PTC News Desk: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that the Canadian government is going to reduce the number of temporary foreign workers in the low-wage stream that employers can hire.

This step is part of an effort to reduce the rise in temporary immigration that took place following the pandemic. The government is also considering reducing the number of permanent residents that Canada welcomes.

According to The Globe and Mail, the federal government made three changes to the temporary foreign worker program on the second day of its cabinet retreat in Halifax. These revisions, which go into effect on September 26, follow prior adjustments made in March and over the summer.

During a press conference, Trudeau stated that employers in the construction, healthcare, and food security sectors would be exempt from the recent rules. He suggested that Canadian businesses should invest in training and technology rather than increasing their reliance on low-cost foreign labour, raising worries about fairness for Canadian job seekers and the exploitation of temporary foreign workers.

Trudeau also stated that the government is looking into potential changes to the number of permanent residents that Canada accepts. He emphasised the need to ensure that Canada continues to promote immigration while also taking responsibility for integrating newcomers and creating ways to success.

The announced changes include limiting the number of temporary foreign workers that low-wage firms can hire to 10% of their whole staff, down from 20% before the pandemic. Furthermore, the government will no longer accept applications from locations with a 6% unemployment rate or higher, a provision that was previously suspended owing to the post-pandemic labour shortage. The maximum period people can work in the low-wage stream will also be reduced to one year, down from two.

The reliance on the low-wage stream has grown dramatically since 2022 when Ottawa relaxed access to the program in response to employment shortages. According to government data, 83,643 temporary foreign worker positions in the low-wage stream were allowed in 2023, up from 28,121 in 2019.

Indians to be hit

According to the Ministry of External Affairs, around 28,75,954 Indians, including 18,59,680 Persons of Indian Origin, live in Canada. 

The Indian population in Canada has experienced sustained growth in recent years. From 2000 to 2020, Canada's registered Indian population increased from 670,000 to more than one million. By 2020, there were 1,021,356 registered Indians in Canada.

- PTC NEWS

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