Canada To Reduce Number Of Temporary Foreign Workers

Canada is reducing by tens of thousands the number of temporary foreign workers it brings in, reversing some expansions to the program it made in 2022 as the government struggles to bring down numbers of temporary residents.

The temporary foreign worker program brings non-Canadians to the country to work on a short-term basis. Meant to fill labor shortages, it has grown dramatically and has come under fire for suppressing wages and leaving workers vulnerable to abuse, in part because of permits that tie workers to employers.

A UN special rapporteur called it "a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his cabinet is also considering reductions to permanent resident streams. Trudeau has been lagging in polls ahead of an election expected next year as a growing share of Canadians say Canada is bringing in too many immigrants.