Leap in temporary foreign workers will hurt Canada long-term, critics say

[CHIMO]

Three years ago Canada passed a significant milestone when, for the first time, it accepted more temporary foreign workers than permanent residents.

It marked a major shift in policy for a country that historically was built through permanent immigration, and one that could have long-term consequences for Canadian society.

A new study from the Institute for Research on Public Policy suggests that the rapid growth of the temporary foreign worker program could undermine the model of integration that has so far made Canada’s consensus on expanded immigration the exception among Western nations.

Since 2002, the number of temporary foreign workers in Canada has nearly doubled. The program is in part a response to an aging population, but increasingly workers are sought for the unpalatable or poorly paid jobs Canadians simply refuse to take on.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/leap-in-temporary-foreign-workers-will-hurt-canada-long-term-critics-say/article1568394/