Alberta calls for changes in Canada temporary visa program

Canada, 24th July: Canada needs to review its temporary foreign worker program as its not doing any good for Alberta, the employment and immigration minister of Alberta has alleged.  

According to Thomas Lukaszuk, Canada’s temporary visa program is just a temporary answer to the permanent issue of shortage of workforce. 

Hence, there is an immediate need for reassessment of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program.

In order to chalk out answer to this problem, detailed roundtable discussions in Alberta will be undertaken by Teresa Woo-paw, Lukaszuk’s parliamentary assistant and Calgary MLA this fall.

And the final analysis will form the base for any recommended changes in Canada temporary foreign worker program.

A large number of immigrants hailing from different countries the world over and possessing variety of skills have immigrated to Canada under different categories of Canada work visas since Canada eased rules for immigration for foreign workers wanting to come and work in Canada temporarily.

And the province which has witnessed highest number of new immigrants moving and settling in Canada for temporary period happens to be Alberta where the total number of foreign workers went up to 66,000 in 2009 from a mere 16,000 in the year 2005. 
B.C.(British Columbia) and Ontario had 69,000 and 95,000 temporary foreign workers in December while Quebec accounted for 31,000 overseas workers living and working there.

It may be reminded that the aim of Canada’s temporary foreign worker program is not to become a route to permanent residency of Canada especially in the wake of several employers in Canada hiring foreign workers on the same jobs again and again, stated Lukaszuk.

Nonetheless, given a chance, almost 80 percent of temporary foreign workers in Canada on Canada work visas would like to keep on staying in Canada, maintained Lukaszuk.

There is certainly a need for making Canada temporary foreign worker program more flexible in order to help temporary immigrants stay in Canada for longer periods, stated Dave Kaiser, president of Hotel and Lodging Association, Alberta.

Mr. Lukaszuk also agreed with the view point that Canada government needs to consider providing permanent residency to such foreign workers in the same way as those immigrating to Canada under Canada skilled worker visas so that foreign workers do not need to be hired and fired for the same jobs.