It鈥檚 becoming more difficult to believe that abuses of the temporary foreign workers program are mere aberrations and easier to believe in widespread deliberate and cynical exploitation. Regulations and enforcement need to be tightened to ensure the program achieves its core purpose 鈥� providing labour from abroad when workers can鈥檛 be found domestically.
The controversy was touched off in 2012 when HD Mining revealed its plans to bring in 201 workers from China for its Murray River coal project in northern sa国际传媒, saying it couldn鈥檛 find enough Canadians qualified to work in the underground mine. Unions appealed the government鈥檚 decision to allow the company to bring in the foreign workers. In 2013, the Federal Court of sa国际传媒 upheld the government鈥檚 decision.
But the case brought attention to the program that resulted in changes, including amending the Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations so that companies cannot make knowledge of a language other than French or English a requirement when hiring through the temporary foreign workers.
The government came under more pressure when it was revealed that the Royal Bank of sa国际传媒 was planning to outsource jobs to foreign workers and lay off Canadian employees, some of whom were required to train their replacements.
The program had allowed employees to pay foreign workers 15 per cent less than the prevailing wage, but the government dropped the wage differential in April 2013. It also asked employers to extend the length and reach of job postings before applying for permits.
The issue flared again when it was alleged that the owner of three McDonald鈥檚 restaurants in the capital region had hired foreign workers in place of Canadians. Employment Minister Jason Kenney announced on April 7 that government had blacklisted the Victoria franchise and was investigating, saying the owner could face criminal charges under the Immigration Act if the investigation determined he had lied on his application to import the workers.
Similar reports surfaced across the country. McDonald鈥檚 sa国际传媒 (which severed its ties with the Victoria company and took over the operation of the three restaurants) has suspended its hiring of foreign workers and has asked for an independent audit on the use of its program.
The foreign worker program is supposed to provide relief during labour shortages, but a report released Thursday by the C.D. Howe Institute says the program has contributed to higher unemployment rates in sa国际传媒 and Alberta.
In the report, Simon Fraser University public policy professor Dominique Gross said that during the period studied, 鈥渢here was no obvious shortage of labour, especially of workers with low skill levels鈥� in sa国际传媒 and Alberta and 鈥渕aking it easier for employers there to access TFWs did increase the unemployment rate among domestic workers.鈥�
Just as businesses must compete for customers through prices and quality of service, so should they compete for employees. If Canadians are unwilling to work for low wages and few benefits, those wages and benefits should be improved, rather than exploiting hungry workers from Third World countries.
Of course those workers don鈥檛 complain. How can they? They are totally dependent upon the goodwill of the employers, vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous bosses. Few would dare say anything about wages and working conditions.
It would be sad if abuses made the temporary foreign worker program unworkable. It is needed in times of genuine labour shortages, and when specialized skills cannot be found domestically.
The government should ensure it is not used as a source of cheap and pliant labour, or an excuse for not improving pay and working conditions.
