Will the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Include More Rights and Pathways to Permanency for Workers?

On April 6, 2022 Senator Omidvar asked Senator Gold, the Government Representative in the Senate, when the Temporary Foreign Worker Program will include more rights and protections for workers, including pathways to permanent residency.

Hon. Ratna Omidvar: Honourable senators, my question is for the Government Representative in the Senate.

Senator Gold, yesterday or the day before, employers received a magnificent gift with the very rapid expansion of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Employers experiencing talent shortages in a number of sectors, such as agriculture, will be able to hire more temporary foreign workers more easily and for longer periods of time. These changes come into effect immediately or at the end of April. However, what is notably absent is the accompanying acceleration of protections for workers. Despite ample evidence of problems in the last two years, the government is at this point choosing to consult more. When will the expansion of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program include more rights and protections for workers? Why the delay?

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for the question. It is an important one. As we all know, temporary foreign workers have played a very important role in ensuring our food security and the stability of it, and they deserve to be safe. As you pointed out, there were far too many examples in the last few years of employers falling short of their responsibilities. That’s why I am advised that the government is ensuring that employers are prepared to safely welcome workers through working with the provinces; ensuring that employers meet program obligations to strengthen inspections; improving the temporary foreign workers tip line to provide services in multiple languages; providing direct assistance to workers through migrant worker organizations and responding to quickly to emerging issues through coordination with its partners.

With all of that said, the government knows there is still much more work to do, and that’s why the government is committing to strengthening its integrity measures further to ensure that temporary foreign workers work in a safe and decent environment.

Senator Omidvar: Thank you, Senator Gold, for that update. It is encouraging.

Buried in the announcement was a tiny line that the government will consider providing pathways to permanency for temporary foreign workers, or as I like to call them, essential workers. These are essential workers. I will remind us all that this chamber unanimously passed a motion last year, I think, to provide pathways to permanency for these essential workers. But the government is moving slowly on this promise. Will those in so-called low-skilled sectors have an easier path to permanency soon, or should Canadians simply accept that this program is class-based?

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question. I think what Canadians should accept — and I hope understand, as I will try to elaborate in my answer — is that Canada is working on many fronts to address this important issue. Indeed, the government has chosen to focus its efforts on ensuring that our immigration plans support our economic growth in this post-pandemic era and our economic resurgence. To ensure Canada has the workers it needs to fill crucial labour market gaps, the government’s 2022-2024 Immigration Levels Plan aims to continue welcoming immigrants at an historic rate, including 431,645 permanent residents in 2022.

Honourable senators, last year, the government launched three new pathways for international graduates, workers in health care and workers in other essential sectors. The government has also created a new pathway to permanent residency for asylum claimants working in health care during the pandemic. It also introduced the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot and Agri-Food Pilot, and the government is working with provinces, territories, business groups and municipalities to develop a new municipal nominee program.