OP-ED: Time to End Canada's Exploitation Economy
Lessons from the Temporary Foreign Worker Debacle
By Alexander Brown
In the latest episode of ‘Not "Sorry"’ on Juno News, Dr. Michael Bonner joined the show for a deep and expert analysis into the Liberals’ breaking of the immigration system, but particularly, the temporary worker stream. The discussion dissected not just the economic pitfalls of Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and International Mobility Program (IMP), but the profound ethical failures embedded in a system plagued by deception and mistreatment.
It’s high time for radical overhaul, starting with the TFWP's outright elimination for low-wage opportunities, as freshly pledged by the federal Conservatives. Last week, the Conservatives declared that, if elected, they would scrap the TFWP entirely, while daring the incumbent Liberals to act without delay.
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This bold stance is a welcome pivot, grounded in a core principle: Canadian employment opportunities belong first and foremost to Canadians. Yet, as Bonner emphasized, dismantling the TFWP alone is merely a starting point. True progress demands addressing the broader ecosystem of immigration pathways that flood the job market with foreign workers, undercutting local wages, sidelining our youth, and fostering widespread misconduct.
At the heart of the issue are two intertwined programs that have morphed into engines of exploitation: the TFWP and the IMP. These mechanisms enable foreign nationals to enter Canada's workforce en masse, with a disproportionate share landing in Ontario. Despite its label as “temporary,” the TFWP is anything but fleeting; it was designed to plug verifiable skill gaps while prioritizing the training and hiring of domestic talent. In contrast, the IMP grants work rights to international students -- regardless of any demonstrated labour shortfall -- during their studies.
The numbers paint a stark picture of unchecked expansion. From 2019 to 2023, TFWP approvals surged by 88 percent, while the IMP ballooned by 126 percent. Combined, these programs now support nearly 1.58 million work permit holders, representing about 7 percent of the nation's entire labour pool. The fallout from this duo is nothing short of shameful. Under the TFWP, overseas recruits are funneled into Canada in droves, often enduring squalid living arrangements, scraping by on bare-minimum wages, toiling excessive hours, discouraged from unionizing, and locked into servitude with a single employer.
The IMP, while offering more leeway, is arguably more insidious – it abandons even the pretense of filling genuine vacancies, flooding the market indiscriminately. Canadians bear the brunt of this imbalance, particularly the younger generation scrambling for a foothold amidst record-high joblessness and soaring rents. These programs don't just distort the economy; they serve as deliberate strategies for businesses to minimize costs and maximize gains by relying on low-wage imports. This model is rampant in hospitality and trucking but has infiltrated virtually every sector, stifling fair competition and wage growth for homegrown workers.
Economic sanity and moral accountability are dual imperatives. Economically, these schemes perpetuate a race to the bottom, where cheap labour props up inefficient industries rather than incentivizing innovation or upskilling. Morally, they perpetuate a modern form of indentured servitude, preying on vulnerable migrants while betraying the promise of opportunity for Canadians. Shutting down the TFWP for all but the most essential skills is essential, but that reform momentum must also sweep over to the IMP and similar streams to restore the promise of yesteryear. As the Conservatives' announcement signals, the tide may finally be turning.
The Carney Liberals must heed this warning and this opportunity, not out of political gamesmanship, but to truly signal they’re under new management, and no longer wholly invested in collapse and decline.
For the sake of our workers, our ethics, and our future, let's commit to an immigration system that once again truly serves the nation.
Alexander Brown is the Director of Communications & Campaigns for the National Citizens Coalition (NCC). Every week, Brown hosts ‘Not “Sorry’” exclusively on Juno News.
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