The Temporary Farm Workers Program (TFWP) has received a lot of national attention and has become a thorn in the side of Minister of Employment and Social Development and Minister for Multiculturalism Jason Kenney and the Harper government.

Liberal immigration critic John McCallum was in Abbotsford on June 5 to talk about the program. Abbotsford has a large number of employers using the TFWP according to the Directory of Canadian businesses employing Canadians which has created an online map of companies and businesses using the TFWP.

Abbotsford companies and businesses using the TFWP are identified on the interactive map. Abbotsford-Mission has consistently been the top Census Metropolitan Area (CSA) in Western Canada for unemployment and yet there are a surprising number of businesses using Kenney’s TFWP.

For the full interactive map click here.

TFWP In The News

Liberals Would Reduce Foreign Worker Program, Add More Controls

Abbotsford Today, June 14, 2014

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) should be significantly scaled back to its original intent to fill labour gaps, have rules that are enforced vigorously, and open more avenues for foreign labourers to become permanent Canadian citizens, Liberal immigrant critic John McCallum said when he was in Abbotsford on June 5.

“The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is a mess. I don’t think we’d have a moratorium today (on restaurant workers) if it wasn’t a mess,” he said during an open dialogue session at the University of the Fraser Valley. “It’s hurting Canadian jobs and Canadian wages … and there is clearly exploitation of some temporary foreign workers.”

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By James Cowan. Canadian Business.

“From the United States to Singapore, Germany to Kuwait, there are ample precedents to show how a large influx of low-skill, temporary workers can warp an entire country’s labour market.

“When Canada first launched the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in 1973, it was designed to allow companies to hire skilled professionals, like engineers, from outside the country when their expertise couldn’t be found in the domestic market. The policy patched over any skills gaps until they could be closed through immigration. But demand in the oil and gas sector led the then-Liberal government in 2002 to expand the strategy to unskilled workers. Six years later, the Conservatives started expediting applications in 12 “occupations under pressure,” many in the hospitality sectors. Roughly 101,000 temporary workers came to Canada in 2002; by 2012, the number skyrocketed to 338,000.”

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By Josh Wingrove and Bill Curry .The Globe and Mail

“Employment Minister Jason Kenney is under fire from fellow Conservative MPs in Alberta over proposed changes to the temporary foreign worker program that some MPs fear could exacerbate the province’s labour shortage.

“Mr. Kenney is on the verge of announcing changes to the maligned program, which has been the source of controversy in connection to cases of abuse and questions over whether labour shortages are serious enough to justify the rise in foreign workers.”

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By Andrew Coyne, Canada.com

“The Great Temporary Foreign Workers Panic of 2014 may be about to blow itself out. Some time in the next couple of weeks Employment Minister Jason Kenney will announce a number of reforms to the program, which for the past four decades has been used by employers to fill gaps in the supply of certain types of labour. That is, he will announce another round of reforms, previous instalments having failed to quell mounting opposition and media hysteria over the program and the threat to Canadian workers it allegedly presents.”

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From the Government

Fact Sheet — Temporary Foreign Worker Program

Overview

The Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) allows Canadian employers to hire foreign nationals to fill temporary labour and skill shortages when qualified Canadian citizens or permanent residents are not available.

Advantages to Employers

For employers who have been unable to recruit Canadian citizens or permanent residents for job openings, the TFWP makes it possible to hire workers from abroad. Employers might also find a qualified foreign worker already in Canada, such as a foreign worker who is about to complete a job contract with another employer or a foreign national holding an open work permit that allows the employee to work for any employer in Canada.

 

While most temporary foreign workers will be hired to address a specific, short-term labour need, some temporary foreign workers who initially came to fill a temporary vacancy can transition to permanent residence if they meet certain requirements. For example, the Canadian Experience Class is open to foreign nationals who have been working full-time in Canada as trades people or in managerial or professional occupations and meet certain other requirements. Other foreign workers may qualify through the Provincial Nominee Program for permanent residence in Canada. These routes exist to ensure that workers who have shown that their skills are in continuing demand and that they have already adapted well to life in Canada can build a future here.

How It Works

The TFWP is jointly managed by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) and CIC.

Employers often require a labour market opinion (LMO) from HRSDC to hire a foreign worker. A positive LMO means that the employer has tried but has been unable to find a Canadian or permanent resident for the job, that the job offer is genuine, and that the employer has met job offer commitments to temporary foreign workers they have hired in the past.

 

Some jobs do not require HRSDC authorization in order to hire a foreign worker. Certain categories of workers may be exempt from the LMO requirement due to an international trade agreement, such as NAFTA, or an agreement between the federal government and a provincial or territorial government. Employers who are unsure if they require an LMO should contact a CIC Temporary Foreign Worker Unit. For a list of offices, see Information for Canadian employers: Temporary Foreign Worker Units.

 

The TFW Unit will provide advice on whether an LMO is required and offer additional information about the TFWP. TFW units may also advise employers on any active pilot projects in effect in their province that may help attract workers in particular occupations or with particular skills.

After obtaining an LMO, or if an LMO is not required, the worker needs to apply to CIC for a work permit. If an LMO is required, the employer must provide a copy of the positive LMO from HRSDC for inclusion with the worker’s application. Processing times for work permits vary depending on where and how the application is made. Details are available on our website.

 

The employer is responsible for arranging the employee’s Worker’s Compensation benefits and medical coverage, verifying that the employee has a Social Insurance Number, and ensuring that the conditions and time limits on the work permit are respected.

As the TFWP is designed to help employers fill short-term gaps in Canada’s labour market, most temporary foreign workers are limited to working in Canada for four years before having to return to their home country. Most TFWs have the opportunity to apply for permanent residence if that is their desire, and limiting the amount of time they may work in Canada with a temporary status encourages them to do so.

Facts and Figures

• More than 192,000 temporary foreign workers entered Canada in 2011. The overall total includes about 70,000 foreign workers whose employer required an LMO from HRSDC and close to 120,000 who did not require an LMO.
• In 2011, more than 29,000 temporary foreign workers made the transition to permanent status.