70% increase in temporary Canada work visas
July 28 2009 by Matt Jones
Calgary popular with Canada work visas holders
The number of temporary foreign workers coming into Canada has increased by more than 70 percent, latest figures show.
Employment experts are worried this could squeeze out the permanent qualified immigrants and result in exploitation of temporary foreign workers.
Those on a temporary Canadian work visa are often willing to work for less than Canadians, despite the high unemployment rates.
The Canadian unemployment rate increased from 6.2 per cent a year ago to 8.6 per cent last month, but still the demand for temporary foreign workers grew in the first half of 2009.
According to Naomi Alboim, a Queens University fellow:
“An increasing proportion of those people are low-skilled people.”
Many start work in Canada as seasonal farm workers or nannies and there has been an increase in unskilled labourers, especially in Alberta. But it is unclear why demand for temporary foreign workers remains high when many of them who already live in Canada have lost their jobs.
Jason Keeney, the Canadian immigration minister said:
"I expected to see a decline, I was quite surprised to actually see demand for temporary foreign workers.”
He went on to say that rather than squeeze out the permanent skilled workers, the more highly skilled temporary workers will eventually stay, benefiting the country.
A further possible reason for the demand for temporary foreign workers is that they are often willing to live in a low status accommodation for a few months while they earn some money, whereas permanently recruited immigrants often live in houses and so are less flexible.
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