Federal move to lower temporary foreign worker numbers could be boon for young Albertans seeking jobs
CTV
Ottawa's announcement Monday that it will tighten restrictions to limit the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers in the country should be a boon for young Albertans looking for work, says an Edmonton-based economist.
Ottawa's announcement Monday that it will tighten restrictions to limit the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers in the country should be a boon for young Albertans looking for work, says an Edmonton-based economist.
The federal government is bringing back pre-pandemic rules that made it harder for businesses to hire low-wage workers from abroad.
Speaking to reporters at the Liberal cabinet retreat in Halifax on Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his government loosened the rules to help businesses that were facing labour shortages recover from the pandemic.
But the economic situation is different now, he said, and Canada "no longer needs as many temporary foreign workers."
"We need Canadian businesses to invest in training and technology and not increasing their reliance on low-cost foreign labour," Trudeau said.
"It's not fair to Canadians struggling to find a good job, and it's not fair to those temporary foreign workers, some of whom are being mistreated and exploited."
Provincial statistics last month showed unemployment for Albertans aged 15 to 24 was more than 14 per cent, compared to an overall unemployment rate of 7.1 per cent.
