Drawn in and left behind: the plight of temporary foreign workers in Canada

Canada has long maintained a reputation as a welcoming haven for immigrants, but recent changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) raise questions about the country’s true intentions. Rather than fostering a community where newcomers can thrive, it seems Canada is luring migrants into precarious situations, exploiting them for cheap labour, and discarding them when they are no longer deemed necessary.

The TFWP, established in 1973, was designed to let employers hire foreign nationals temporarily to address workforce shortages. Since its inception, the program has expanded and evolved to adapt to changes in Canada’s labor market needs.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently announced significant changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The announcement came at a time when anti-immigrant sentiments are growing, fueled by concerns over unemployment and affordable housing. In his address, Trudeau acknowledged the vital contributions of migrant workers to Canada’s economy, particularly in stabilizing the nation post-pandemic.

Yet, he simultaneously introduced restrictive policies for low-wage temporary foreign workers in regions with unemployment rates above 6 per cent, excluding sectors like agriculture, construction, and health care. The new regulations cap employers to hiring a maximum of 10% of their workforce through the TFWP, and the duration of low-wage temporary foreign worker contracts was shortened from two years to one.

Randy Boissonnault, Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Official Languages, announced that recent changes to the TFWP would reduce the number of low-wage temporary foreign workers by approximately 65,000, bringing it back to pre-pandemic levels. This statement is almost ironic in light of Trudeau’s previous praise for the essential role temporary foreign workers played in reviving Canada’s economy post-pandemic.

Now that the economy has stabilized, the government’s plan to reduce their numbers reveals an exploitative strategy where Canada benefits from these workers during times of need, only to discard them once they are no longer deemed necessary. These measures suggest a view of temporary foreign workers as replaceable labour and by imposing tighter work permits and limiting recruitment, the government implicitly signals a lack of long-term commitment to these workers.

Working conditions described as modern-day slavery

Many temporary foreign workers in Canada endure conditions that can only be described as exploitative. Their “temporary” status not only limits their long-term stake in Canadian society but also significantly restricts access to vital services, including health care and social safety nets. In industries like agriculture, workers often find themselves living in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions, labouring long hours in hazardous environments for meager wages.

Access to essential services like health care poses a significant barrier for migrant workers. In provinces like Nova Scotia, a one-year permit is required for public health care coverage, yet migrant workers in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program can only stay in Canada for a maximum of eight months.

The power imbalance between these workers and their employers exacerbates the situation. Many are bound by contract to a specific employer, making it nearly impossible to change jobs, even when faced with abuse or unsafe working conditions. This “closed work permit” system fosters a master-slave dynamic where employers hold nearly all the power, leaving workers vulnerable to exploitation.

During a visit to Canada, Tomoya Obokata, the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, highlighted the dire conditions faced by temporary foreign workers. Reports he received detail issues such as excessively long working hours, mandatory extracontractual tasks, exposure to hazardous environments, low pay without overtime compensation, and denial of access to health care and transportation to medical facilities.

Additionally, workers often face restricted access to social services, including newcomer assistance and language courses, and suffer from sexual harassment, intimidation, and violence from both employers and their families.

Obokata emphasized that the Canadian government does not effectively inform temporary foreign workers about their rights. Instead, it shifts the responsibility to employers, creating a clear conflict of interest. This lack of proactive information leaves workers susceptible to exploitation, relying on employers who may not have their best interests in mind.

Need for comprehensive reform

Despite their essential role in sustaining Canada’s economy, temporary foreign workers are often unfairly blamed for broader economic challenges. Rather than confronting the systemic exploitation and substandard living conditions these workers endure, policies and public discourse often scapegoat them for challenges like unemployment, pressures on social services, and housing shortages.

Rather than acknowledging its policy failures, the government continues to portray immigrants as the problem. For instance, Housing Minister Sean Fraser suggested that changes to the TFWP would reduce demand for affordable housing, implying that temporary foreign workers are partly responsible for the housing crisis. However, most temporary foreign workers occupy low-wage jobs and live in precarious conditions. They are not driving up housing prices; they are barely getting by.

The housing crisis stems from factors such as unchecked rent increases, not the presence of low-wage workers. By linking migrants to these issues, the government perpetuates harmful, xenophobic rhetoric.

The injustices faced by temporary foreign workers are not inevitable but rather the result of policy choices prioritizing economic gain over human dignity. The UN report has already exposed the human rights violations inherent in the TFWP. Instead of taking meaningful steps to protect migrant workers, Canada has chosen to reduce their numbers. Migrant workers deserve better. They deserve permanent resident status and equal rights, not to be treated as disposable labor that can be discarded when politically convenient.

Trudeau has justified these policy reforms as necessary to protect “Canadians,” yet there is little consideration for the thousands of temporary foreign workers who have been welcomed into the country. If Canada truly values its reputation as a welcoming haven for immigrants, it must focus on protecting the rights of all who live and work here, not just Canadian citizens.

Lotanna Odiyi is an international student pursuing a Master of Social Work (MSW) at Dalhousie University.