A Complete review of Temporary foreign worker is coming up. MaryAnn Mihychuk, the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour in the Liberal government of Canada, has said that she will ask a parliamentary committee for proposals to optimize the program.
“I think it is time for a serious review of the whole program,” stated Ms. Mihychuk. “We would like to put it forward to a House committee review; there are issues on this program all over Canada.”
Last changes came into effect in June, 2014 which was passed by the former Conservative government. These reforms limit foreign workers to 10 per cent of a company’s work force in low-paying jobs, and prohibit employers from hiring them in high unemployment regions .Therefore most communities with an unemployment rate above 6 per cent, companies cannot qualify for the program if hiring workers at a wage below the regional median for the given position.
The 2014 reforms happened because a number of high-profile cases in which certain Canadian employers allegedly abused the program.
The scream to make further reforms in response to existing and projected labour market needs, comes largely from the Liberals' Atlantic caucus. All seats in Atlantic Canada in the 2015 general election went to Liberals, and MPs from the region are pressing hard for changes, saying the restrictions hurt seasonal businesses and the service sector.
Rodger Cuzner, a Liberal MP representing a Nova Scotia riding, said the program needs to be refurbished to take into account the demands of seasonal businesses. Mr Cuzner is also Minister Mihychuk’s parliamentary secretary, “Changes over the last couple of years have impacted seasonal businesses. We still generate over 50 per cent of the regional GDP through seasonal industries. The work force is getting older. The out-migration is significant.”
Yvonne Jones, the Liberal MP from Labrador, added that the the program in its current show harm regional tourism and fish processing industries, new changes in the program has made it difficult to get seasonal labour.
“Because of the fact we are unable to recruit under the temporary foreign worker program, we have seen a lot of businesses having to close or scale back their hours and days of operations. This is really affecting services to communities that need that service,” said Ms Jones.
Ms. Mihychuk said the review by the Commons employment committee needs to take in every division of the economy, including the shock of the fall down in oil prices across the country.
The Liberals also believe a more tangible path to citizenship is needed for foreign workers, many of whom wish to remain in Canada and establish their lives in this country.
