A United Nations special rapporteur on modern slavery has called out Canada’s temporary foreign worker (TFW) programs, including those in the agriculture sector. Tomoya Obokata, who was appointed by the UN’s Human Rights Council, spoke in Ottawa Sept. 6 following a 14-day visit to Canada. He called the programs “a breeding ground for contemporary forms […] Read more
UN rapporteur calls Canada’s TFW system ‘breeding ground for modern slavery’
Tomoya Obokata says government needs to better protect worker rights and provide better residency path
Initiative aims to address labour shortages, safe work practices
Pilot aims to foster safer working environment for TFWs
Reading Time: 2 minutes The federal government has announced a pilot program designed to reduce administrative burden for employers seeking to hire Temporary Foreign Workers. The Recognized Employer Pilot is a response to the labour shortage in Canada, the government said, and aims to give qualified employers a faster path to hiring TFWs through the existing federal program. A […] Read more
Pilot plan to cut red tape for reliable TFW employers
Farm employers can apply starting next month
Canada’s temporary foreign worker (TFW) program is set to give farms a head start in an express lane expected to cut the annual paperwork for that program’s most “trusted employers.” Federal Employment and Workforce Development Minister Randy Boissonault last week launched a three-year pilot meant to “help to address labour shortages and reduce the administrative […] Read more
Feds extend Agri-Food Immigration Pilot program
Pathway to permanent residency program for TFWs given two more years
Reading Time: 3 minutes Applicants residing in Canada can either meet the job offer requirement, including the median wage, or the education requirement, including verification of credentials.
Foreign workers to lose some travel exemptions in March
Temporary foreign workers (TFWs) travelling to Canada won’t need to quarantine in a government-supervised hotel when they get here – for now — but by mid-March, Ottawa will put more stringent measures in place. Starting Feb. 22, non-essential travellers and essential workers arriving in Canada will be tested for COVID-19 upon their arrival. Non-essential travellers […] Read more
Labour shortages persist, hort sector says
Horticultural Council warns sector output will drop for lack of workers, support
Ottawa — The Canadian Horticultural Council warns the federal government is using inaccurate numbers to describe how many temporary foreign workers are currently in the country. During a virtual meeting of the Commons standing committee on agriculture and agri-food, CHC president Brian Gilroy said food security continues to be threatened as a result of labour […] Read more
New Brunswick to lift ban on temporary foreign workers
Damage 'already been done' for farmers, NFU-NB says
New Brunswick plans to end its ban on the entry of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) next week as the province moves to the “yellow” level in its COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan. The ban, announced April 28, will end effective May 29, Premier Blaine Higgs said Friday in an announcement some farmers say comes too late […] Read more
Foreign workers starting to arrive, livestock group says
About 2,000 have recently arrived, several thousand more here soon, feeders say
About 2,000 foreign workers have arrived in Canada in recent weeks and more should be here soon, an official with the National Cattle Feeders Association says. “There are about 4,000 more that are expected to arrive shortly, so the process is starting to work,” Janice Tranberg, the association’s president and CEO, said during a telephone […] Read more
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