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Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is calling for the permanent abolition of Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), arguing it suppresses wages, limits youth employment, and gives companies access to cheap labour. He proposes replacing it with a more limited agricultural system and stricter regional hiring rules.
The TFWP allows employers to hire foreign workers when no qualified Canadians are available, covering sectors such as hospitality, caregiving, construction, and agriculture. Employers must first obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) to show the hire will not harm the job market.
Haldimand–Norfolk MP Leslyn Lewis says the TFWP no longer serves Canadians as intended. She argues it was meant to fill short-term, specialized gaps but is now used by some companies to rely on lower-wage labour, leaving young Canadians behind.
“This has real consequences – I’ve heard from many people in our community who have a son or daughter, a niece or nephew struggling to find a part-time job. Entry-level jobs that once helped students in communities like Haldimand–Norfolk gain experience, pay for school, and start their careers are now increasingly filled by temporary foreign workers,” Lewis said. She added that the government has issued a record number of permits, driving wages down and unemployment up.
While Conservatives propose eliminating the TFWP, Lewis stresses that agriculture would remain exempt. “We recognize that farms and greenhouses in Haldimand–Norfolk and across Canada depend on seasonal workers to produce their crops and get food to Canadians’ tables.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government argues the TFWP is vital to fill real labour shortages. They feel that recent reforms shortened LMIA validity to six months, introduced wage reviews, and capped low-wage hires to protect Canadian jobs.
Written by Jeremy Hall