Canada Will Reduce Visas For Low-Wage, Temporary Workers


Sheetal Bhalerao

Sheetal Bhalerao

Aug 28, 2024


While outlining plans to reduce the intake of low-wage, temporary foreign workers and permanent residents, the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a significant policy decision on Monday.

Temporary Work Programme Launch in Canada

This appears to mark a shift from the program expansions which were introduced in 2022.

Interestingly this news comes when the Canadian government faces challenges in reducing the number of temporary residents.

Moving ahead, this policy change comes as Canada deals with rapid population growth.

In the meantime, this hike is straining housing and public services, such as healthcare, according to the economists.

As per the Federal statistics, approximately 97 percent of last year’s population increase was driven by immigration.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Trudeau announced that “We’re reducing the number of low-wage, temporary foreign workers in Canada. The labor market has changed. Now is the time for our businesses to invest in Canadian workers and youth.” 

For the unawares, these latest adjustments are set to take effect from September 26.

The non-Canadians are allowed to work in the country for limited periods to address labor shortages, as per this temporary foreign worker program.

Concerns Over The Program

When it comes to this program, it has expanded significantly but has faced criticism for depressing wages and exposing workers to exploitation.

This is partly due to the restrictions of permits that bind workers to specific employers.

Reportedly, the labor advocates and the UN have recently voiced concerns over the program.

A recent media report published that a UN report this month, labeled the program a “breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery.”

Not only that, this program’s growth has also been linked to loosened restrictions meant to address labor shortages following the Covid pandemic.

Approximately 183,820 temporary foreign worker permits were issued during 2023.

This was a sharp 88 percent rise in comparison to 2019, as per the information given by Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC). 

Further, the British broadcaster noted that the ESDC criticized some employers for leveraging the program to avoid hiring skilled Canadian workers.

Now, work permits will be denied in regions where the unemployment rate is at or above 6 per cent, with exceptions for sectors like seasonal agriculture, construction, and healthcare, under these new changes.

Besides this the employers will be limited to hiring low-wage temporary foreign workers as 10 percent of their workforce, reduced from the current 20 percent. 

In addition with the earlier reforms, these measures are expected to decrease the number of temporary foreign workers by 65,000, said the Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault.


Sheetal Bhalerao
Sheetal Bhalerao
  • 776 Posts

Subscribe Now!

Get latest news and views related to startups, tech and business

You Might Also Like

Business
Dec. 8, 2022

Beat The Burden Of Medical Inflation With A Health Insurance

As disease rates rise and medical technology develops, treatment costs climb. It’s essential to understand that medical costs are not exclusively associated with hospitals. The cost of prescription drugs, diagnostic procedures, ambulance and operating room fees, consultations with doctors, and other costs are also constantly increasing. All of them could put a big strain on […]

Business
Dec. 8, 2022

3 Biggest Changes Of iOS 16.2 Update That Every iPhone User Should Know!

In its latest update Apple said that it is preparing for the iOS 16.2 update for iPhones across the world. Notably, like the previous release, there are a couple of changes coming for the iPhones.  iOS 16.2 Update Release Date So far, Apple has not announced a release date for iOS 16.2 update. Reportedly, the […]

Business
Dec. 8, 2022

300 Microsoft Employees Create Employee Union, First Time Ever: This Is How Microsoft Reacted

Around 300 workers at Microsoft Corp.’s ZeniMax Studios have commenced the process of forming a union which is said to be the first at the software giant in the US.  Here, Microsoft Corp.’s ZeniMax Studios known for popular video games including Skyrim and Fallout. Forming Union In Microsoft Corp Moreover, the quality assurance employees at […]

Business
Dec. 7, 2022

India Beats China In Air Travel Safety: Ranking Jumps From 102 To 48 In Global Aviation Safety

India’s air safety protocols and executions have improved drastically over the years, as validated by the findings of a specialized agency of the United Nations, the International Civil Aviation Organization or ICAO. The UN watchdog has upgraded India’s ranking in terms of aviation safety to the 48th position, jumping past the rankings of countries like […]

Recent Posts

Related Videos

   

Subscribe Now!

Get latest news and views related to startups, tech and business

who's online