a company’s workforce.
