The Canadian government is moving to restrict the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers in Canada, with the exception of some sectors.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement, saying “We are tightening the rules and restricting eligibility to reduce the number of low-wage, temporary foreign workers in Canada, with exceptions in certain industries like health care, construction and food security.”
Starting September 26, the government will refuse applications for low-wage temporary foreign workers in regions with an unemployment rate of six per cent or higher.
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For employers, there will be a cap of 10 per cent of employees coming from the low-wage stream of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program and a reduction of maximum duration of employment from two years to one.
TFW program allows employers in Canada to hire foreign nationals to fill temporary jobs when qualified Canadians are not available.
Last year, almost all of Canada’s population growth came from immigration. Meanwhile, Canada’s unemployment rate has risen to 6.4 per cent over the past two months, with around 1.4 million people out of work.
