Despite the widespread reports of abuse in Canada’s temporary foreign worker programme that have appeared in Canadian media over the past 12 months, a new survey reveals that the majority of Canadians still support the programme.
The survey, carried out by Harris/Decima on behalf of Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), found that 57 per cent of Canadians strongly or somewhat support the temporary foreign worker programme, while just 32 per cent said that they were opposed to it.
In spite of this support, 68 per cent of respondents agreed that employers did abuse the program by not doing enough to recruit Canadians; a claim that only 19 per cent disagreed with.
When asked whether the programme should be reformed or abolished, 58 per cent said it should be reformed while about one in three favoured abolition.
The temporary foreign worker programme is currently being overhauled following the aforementioned abuse claims, whereby some employers have been accused at brining in cheap foreign labour at the expense of suitably qualified Canadian workers.
The programme is only supposed to be used by employers who can demonstrate a specific need for overseas workers and prove that there are no local Canadians suitably qualified for the position.
In 2013, there were an estimated 83,740 work permits awarded to temporary foreign workers.
Article published 15th December 2014