Canadians criticize temporary foreign worker program, but say workers scapegoated

Canadians on both sides of the political aisle have major criticisms about the country’s temporary foreign worker program, according to a new poll.

Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, says 55 per cent of Canadians say the 50-year-old program is accepting too many applicants, negatively impacting the housing market, and making it harder for young people to find summer jobs.

“I think many people are asking questions around, well, if we have young people who can’t find jobs at the moment, why are we bringing workers from other parts of the world to fill those jobs?” she said.

But the poll also found that most respondents believe the workers are being scapegoated for economic problems they didn’t create.

“The level of empathy or feeling that the temporary foreign workers themselves are in line for a lot of undue blame is something that stands out, along with concerns over exploitation,” Kurl said.

She points out that the criticism isn’t new. A UN report in 2024 described Canada’s program as “akin to modern slavery,” with advocates raising concerns that employers exploit workers and underpay them. As well, there have been documented cases of employers threatening workers’ immigration status.

Respondents in all regions of the country say they believe the program accepts too many applicants, the poll found, with those in Alberta most likely to hold this opinion.

The survey also found that among those employers using the program, 69 per cent say it benefits their businesses.