On Monday, the second day of the cabinet retreat, Mr Trudeau declared that his team was battling out their autumn agenda.
Canada is struggling with a rapidly expanding population, which has put a strain on services like healthcare. The government is taking proactive steps to address these challenges.
According to national statistics, immigration was crucial in navigating Canada’s population expansion of nearly 97 percent in 2023.
Mr Trudeau and his administration have faced significant criticism for their immigration policies, which have been seen as expanding immigration without adequately strengthening services or building accommodations.
At the same time, Canada’s lack of job rate has elevated to 6.4 percent in the past 60 days, with a calculated 1.4 million individuals unemployed across the nation.
During a press conference, Mr. Trudeau emphasized the need for fairness in the labor market. He declared an overhaul to the temporary foreign employee scheme, stating, “It is not fair to Canadian citizens struggling to find employment, and it is not fair to those temporary international employees, some of whom are being mistreated and exploited.” This commitment to fairness is at the heart of the government’s actions.
The temporary foreign worker scheme enables employers in Canada to employ international citizens to take over temporary employment when eligible Canadian citizens are not obtainable.
The temporary foreign worker scheme has come under fire from labor supporters and, most recently, the United Nations. In a scathing report, the UN described the scheme as a “breeding space for contemporary methods of slavery.”
UN special reporter Tomoya Obokata, a professor of human rights law at the University of York in the United Kingdom, stated that he received reports of maltreatment and employees being paid less, among other complaints.
The scheme’s use by employers has recently grown in sectors varying from agriculture to building.
The increment is partial because of easing program limitations to assist enterprises with labor depletions after the COVID-19 pandemic.
About 183,820 temporary foreign employee permits were awarded in 2023, based on Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), an 88 percent rise from 2019.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) condemned employers for using the scheme to circumvent employing skilled employees in Canada during a statement on Monday.
The modifications will involve denying some work permits in parts where the unemployment percentage is six percentage points or more, with exclusions for seasonal foods and agriculture employment, building, and healthcare.
The scheme will decrease the allocation of low-income temporary foreign employees that employers can employ from 20 percent to 10 percent of their total labor force. The modifications will begin on 26th September.
Earlier in 2024, the Canadian authority demonstrated its plan to decrease the number of total temporary residents in the nation’s record for the first time. The restriction applies to international employees, students, and asylum seekers.