The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is under the spotlight in Canada.
Supporters argue that foreign workers are definitely needed in certain industries or in regions where not enough Canadians can be found to fill available jobs.
Opponents of the program say it takes jobs away from Canadians and drives down wages.
Not enough unemployed Canadians are willing to move to areas where the economy is strong and workers are needed.
Industries like mining continue to suffer from chronic shortages of workers.
If properly managed, most agree that the Temporary Foreign Worker Program can help to balance Canada’s job market.
Foreign workers can actually help to create job opportunities for Canadians.
For example, a hotel manager won’t have a job if he can’t find housekeeping staff.
Recently in the U.S., Georgia lost an estimated 140 million dollars one year because they couldn’t hire enough foreign workers to harvest cotton and other crops.
There have been cases where it appears that foreign workers have been exploited.
Making it easier for them to become Canadian citizens would help solve that problem.
It would allow them greater freedom to move to from one job to another.
I’m Roger Currie. Join us again next week for more thoughts on the Frontier.
To find out more about our work, visit our website www.fcpp.org.
