The federal government of Canada has announced measures aimed at reducing the number of temporary foreign workers travelling into the country for greener pastures.
The move comes at a time that researchers in the country have disclosed that the influx of foreign workers has spiked youth and immigrant unemployment rates.
Addressing reporters on Monday, August 26, 2024, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the government said Canada no longer needs as many temporary foreign workers.
According to him, what they need at the moment are for Canadian businesses to invest in training and technology and not increase their reliance on low-cost foreign labour.
He posited that the over reliance by Canadian businesses on low-cost foreign labour is fair to Canadians trying to find a good job, and it is also not fair to those temporary foreign workers, some of whom are being mistreated and exploited.
Prime Minister Trudeau indicated that they are tightening the rules and restricting eligibility to reduce the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers in Canada, with the exceptions in certain industries like healthcare, construction, and food security.
‘’So to those who will complain about worker shortages, here’s my message: there is no better time to hire and invest in Canadian workers.’’
When asked if he was considering broader changes, including limiting immigration, permanent residents, and other streams, to restore some balance to the labour market, he said, ‘’These are ongoing conversations that we’re having that we’re taking extremely seriously. This fall, we’ll be presenting, for the first time, an immigration level plan that doesn’t just talk about permanent residents but also talks about temporary residents, whether they’re foreign workers or others’’.
He said over the next 90 days, the Canadian government will be looking at the higher-wage streams of temporary workers and also examine unemployment rates and opportunities to make further adjustments over the course of this fall as ‘’we come forward with comprehensive level plans that will respond to the reality that Canada is facing now and in years and decades to come’’.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
