Latest news with #temporaryforeignworkers

CTV News
21-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Quebec manufacturers fear ‘catastrophic autumn' due to declining foreign worker numbers
The flight simulator assembly plant is seen at the CAE facility in Montreal, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press) The decline in the number of temporary foreign workers is worrying Quebec's manufacturing sector, which fears a 'catastrophic autumn' for the workers and businesses affected. 'It's really one minute to midnight because people are starting to leave,' said Julie White, president and CEO of Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters (MEQ), in an interview on Monday. 'When you don't know if you'll be able to work in the fall, you might decide to leave.' She is asking Prime Minister Mark Carney to grant grandfathering rights to workers already in Canada. 'We are asking the federal government to allow these workers to stay in Quebec,' said White. 'They already have housing. They are already here. They are working. They are paying taxes.' Since the spring, the business community has been increasingly vocal in its opposition to the tightening of criteria for access to temporary foreign workers. Previously, companies could only hire 20 per cent of low-wage temporary foreign workers. This threshold has been lowered to 10 per cent. Companies could lose workers who are essential to their smooth operation if nothing is done quickly. According to White, this tightening is 'putting a spoke in the wheel' for companies that are already dealing with an uncertain economic environment in the wake of the trade war. MEQ cites revenue losses if companies are unable to recruit the necessary workforce. 'There is a lot of nervousness on the part of businesses, and a lot of misunderstanding about what is happening.' In Quebec, a worker earning less than $34.62 per hour is considered low-paid, according to the terms established by the federal government based on the median wage. This threshold does not take into account the reality of several regions, lamented White. 'It must be understood that, in several regions, $34 is much higher than the average income. So, this creates difficulties,' she said. White said that she has the ear of Quebec elected officials in the Carney government, but things are not moving fast enough for her liking. 'It's good to be listened to, but we need to be able to make a difference. We don't feel that Ottawa shares the same sense of urgency that we have in the regions of Quebec right now.' The office of Employment and Families Minister Patty Hajdu defended the changes, which are intended to 'reduce Canadian employers' dependence on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).' 'To be clear, the TFWP is designed as an extraordinary measure to be used to fill critical employment gaps, only when qualified Canadians and permanent residents are unable to fill the vacancies,' insisted the minister's attaché, Jennifer Kozelj. 'It does not replace Canadian talent and is contingent on ensuring that steps have been taken to recruit Canadian workers,' she added. 'Now is the perfect time to invest in Canadian talent.' Kozelj declined to comment on whether adjustments would be made to meet the demands of the business community. White responded that foreign workers are necessary for manufacturers, as the local workforce is scarce and many workers are approaching retirement. 'If there were local workers, manufacturing companies would hire them,' she said. Recruiting foreign workers involves costs and administrative procedures, which White estimates at approximately $15,000 per temporary worker. 'It takes time and investment,' she emphasized. 'It's not a simple solution. We don't do it because it's easier.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on July 21, 2025.


CBC
21-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Quebec manufacturers urging Ottawa to let temporary foreign workers already here stay
Manufacturing businesses in Quebec are calling on the federal government to allow temporary foreign workers already employed in the province to stay and continue working in the industry. In September of last year, the federal government capped companies' ability to hire low-wage temporary foreign workers at 10 per cent of their workforce compared to 30 per cent previously. It also limited contracts for these positions to one year. According to Manufacturers and Exporters of Quebec (MEQ) president Julie White, this is not sustainable for the factories in Quebec's regions that are starting to see the consequences of these changes to the temporary foreign worker program. "We anticipate that the fall might be catastrophic for many manufacturers if we don't review the rules that were announced last fall," she said. Hundreds of temporary foreign workers are already packing up and leaving the province because their permits have expired and their employers can't renew them, she said. Some are leaving despite their permits still being valid for a few months because they aren't confident that their contracts will be renewed when the time comes. Despite support from the provincial government and conversations with the federal government, federal Jobs Minister Patty Hajdu is too slow to act, says the MEQ. Ottawa aiming to reduce 'dependence' on program In an emailed statement to Radio Canada, Hajdu's press secretary Jennifer Kozelj said the government was "committed to reducing the dependence of Canadian employers on the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP)." "To be clear, the TFWP is designed as an extraordinary measure to be used to fill critical employment gaps, only when qualified Canadians and permanent residents are unable to fill the vacancies," she wrote. "Now is the ideal time to invest in Canadian talent." But the MEQ said Canadian workers can't fill the gap. "We are in an extraordinary situation," said White, noting that the current trade war is already weakening the manufacturing sector, on top of a labour shortage. "The businesses that go and recruit TFWs [temporary foreign workers] don't do it because it's easy or fun… they don't have a choice." There are 11,000 vacant job positions in manufacturing in Quebec, according to the Institut de la statistique du Québec. "What we want from the federal government is the sensibility to our specific needs here in Quebec," said White, adding that she was disappointed with their statement. The MEQ wants Ottawa to grant the industry a special privilege that would allow temporary foreign workers already working in Quebec's manufacturing sector to stay in the province and continue working. It's something Quebec Immigration Minister Jean-François Roberge has supported, said White. In a statement to Radio-Canada, Roberge's office said that maintaining a level of temporary foreign workers in certain regions was important for manufacturers facing labour challenges. It encouraged the federal government to "concentrate its reduction efforts in the Montreal and Laval regions," said spokesperson William Demers. White says the federal government needs to act fast to grant the exemption and let workers stay so Quebec's manufacturing can continue to function. Even having a few temporary workers missing can affect entire production lines, she says. "If you lose 10, 15, 20, 25 workers in a matter of a couple of weeks and you don't have the capacity to find more, businesses won't be able to be productive," she said.


Associated Press
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
CLASS ACTION AUTHORIZED AGAINST CANADA ALLEGING UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OF 'EMPLOYER-TYING MEASURES"(1) IMPOSED ON TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS, INCLUDING EMPLOYER-SPECIFIC OR 'CLOSED' WORK PERMITS
MONTREAL, June 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - On September 13, 2024, the Superior Court of Québec authorized the Association for the Rights of Household and Farm Workers to institute a class action against the Attorney General of Canada. The Association argues that 'employer-tying measures"1 imposed on temporary foreign workers2, including employer-specific work permits or 'closed' work permits, breach sections 7 and 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Association asks that certain provisions of the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations be declared unconstitutional, and that Charter damages (monetary compensation) be paid to all members of the class action. The Attorney General of Canada contests the merits of the class action, which will be determined by a trial to be scheduled at a later time. A person is automatically a member of this class action IF they worked in Canada after April 17, 1982 without having been a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada at the time, AND IF they meet at least one (1) of the following conditions: They were issued a work permit which included the condition of working for a specific employer (or group of employers) or at a specific employer's workplace (or group of workplaces): They meet this condition if they were hired through the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP), the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) or the Non-Immigrant Employment Authorization Program (NIEAP). They also meet this condition if they were hired through the International Mobility Program (IMP) or another immigration stream or program and their work permit included the condition of working for a specific employer (or group of employers) or at a specific employer's workplace (or group of workplaces). OR They were authorized to work in Canada without a work permit because they were employed by a foreign entity on a short-term basis, or because they were employed in a personal capacity by an individual who was not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This category: includes domestic workers, personal assistants or caregivers (nannies or au pair) who entered Canada along with their employers, or to join their employers for a short-term in Canada; includes accredited domestic workers employed in a personal capacity by certain foreign representatives, such as ambassadors, high commissioners, heads of international organizations, special representatives, or individuals occupying similar positions; does not include individuals who were employed by a foreign State or other foreign entity to work at an embassy, a high commission, a consulate, a permanent delegation to a United Nations agency, or a special representative office; does not include individuals employed by the United Nations, its agencies or an international organization of which Canada is a member. Individuals who meet those criteria are automatically included in the class action. They are not required to do anything further to become members of the class action. They will never have to pay legal costs arising from the class action. If a person does not want to be included in the class action, they may opt out of the class action by August 27, 2025 at 4:30 PM at the latest. The means of opting out and the consequences of doing so are explained in the detailed notice to members of the class action: 1 The Attorney General of Canada contests the qualification of the challenged provisions as 'employer-tying measures', which comes from the Association's allegations and the authorization judgment . 2 Sometimes referred to as migrant workers. View original content: SOURCE Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
CLASS ACTION AUTHORIZED AGAINST CANADA ALLEGING UNCONSTITUTIONALITY OF "EMPLOYER-TYING MEASURES"(1) IMPOSED ON TEMPORARY FOREIGN WORKERS, INCLUDING EMPLOYER-SPECIFIC OR "CLOSED" WORK PERMITS
MONTREAL, June 28, 2025 /CNW/ - On September 13, 2024, the Superior Court of Québec authorized the Association for the Rights of Household and Farm Workers to institute a class action against the Attorney General of Canada. The Association argues that "employer-tying measures"1 imposed on temporary foreign workers2, including employer-specific work permits or "closed" work permits, breach sections 7 and 15(1) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Association asks that certain provisions of the Canadian Immigration and Refugee Protection Regulations be declared unconstitutional, and that Charter damages (monetary compensation) be paid to all members of the class action. The Attorney General of Canada contests the merits of the class action, which will be determined by a trial to be scheduled at a later time. A person is automatically a member of this class action IF they worked in Canada after April 17, 1982 without having been a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada at the time, AND IF they meet at least one (1) of the following conditions: They were issued a work permit which included the condition of working for a specific employer (or group of employers) or at a specific employer's workplace (or group of workplaces): They meet this condition if they were hired through the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP), the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) or the Non-Immigrant Employment Authorization Program (NIEAP). They also meet this condition if they were hired through the International Mobility Program (IMP) or another immigration stream or program and their work permit included the condition of working for a specific employer (or group of employers) or at a specific employer's workplace (or group of workplaces). OR They were authorized to work in Canada without a work permit because they were employed by a foreign entity on a short-term basis, or because they were employed in a personal capacity by an individual who was not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident. This category: includes domestic workers, personal assistants or caregivers (nannies or au pair) who entered Canada along with their employers, or to join their employers for a short-term in Canada; includes accredited domestic workers employed in a personal capacity by certain foreign representatives, such as ambassadors, high commissioners, heads of international organizations, special representatives, or individuals occupying similar positions; does not include individuals who were employed by a foreign State or other foreign entity to work at an embassy, a high commission, a consulate, a permanent delegation to a United Nations agency, or a special representative office; does not include individuals employed by the United Nations, its agencies or an international organization of which Canada is a member. Individuals who meet those criteria are automatically included in the class action. They are not required to do anything further to become members of the class action. They will never have to pay legal costs arising from the class action. If a person does not want to be included in the class action, they may opt out of the class action by August 27, 2025 at 4:30 PM at the latest. The means of opting out and the consequences of doing so are explained in the detailed notice to members of the class action: 1 The Attorney General of Canada contests the qualification of the challenged provisions as "employer-tying measures", which comes from the Association's allegations and the authorization judgment. 2 Sometimes referred to as migrant workers. View original content: SOURCE Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP View original content:


CBC
19-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Alberta companies ordered to repay almost $165K to temporary foreign workers
Two Alberta-based companies are appealing Ontario labour ministry decisions that say they charged temporary foreign workers tens of thousands of dollars to be placed in retail jobs at a Canadian Tire. The companies were ordered to repay almost $165,000. Some of the workers were originally from the Philippines but ended up at a Canadian Tire in Etobicoke, Ont. Though they said they each paid up to $7,900 US to an Alberta company to get the position, once they got the jobs, they say they were underpaid and poorly treated. Many of the workers quit and found jobs in Atlantic Canada and other provinces around the country. An employment standards officer from the Ontario Ministry of Labour conducted an investigation following a series of complaints from workers in October 2023. The ministry issued repayment orders on May 14 against Allison Jones Consulting and AJ Immigration Group in eight cases. Both companies share an owner, Allison Jones, and a common address in St. Albert, Alta. "We trust the appeal process and are committed to a fair and accurate resolution based on a complete review of the facts," she wrote. One of the workers who received the recent decision was Rowell Pailan, who previously shared his story with CBC News from his home in Wolfville, N.S. Pailan says he came to Canada in 2023 after being offered a position as a stock clerk supervisor at an Ontario Canadian Tire. However, paystubs he showed CBC News indicated that while he started being paid at the wage in his contract, his wages were later reduced, making it challenging for him to pay his bills and provide for his family in the Philippines. He says he got the position after he paid the fee to Jones' company using money borrowed from family members. The Ontario Labour Ministry's employment standards officer said Jones should repay Pailan $10,655.52 in Canadian dollars, the calculated equivalent of the $7,900 US he paid in 2022, plus a ten per cent administration fee. "I [was] so happy and teary-eyed, because finally I got justice," he said in a phone interview. "Maybe they [were] thinking that they can do whatever they want, because we are eager to come into Canada," Pailan said, adding that he wants to send a message that people should not "take advantage" of temporary foreign workers. "We didn't have any idea about the amount in regards to the immigration fee, or whatever it is to come into Canada." Companies acted together, decision says It's illegal under federal and Ontario law for a recruiter to charge a foreign worker for a job placement; the recruiter is supposed to be paid by the employer. However, it is legal to charge a fee for immigration advice or assistance with immigration paperwork. In the written decision issued to Pailan and reviewed by CBC News, a lawyer for the two companies told the employment standards officer that Allison Jones Consulting and AJ Immigration are "separate and independent" companies, each with their own branding and invoicing. The lawyer told the officer that Allison Jones Consulting charged Canadian Tire for recruiting services, while AJ Immigration Group was a separate entity that provided immigration services to the foreign workers and charged them fees for these services. This did not convince employment standards officer Charles Beauparlant, who concluded the fees were not legal because both companies were related. He found they shared "common management" in the owner, Allison Jones. "It does not change the fact that both businesses functioned as one comprehensive and unified business," Beauparlant wrote in his decision in Pailan's case. Jones' position, according to the lawyer, was that she is the "directing mind" behind the recruitment company, but not the other company as she "does not participate in the day-to-day operation of AJ Immigration." In her email to CBC News, Jones re-stated her position. "We respectfully disagree with the findings and with the characterization of these two companies — Allison Jones Consulting Services Inc. and AJ Immigration Group Inc. — as a 'unified business,' " she wrote. "Each is a distinct legal entity, and both maintain that their respective practices fully comply with applicable legislation." Beauparlant found that evidence like employee emails and information on Jones' two business websites showed both companies were sharing employees and that Jones was the "controlling mind" behind both. He also noted that Jones was described as the leader of both companies in a sentence on the website for Allison Jones Consulting that read: "She has successfully led the companies since inception creating one of Canada's leading recruitment agencies and immigration consultancies." As well, Beauparlant wrote, "having AJ Immigration Group Inc. collect fees through a retainer agreement after each phase of recruitment demonstrates not only their involvement but further confirms that AJ Immigration was assisting in the process of finding the claimant employment." Pailan previously told CBC News that he had to pay in three stages. The officer issued identical orders to both of Jones' companies, but the Ontario Labour Ministry told CBC News the intent was that the companies should repay Pailan "jointly," not twice over. The ministry also fined Allison Jones Consulting $250 for each of the eight cases, totalling $2,000. 'An affront to our entire system' Chris Ramsaroop is an instructor at the University of Toronto and an organizer with Justice for Migrant Workers, which supported Pailan's case. He says it concerns him that workers must be the ones to ensure the process is followed. "There's an expectation that [the workers] need to come forward, rather than the province or the federal government taking steps to protect the interests of workers," he said. "This is an affront to our entire system — this is disgusting." Ramsaroop feels temporary foreign workers like Pailan are in extremely vulnerable positions, and placing the onus on them to pursue the case to the next level when there is an appeal is a high burden. Pailan says he worries that he won't get the money back after an appeal. "That amount is not a joke, it's totally big," he said, adding that he's trying to repay his relatives who lent him the money. Ramsaroop noted that temporary foreign workers are often tied to a single job by virtue of the closed-permit system, which makes their position in Canada vulnerable. "These injustices will continue as a result of a system where we have workers tied to a particular employer," he said. WATCH | Why this professor believes closed permit system should end: HR professor on why closed work permit system should end 8 months ago Duration 2:39 Canadian Tire store still under investigation The Ontario Ministry of Labour confirmed it's also investigating complaints against the Canadian Tire store where the workers were employed, but the case is still open. There is a separate federal investigation underway by Employment and Social Development Canada into that Canadian Tire, but as of early June, it wasn't complete either. The store owner, Ezhil Natarajan, previously told CBC News he "vehemently denies" all the allegations against him. Canadian Tire Corporation made a policy change in the fall of 2024 to prohibit its stores from using recruiters that charge fees to temporary foreign workers. The corporation said it made the decision together with its dealers, who own franchised stores and make their own hiring decisions.