Trouble for Nigerians and others after Canada announces plans to reduce foreign workers

The Canadian government has announced that it will accept fewer foreign workers starting September 26, 2024.

In a tweet on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the country would reduce the number of visas for temporary workers (TFWs).

“We are reducing the number of low-wage foreign workers in Canada. The labour market has changed. Now is the time for our companies to invest in Canadian workers and young people,” he said.

The Canadian Ministry of Labour also stated that the TFW was designed as a measure that would only be used when vacancies could not be filled by qualified Canadians and permanent residents of Canada.

“Unfortunately, the TFW program has been used to bypass the recruitment of talented workers in Canada,” the ESDC said.

Under the new changes, employers will not be allowed to hire more than 10 percent of their total workforce through the TFW program.

Exceptions will be granted for seasonal and non-seasonal jobs in the food security sectors (primary agriculture, food processing and fish processing), as well as in health and construction.

The maximum period of employment for low-wage workers will also be reduced from two to one year.

“Employers in Canada have a responsibility to invest in the full range of workers available in this country, including young people, newcomers and people with disabilities, who too often represent an untapped economic resource in Canada,” the statement said.

“They must also invest in retraining and upskilling to ensure their current workforce can adapt to the economy of the future.”

Labour Minister Randy Boissonnault said the changes would give preferential treatment to Canadian workers and ensure that Canadians can have confidence that the TFW program will meet the needs of the economy.

“The temporary foreign worker program was designed to address shortages in the labour market when qualified Canadians cannot fill those positions. Right now, we know there are more qualified Canadians to fill vacancies,” the ESDC quoted Boissonnault as saying.

The changes will come into effect on September 26.

Nigerians, Indians and people from other developing countries form a large block of this emigrate to Canada to work and study.