Document Details

2011-04-14

Ira Basen

CBC News

Jack Layton: "Why so many temporary foreign workers? We've got more of them coming in than immigrants."

Stephen Harper: "We have people coming who have jobs waiting for them. They almost invariably settle here. The NDP government in Manitoba wants us to bring people specifically to fill jobs. That's why we're making some of this re-orientation of the program. To make sure immigrants have work. It helps them adjust. It benefits everybody. I don't know how anyone would be against it and even your colleagues are not."

That exchange was part of a surprisingly lively discussion about immigration in the English-language leaders' debate this week.

The actual question was about multiculturalism, but except for Gilles Duceppe, who declared multiculturalism to be not appropriate for Quebec, the leaders generally chose to steer clear of that hot potato and focus on immigration policy instead.

The program that Layton queried is called the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and, according to the government's website, it: "allows eligible foreign workers to work in Canada for an authorized period of time if employers can demonstrate that they are unable to find suitable Canadians/permanent residents to fill the jobs and that the entry of these workers will not have a negative impact on the Canadian labour market."

The program began as a way to bring in high-skilled workers for specialized jobs, largely in Alberta's oil patch. It also features special programs for live-in caregivers and seasonal farm workers.

But in 2002, the Liberal government expanded it to allow employers to bring in a wide range of low-skilled foreign workers to work in the hospitality, food services, construction and manufacturing sectors.

Under the Conservatives it has expanded even more. For example, in 2006, when the current government took power, there were 160,908 foreign workers in the country. By 2010, that number had grown to 283,096.

More than immigrants

As for Layton's comment, "We've got more of them coming in than immigrants." He is correct.

In 2007 and 2008, for the first time in our history, Canada welcomed more temporary than permanent residents.

This reflects a significant change in Canada's philosophy toward immigration.

For decades, the general thrust of our immigration policy has been that, unlike most European countries, we are interested in attracting potential citizens, not workers. Our policy now more closely resembles the Europeans.

Harper: "We have people coming who have jobs waiting for them."

That's how the program is supposed to work. But in a highly critical review of the guest worker program in 2009, Auditor General Sheila Fraser discovered that there are no effective mechanisms for ensuring that the jobs workers have been promised actually exist; or if they do, that employers have complied with the terms and conditions of employment, including wages and accommodation.

"This creates risks to program integrity," Fraser wrote, "and could leave many foreign workers in a vulnerable position, particularly those who are physically or linguistically isolated from the general community or are unaware of their rights."

Harper: "They almost invariably settle here."

That, actually, is a more problematic statement as most of the growth in the temporary worker program is the result of what is called the Low-Skill Pilot Project.

Low-skilled temporary workers cannot apply for permanent residence through the federal immigration system, unless approved by the province where they are working.

The program allows unskilled workers with little education or skills to enter the country for a fixed period of time. But they are dependent on their recruiters and employers, are ineligible for government services and are therefore vulnerable to exploitation.

Because Canada lacks an effective border exit system, we don't know how many guest workers actually leave after their visas expire.

They may "settle" here, but not in a way Harper would approve.

The experience in Europe, where these programs are very popular, is that they tend to lead to the creation of a large underclass of illegal, undocumented workers who are vulnerable to exploitation and often turn to crime.

Harper: "The NDP government in Manitoba wants us to bring people specifically to fill jobs."

Harper's decision to single out the NDP premier of Manitoba may have seemed like a partisan shot at Jack Layton, but there was another reason as well.

All provinces can nominate migrant workers for landed status, but most reserve that privilege for high-skilled workers.

Manitoba has opened the Provincial Nominee Program to all migrant workers recommended by employers.

By offering workers the opportunity to achieve landed status, Manitoba has mitigated some of the temporary workers program most glaring inequities. It is the one place where Harper's description of the program is largely accurate.

Harper: "It benefits everybody. I don't know how anyone would be against it."

See above.

Agriculture and horticulture workers, Occupations in services - Domestic work, Sales and service occupations - general, Trades, transport and equipment operators and related occupations - general, Natural resources, agriculture and related production occupations - general, Labourers in food, beverage and associated products processing, Dancers, and Other

Policy analysis

Public awareness

Canada, Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Quebec, British Columbia, Other provinces, Federal, Nova Scotia, and National relevance

English