Document Details

2015-01-30

Syed Hussan

Toronto Star

Don’t blame migrant workers

Published on Fri Jan 30 2015
Re: Ottawa accused of ignoring youth jobs warning, Jan. 29
Ottawa accused of ignoring youth jobs warning, Jan. 29
The Star’s story on Employment Minister Jason Kenney receiving fair warning of high rates of Temporary Foreign Worker hiring in industries that usually hire youth implies that migrant workers are to blame for youth unemployment. They are not.

In 2013, the last year for which we have statistics available, there were 38,668 migrant workers in these industries. During the same year there were 394,300 youth unemployed between the ages 15-24. Thus, even if there were no foreign workers, there would be over 350,000 unemployed youth.
Between 2007 and 2013 (pre-financial crisis, and now), the total number of foreign workers entering Canada increased by about 12,000 while youth unemployment grew by over 75,000. The increase of migrant workers happened in primarily areas of high employment (like Alberta, and not Nunavut) – and so many of these 12,000 new jobs wouldn’t instead be taken by youth.
Unemployment is a massive issue in Canada, with more than 1.3 million residents without jobs. But it’s time to act, and not blame immigrants for this crisis. We need government investment in youth development, and labour rights and citizenship for migrant workers. No more pitting people against each other. Context is everything.

Syed Hussan, Coordinator, Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, Toronto

While some of those workers are eligible to seek permanent residency through the Alberta Immigrant Nominee Program, a glut of applications means current processing times range from 12 to 25 months.

Applicants must have an active work permit in order to apply for permanent residency, but the AINP’s lengthy wait times mean that many workers could find themselves still in the queue when their permits expire on April 1.

That’s causing significant frustration for employers, many of whom are fearful of losing some of their best and most experienced employees, said Richard Truscott, Alberta director for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

This is very much a looming issue for Alberta, with this April deadline coming up. Our members have been scrambling to find ways to keep these individuals. So we’re very happy to see these transitional measures implemented. —Truscott

• http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2015/01/30/dont-blame-migrant-workers.html

General relevance - all sectors

(Im)migrants workers and Policymakers

Quebec, Federal, and National relevance

English