Canada will reduce the entry of workers temporary foreigners under a package of stricter rules announced on Monday, as part of a change of course in its generous immigration policy.
The rules reinstate a ban on granting permits to temporary foreign workers for low-wage jobs in cities with an unemployment rate of 6% or higher.
Canada has recently recorded its largest population growth in more than half a century, driven by immigration.
As the country’s population exceeded 40 million peoplethere was an increase in unemployment.
Immigration rules must make “sense in today’s economy for Canadians, but also for the labour market, which continues to contract,” Immigration Minister Marc Miller said at a news conference.
“We will not hesitate to take additional measures if necessary,” he added.
Ottawa had agreed to demands from businesses to increase access to the temporary foreign worker program as companies struggled to fill job vacancies when the economy took off following Covid-19 pandemic restrictions.
The government responded by nearly doubling the number of temporary foreign workers admitted to the country and expanding its rules to allow work in sectors such as fast food. Previously, most worked in the agricultural industry.
But Canada’s unemployment rate last year rose to 6.4% and population growth put intense pressure on housing and social services.
“We want to make sure Canadians have access to those jobs” and root out abuses in the temporary foreign worker program, said Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault.
Among the new rules announced Monday, permits for low-wage jobs will be issued for only one year, instead of two years. The agriculture, health care and construction sectors will be exempt.
The new rules will come into force on September 26.
