B.C. industry leaders react to calls to scrap temporary foreign worker program

Industry leaders are speaking out in response to B.C. Premier David Eby’s comments earlier this week calling for the cancellation or reform of the temporary foreign worker (TFW) program.

On Thursday, Eby and federal Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre both suggested axing the program, linking it to youth unemployment and other issues.

Eby attributed B.C.’s 12 per cent youth unemployment rate to immigration programs such as international student visas and TFWs, but many in the hospitality sector say the province is misinformed.

“When people say we’re doing it for cheap labour, it’s not,” said Brad Macleod, president and managing partner of C-Lovers Fish and Chips in Langley.

“It costs us $5,000 to $8,000 to bring in a foreign worker. We pay the same wage. It’s become a political football by the government using it for their mismanagement of housing, and now they’re throwing this all on.”

According to the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association, there are around 200,000 restaurant employees in B.C., and TFWs only represent about three per cent of that number.

C-Lovers currently has two TFWs on its staff. Macleod says the restaurant has difficulty filling certain jobs.

“We cannot find kitchen staff. We need daytime, and students can’t fill those spots,” he said.

“Eliminating the foreign workers program for the hospitality industry … in a year, you’re going to see lower services, you’re not going to get quality service, food will take longer because we’re not going to have the staff.”

On the other hand, leaders in the construction industry say certain bad-faith employers have been exploiting the program for a long time.

“You bring TFWs in for 50 per cent wage and outbid employers who have been supporting the apprenticeships, investing in Canadians to train the next generation of construction workers,” said Ironworkers Local 97 business manager Doug Parton.

“You lose out on the bid because you’re not competitive anymore.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney says the federal government will review the program, but adds that it has a role to play in maintaining Canada’s workforce.

— With files from The Canadian Press.