Temporary foreign worker program review to be launched by Liberals

Employment MinisterMaryAnnMihychuksays she'llask a parliamentarycommittee to review the temporary foreign worker program following feedback she's received from Canadians who say reforms brought in by the previous government missed the mark.

The Conservativesoverhauled the program in June 2014after a series of stories published byCBC'sGo Public teamalleged abuse of the program.

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"I plan to ask a House of Commons committee to study the program, to provide advice and suggestions for reform and improvement,"Mihychuksaid on Thursdayin a written statement to CBC.

"The previous government's plan failed workers, businesses and Canadians, and undermined confidence in the program."

Stiff new fines and penaltiesfor employers who break the new rulescame into effect on Dec. 1 after the new Liberal government was sworn into power. But reforms brought in by the Conservatives will further restrict access to the program in the coming months, unless the Liberals reverse some of those changes.

If no changes are made, employers with 10 or more staff will be expected to reducefrom the current 20 per cent to 10 per cent the number of low-wage, temporary foreign workers they hire per job site by July 1. The Conservatives gradually phased in the cap, starting at 30 per cent in 2014.

Under the last set of reforms broughtinby the Conservatives, regions with unemployment rates over six per cent were barred from hiring temporary foreign workers.

"I have heard from businesses, from worker advocates, members of Parliament and others across Canada that the temporary foreign worker system needs to change,"Mihychuksaid on Thursday.

A scathing reportpublished by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce last monthwas critical of the last set of reforms to the program andcalled on the federal government to conduct an immediate review of labour and immigration reforms brought in by the Conservatives.

Thereview would be conducted by the Commons committee on human resources, skills and social development, although the minister did not say when it would begin.

"With committees just beginning their work, it's too soon to know details such as timing or next steps,"Mihychuksaid on Thursday.

"This work will be part of our plan to bring clarity, focusand accountability to the program and our plan to help Canadian workers find good jobs, get back to work, and strengthen our economy."

Exemptions for Maritimes?

Prior to question period,Mihychukconcededshe had yet to discuss the reviewwith her colleague Bryan May, who was just recently elected chairof the Commons committee.

May, who represents the riding of Cambridge, Ont., told CBC News thatconstituents and businesses have told him the program is "broken."

"We need to get this program to a place where it benefits our economy in a transparent and accountable way," May said in anemailThursday.

"The members of the committee will decide if we look at this issue, and we'll be discussing what studies we will proceed with at our next meeting."

The Liberals makeup the majorityof the MPs on the committee(six out of 10),which also countsthreeConservatives andone New Democrat.

Mihychukwould not say whether a reviewwould give seafood processors in the Maritimes, who have beencomplaining of chronic worker shortages,any special exemptions.

The P.E.I. Fishermen's Associationis one of several groups, who havebeen calling on the federal government toallow seafood processing plants to hire more temporary foreign workers where no Canadians can be found to fill openjobs.

The previous Conservativegovernment did make some exceptions.

Itgrantedbusinesses in Yellowknife, where the unemployment rate hovered around seven per cent,an exemption from a hiring ban last April. It also made some exceptions forforeign musicians performing in Canadafor a limited period of time.

Conservative MP JasonKenney, who was employment minister when he introduced the temporary worker reforms in 2014, was not available for comment.

NDP MPIreneMathyssensaid during question period that the Trans-Pacific Partnership deal,which the Liberals have signed on to but have yet to ratify, willmake it easier for companies to bring in foreign workers.

"How do they expect to fix the broken temporary foreign worker program while they ram through a trade deal that would create new loopholes,"Mathyssensaid on Thursday.

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