Temporary Foreign Worker Program in Canada

This article discusses the Temporary Foreign Worker Program in Canada, which allows employers to hire foreign workers for temporary labor shortages. It covers different streams and policies for hiring foreign workers, including the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Low Skilled Worker Pilot Program. The article also discusses the impact of foreign workers on the labor market and the challenges faced by non-status workers.

Sociology

Table of Contents
Part 1..........................................................................................................................................2
Question 2...............................................................................................................................2
Part 2..........................................................................................................................................3
Question 4...............................................................................................................................3
References..................................................................................................................................6
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Part 1
Question 2
The global migration rates have been increasing rapidly over the past half a century. For the
natives, the departure of people from all over the globe raises a concern about the "Brain
Drain". On the other hand, it is also good for a nation; it may increase the money and
knowledge coming from the different corner of the world. And it can boost the economy
state. The migration rate of Canada is 5.7 migrant(s)/1,000 populations. As per the survey
more than 20% of the population is not born in Canada. There is a wage gap found which
indicates how immigrants are being treated in the labour market of Canada. The wage gap is
something which indicates the difference in earning (Reitz, 2014). The wage structure
represents a type of human capital factors which include experience, tenure and education.
Demographic characteristics like marital status and number of children are also a part of
wage structure apart from these job characteristics also come under wage structure. The wage
gap helps to identify the difference of earning between immigrants and the Canadian born
similar human capital. This is a growing concern and also in a question why this gap exists
and what are the steps being taken to minimize it. It is noticed that the immigrants struggle
more than the Canadian born people for employment. And also immigrants earn less than the
Canadian born people. The immigrants also suffer more in economic crisis.
It is found that after a change in the admission policy for the Post-secondary education,
resulted in a higher number of immigrants with Post-secondary education. Despite that
immigration faces more difficulties in getting a job in Canada. There is a long history of
Canada's labour movement which was to make improvement in the daily life of workers.
They fought and won which an enable many rights being enjoyed many of the workers today.
The labour movement emphasizes the need of the workers and to protect common interest.
For those immigrants who were working in the industrial sector arranged labour unions for
better payment, safe and reasonable working condition, overtime pay, vacation, protection
from harassment and discrimination (Reitz, 2001). The labour movement also focused on
child labour and put efforts to stop it and also worked to provide health benefits and fast aid
facilities for the workers who were injured or retired. Today the labour union is working hard
to protect their rights which have been gained by them. The social union is not just focused to
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protect the rights which they have got but they are also fighting for other rights like child
labour, pensions, social activities which will help the worker to keep working.
The workforce of Canada has changed significantly over the past decade as migrant workers
have increased rapidly. Despite many other consequences, the changes brought by the labour
union forced the Canadian trade union to think twice regarding the traditional approaches to
representing to those members who are migrating workers. Canada has become the most
developed nation and it has a well-established program to regulate the use of migrant workers
(Reitz & Verma, 2004). This program is known as Temporary Foreign Program (TFWP). The
history of immigration labour was barely stellar. An anti-immigrant was adopted just before
World War ll for newcomers of Canada. The European Union has been meeting the question
demand for migrant labour from a long time, which gave a little direction to Canadian Union.
There are multiple unions who work with employers to make relationship smooth between
migrant labour and employer. The Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) is known
for its mutual approach between labour and employer. Canada Employment and Immigration
Union (CEIU) is Canada's labour union, which has more than 18,000 members in all
Canadian Province and Territory. Customs and Immigration Union (CIU) is a part of the
Public Service Alliance of Canada. UFCW is Canada's local union who support thousands of
members came as Temporary Foreign Workers. UFCW is the largest union in Canada who
has a huge number of migrant and temporary foreign workers.
The immigration level of Canada has been increased very high from when the Mulroney
government has welcomed and opened the door more widely in the mid of 1980. More than
250,000 immigrants and 113,000 temporary workers had come in 2006. Allowing such a
large number of permanent and temporary people to get involved in the labour market of
Canada bring fear inside the Canadian born workers. It affects the labour force, participation
rats, unemployment rates and employment rats of the immigrants (Frenette & Morisette,
2003). The immigrant's wages and incomes can also be included which shows the indirect
effects on the high amount of immigrants labour supply on the labour market of outcomes of
the native people. This is all created by the entry of numerous numbers of immigrants and
temporary foreign workers. Until 1980 the new immigrants and the foreign workers had
started earning about 80% of the equivalent wage of the native. And later it moved to up to
and then beyond. Unemployment has increased as the huge number of immigrants and
foreign workers had started to join the labour market of Canada. Now it is required to
improve the labour market for the immigrants, in 1994 the skilled immigrations admitted on
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the behalf of their qualifications were grown and Family Class admitted on the behalf of their
relationship with Canadian people was decreased (Hunt & Rayside, 2000). This was
implemented in 2002 when the system of the point has been changed and the number of
points could be awarded with a trade certificate or with a second degree. On the other hand,
the fewer points could help to get experience. It was very effective; the changes brought an
increment of the skilled class of immigration and relative for the family class, also a huge
increase in the education level of immigrants.
Part 2
Question 4
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program allows employers in Canada to higher foreign
workers for filling skill and temporary labour shortages when qualified permanent residents
or Canadian citizens are not available. The TFWP is being managed jointly by CIC and
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. The employers need a labour market
opinion from HRSDC for hiring a foreign worker. TFWP enables employers to recruit
workers from outside country if they are not being able to recruit permanent residents or
Canadian citizens (Martin, 2010). TFWP can be broken down into a grouping of high and
less skilled occupations. For granting a work permit in any situation, a job offer needs to be
extended and HRSDC should issue a positive labour market opinion which is needed for
some types of workers and jobs. The labour market opinion is needed for protecting the
permanent citizens from the foreign competition. The employer should guarantee that the
permanent citizen is not doing the following job. An investigation is carried out by HRSDC
for the availability of permanent citizens for filling the position. It is also investigated that the
occupational wages and standards to the TFW. Immigration Canada, citizenship and HRSDC
renders labour market opinion and can issue the work permit.
The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program enables employers for hiring temporary foreign
workers for 8 months each year for dealing with the shortage in Canada in the agricultural
sector. The agreement between Jamaica and Canada has expanded to cover Mexico and other
Caribbean nations. Except for Labrador and Newfoundland, the majority of workers in all the
provinces are currently employed in this program in Ontario. The employers have provided
other services apart from minimum work standards such as housing. The Foreign Domestic
Movement was created for the temporary domestic workers in the country. Under this
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program, the workers are children, disabled or elderly and should live their home where they
are working (Martin, 2007). The Low skilled Worker Pilot Program enables the employers
for hiring workers for the low skilled occupations that need two years of experience or
diploma. The high skilled workers in professional and managerial occupations and skilled
trades and technical occupations can be recruited for meeting the shortages of short-term
labour.
The total number of temporary foreign workers can be determined and evaluated on the basis
of its flow each year. In Canada, approximately 100000 temporary foreign workers were
there in 1984. The increased because of the expansionary stage of the business cycle but
decreased in the early 1980s. It increased slowing in the mid-1990s and rose tremendously
after 2003. In the early 2000s, it increased about 180000 to more than 350000 in the year
2008 (Sweetman & Warman, 2010). The flow is based on the business cycle. There were
145000 in number in the year 2008. In 2004, there was a huge demand for foreign labour in
the country. The numbers of temporary foreign workers have been increased over the past 25
years but it is falling considerably because of the increase in the unemployment rate, a
decrease in labour in the market and recession.
The former male temporary foreign worker mostly entered as the skilled principal worker
applications (85%). The female temporary foreign worker also enters as the skilled workers.
The breakdown splits between the spouses and dependents (43.6%) and principal applicants
(43.6%). The skilled principal worker applications depicted best result in the labour market
among the new immigrants. It is being found that the male temporary foreign workers get
better employment and they earn a good amount of money relative to the individuals with the
Canadian no pre-immigration human capital (Reitz & Verma, 2004). The past four-year
examination has depicted the following result that males are more benefited after landing into
the country. However, the former female temporary female workers also had better results
but the benefit was not as significant as it is being experienced by male temporary foreign
workers. More than 90000 TFE are being employed by employers each year in Canada.
The non-status workers do have the legal immigration status in Canada on a permanent or
temporary basis. It happens when an individual stays in the country even after expiry of work
permit, study or visa. The individuals in such circumstances are vulnerable and have limited
access to social programs. The non-status individuals hesitate in exercising their rights in case
of abuse of violence because they might be informed to the federal authorities (Hennebry,
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2010). Thus, in this situation, an individual seeks help from the organization that can provide
legal counsel or rights. The non-status worker faces many problems in Canada because they
are not allowed legally to work. In some cases, the non-status individuals get a work permit.
The employer has to pay at least the same wage as the Canadian resident received to the
temporary foreign workers for working the same position. The employees are hired in two
streams that are a stream for the positions of low wage and stream for the positions of high
wage. The employers need to provide affordable and suitable housing to the low wage
temporary foreign workers. The transportation cost also needs to be covered by the employer.
The health insurance also needs to be provided to the low wage temporary foreign workers.
The temporary foreign workers have supported the economy of Canada very strongly. The
government of Canada has also taken significant steps for the management of the job
environment for the foreign workers within the country. They have contributed their efforts to
the development of the economy. The job situation for the temporary foreign worker is
appropriate Canada but the non-status workers are facing issues. The temporary foreign
worker program has also been implemented appropriately for the welfare of the temporary
foreign workers.
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References
Gerald Hunt and David Rayside, Labor Union Response to Diversity in Canada and the
United States, Industrial Relations, 39, 3: 2000, pp. 401-417, 434-444.
http://journals2.scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/pdf/00198676/
v39i0003/401_lurtdicatus.xml
Jeffrey G. Reitz and Anil Verma, "Immigration, Race, and Labor: Unionization and Wages in
the Canadian Labor Market," Industrial Relations 43, 4 (October 2004) 835-54.
http://journals2.scholarsportal.info.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/pdf/00198676/
v43i0004/835_iraluawitclm.xml
Jeffrey G. Reitz, “Canada: new initiatives and approaches to immigration and nation-
building,” pp. 88-116 in Controlling Immigration: Global Perspectives, 3rd edition,
eds. J. Hollifield, P.L. Martin, P.M. Orrenius, Stanford CA: Stanford University Press,
2014.
Jeffrey G. Reitz, “Terms of Entry: Social Institutions and Immigrant Earnings in American,
Canadian and Australian Cities,” pp. 50-81 in Globalization and the New City:
Migrants, Minorities and Urban Transformations in Comparative Perspective, ed. by
M. Cross & R. Moore. Houndmills, UK: Palgrave Macmillan, 2001.
Jenna Hennebry, “Not Just a Few Bad Applies: Vulnerability, Health, and Temporary
Migration in Canada, Canadian Issues, Spring 2010, pp. 73-77.
http://search.proquest.com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/docview/610779561/
fulltextPDF/1447EA381E5D487FPQ/1 7?accountid=14771
Marc Frenette, and Rene Morisette, “Will They Ever Converge? Earnings of Immigrant and
Canadian-born Workers over the Last Two Decades.” (Analytical Studies Branch
Research Paper Series, Catalogue no. 11F0019MIE – No. 215). Ottawa: Statistics
Canada, 2003. http://envision.ca/pdf/w2w/11F0019MIE2003215.pdf
Martin, P. (2007). Temporary Worker Programs: U.S. And Global Experiences (1st ed.).
Canada.
Phil Martin, “Temporary Worker Programs: U.S. and Global Experiences,” Canadian Issues,
Spring 2010, pp. 122-28.
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http://search.proquest.com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/docview/610781587/
fulltextPDF/1447EA381E5D487FPQ/2 8?accountid=14771
Reitz, J., & Verma, A. (2004). Immigration, Race, and Labor: Unionization and Wages in the
Canadian Labor Market (1st ed.). USA: Blackwell Publishing.
Sweetman, A., & Warman, C. (2010). Canada’s Temporary Foreign Workers Programs (1st
ed.). Canada: Canadian Issues / Thèmes canadiens.
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