Ottawa expands Foreign Worker Program

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Subject: Ottawa expands Foreign Worker Program
  Ottawa expands foreign worker program

Brian Morton
Vancouver Sun


Tuesday, January 15, 2008


The federal government has announced an expansion of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program that adds 21 new occupations -- including some in the construction and manufacturing sectors -- to a list that employers can access.

"We´re making it faster to hire foreign workers when no Canadian citizen or permanent resident can be found to do that job," Human Resources Minister Monte Solberg said in Vancouver Monday when announcing the expansion. "[B.C.´s] strong economy has resulted in a significant labour shortage. Without these workers, deadlines won´t be met. We want to cut the bureaucracy and paperwork, not to shortcut the process."

He said processing times will be reduced to five days.

However, the executive-director of the B.C. and Yukon Building and Construction Trades Council said program not only undercuts B.C. workers´ wages but is a recipe to exploit vulnerable workers.

"When you increase the wages, workers will come," said Wayne Peppard in an interview following Solberg´s announcement. "Is there really a shortage of workers? We don´t believe it´s as acute as people think. We have workers in New Brunswick who would love to come to B.C. But if a company can go offshore and bring people here to work for less money, that´s how they bring down labour costs. And it´s getting in the way of the free market. [They´re saying] it´s okay when we´re making money, but when we can´t we want intervention."

Peppard maintained he is not opposed to foreign workers coming to Canada to work for fair wages, enjoy safe working conditions and have the right to become citizens, but said temporary foreign workers are vulnerable because they´re indentured to one employer. He said some employers intimidate migrant workers to accept very low wages and poor working conditions.

Solberg, who said there are now about 100,000 temporary foreign workers in Canada, denied the program will keep wages down. "That´s not borne out by the evidence. Wages are rising in this country."

Solberg said the TFWP is an important way to meet B.C.´s labour shortage and that the Expedited Labour Market Opinion pilot project that makes it quicker for employers to hire foreign workers will be expanded. "The 33 occupations now included in this pilot represent 50 per cent of the total volume of labour market opinion applications from employers."

He said the pilot will run until September and that employers needing workers in the 33 occupations will receive Labour Market Opinions -- an assessment of the potential impact hiring a foreign worker will have on Canada´s labour market -- much faster.

It originally covered 12 occupations, mainly in health care, hospitality and construction, but now includes more occupations in construction, as well as engineering, maintenance, sales and service and manufacturing.

New occupations include construction labourers, steamfitters and pipefitters, ironworkers, heavy-duty equipment mechanics, machinists, civil engineers, hotel front desk clerks, courier drivers, meat cutters, welders and roofers.

B.C. economic development minister Colin Hansen welcomed the project Monday, saying the province is short of workers and will need to attract 30,000 workers with specific skills each year to meet the labour shortage.

Manley McLachlan, president of the B.C. Construction Association, said:. "The challenge is huge. But it won´t be [alleviated] with one fix."

Asked if a growing reliance on temporary foreign workers might make young British Columbians think twice about a career in the trades, McLachlan replied: "The real message is there will be 35,000 openings [in the next five years]."

bmorton@png.canwest.com

[15-01-2008,13:52]
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