Are temporary foreign workers taking jobs of young Canadian people? What do experts think here

As some federal and provincial politicians argue that the temporary foreign activist program of Canada is preventing young Canadian people from finding good paid jobs, some experts say that migrant workers do not have to blame and other immigration sections may cause problems.

Earlier this week, both Orthodox leader Pierre Pilevere And BC Premier David EB Ottawa scrape demanded or improved the temporary foreign activist program, claiming that it was excluding the youth from jobs and reducing wages.

But Mark Holte, an immigration lawyer located in Alberta, told CBC Radio Home He In the temporary foreign activist program, employers need to prove that there is no Canadian available to work and they are paying Prevailing wage rate,

“It is designed not to put pressure down on wages,” he said.

The real challenge, Holte said, lies with international students who can get open work permits after graduation that may be valid for up to three years.

“If you have someone who says,” Yes, I will work as the manager of your restaurant and for the minimum wage, “Okay, then (employer) will pay the minimum wage,” Holte said. “There is no check and balance on it.”

According to the data of the federal government, More than a million people In September 2024, Quebec had a legitimate permit to study at a Canadian University, college or CEGEP.

Holte said that many international students are infections to open work permits at any time, and the outer volume of international students available to work is likely to affect the labor market for young people.

Meanwhile, A Report from desjardins Canada’s decision to relax the work restrictions for non-established residents says that involving allowing international students Work more than 20 hours per week during epidemic“Between 20 and 24 years, the population growth of young workers increased rapidly.”

“However, as the epidemic rearview turned into a mirror and economic activity, this holocaust of the available labor thoroughly demanded, put pressure up the young unemployment rate,” said this.

The report also cited other possible causes for today’s high youth unemployment, including how artificial intelligence is damaging the job prospects of young workers and how to cut public sector “can have an external impact on youth.”

The report stated, “When the government budget is left behind, the youth posts are often among the first people to visit, potentially removes the rag of the ladder between education and long -term career paths,” the report states.

According to the latest Canadian data, statistics, Youth unemployment In August, 14.5 percent high.

‘A canary in coal mine’

Fabian Lang, a professor of economics at McGill University in Montreal and Canada Research President, said on Thursday, said that Canada’s high youth unemployment is a professional cycle phenomenon “mainly.”

“Young unemployment is like a canary in coal mine,” he told CBC host David Kochran Shakti and politics“This is one of the measures that transfer the most with the business cycle.”

Because Canadian businesses are struggling with economic uncertainty Canada-US Trade WarThey are maintaining their current roster of employees, but not hiring new workers, Lang said.

“Young unemployment, almost the definition, all individuals are entering the labor market only. They are looking for all jobs. So when hiring slows down, unemployment in that group is going to move faster,” he said.

Lang said that he hoped that politicians would propose various programs to deal with the problem, but eventually the overall economic situation of Canada would need to be improved, before the youth unemployed begins to decrease.

“If our economy goes into a recession, (and) it is going into a recession, we will see this increase in young unemployment. It is almost indispensable,” he said.

“If you want to avoid it, try to make it a small and shallow recession. And this is a question for monetary and fiscal policy.”

Federal government is taking action

Speaking in Toronto on Wednesday, where he was meeting with his cabinet, Prime Minister Mark Carney said that his government is putting policies so that the immigration as a ratio of population declines by seven to five percent in a few years.

Carney said that when he talks to business leaders across the country, his top issue is tariff and his second issue is how to get more foreign workers.

“That program has a role, it must focus on its role,” he said. “This is part of what we will discuss – how well the temporary foreign worker program is doing and how our overall immigration system is working.”

On the international student side, Permit from abroad to study in Canada The first half of this year has declined, with about 90,000 less released compared to a year ago.

Last year, Ottawa also reduced the number of international students for hours, while they can work up to 24 per week by enrolling in classes.

However, they can work Unlimited hour off-campus If they are working during their school brakes, such as summer and winter holidays or reading weeks.

Holte said that international student numbers will have an impact on young unemployment, but “it is going to take some time … it will take years to take it out.”

In June, Statistics Canada reported that the country’s population growth stopped in the first three months of the year, making it a sixth quarter of continuous population growth.

Stateson said A portion of that decline can be attributed to the decisions made by the federal government in 2024, “reduce both temporary and permanent immigration levels.”

The report by Desjardins states that if the federal government’s new population goals continue to grow or decline, the young population of Canada may see better job possibilities.

The report stated that the low supply of labor among Canadian’s youngest workers should help in better balance and demand.