Pierre Poilievre advocates for the abolishment of the Temporary Foreign Worker Programme

Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has been a topic of debate in recent months, with various political figures expressing their views on its impact on the Canadian labor market.

According to Statistics Canada, nearly 75% of temporary foreign workers in Canada are employed in jobs below the average wage. This has raised concerns about the potential displacement of domestic workers and the exploitation of foreign workers.

In response, the federal government has limited the number of low-wage foreign workers that Canadian companies can hire to 10%. This cap is part of an effort to ensure that domestic workers are given priority in the job market.

The TFWP has also been linked to youth unemployment in Canada. The Conservative Leader, Pierre Poilievre, has been vocal about this connection, calling for the permanent abolition of the TFWP. Youth unemployment reached 14.6% in July, its highest level since 2010, excluding the pandemic.

However, not all provinces share the same sentiment. The Government of Quebec supports the TFWP as a crucial tool to fill gaps where local labor supply is insufficient. They employ targeted programs like the Quebec-selected skilled workers stream to complement federal initiatives addressing regional labor needs.

The issue of TFWP is not limited to Quebec. In Estrie, concerns are rising in the business community due to restrictions on foreign workers. Some businesses are considering reducing production and putting growth plans on hold.

Meanwhile, the federal government is on track to issue over 105,000 temporary visas this year, while the cap was set at 82,000 for this year. It's important to note that this figure includes renewals for people already present in Canada.

Pierre Poilievre, in his proposal for change, suggests a separate program for agricultural labor instead of the TFWP. He has also blamed Prime Minister Mark Carney for creating a "job crisis" by allowing businesses to hire foreign workers for low-wage jobs.

However, Prime Minister Carney defends the importance of the TFWP, citing ongoing labor shortages in certain regions, particularly in Quebec. The Quebec government has also asked Ottawa to maintain the level of TFWs in certain regions facing significant labor shortages.

In other news, the death of magazine editor Isabelle Vaillancourt, the general director of Publications BLD, was reported on Sunday. The cause of death is not yet known.

A study by the Institute for Research on Public Policy (IRPP) attributes young people's difficulties in finding work to economic factors such as trade threats, economic slowdown, and the emergence of artificial intelligence. These factors, the study suggests, may be more significant contributors to youth unemployment than the TFWP.

Conservative MP Jamil Jivani launched a petition to end the TFWP this spring, adding to the growing debate about the program's role in Canada's labor market. As the conversation continues, it remains to be seen how the TFWP will evolve in the coming years.