Calgary, AB, September 16, 2011 — Consultation sessions on the hiring of temporary foreign workers will take place in Calgary next month, Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Minister Jason Kenney announced this morning in a speech to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce.
“Over the summer, I held consultations across the country on our overall immigration levels. From what we heard, primarily in Alberta, there is also a need to seek input specifically on temporary foreign workers,” said Minister Kenney. “We took major steps towards protecting foreign workers from mistreatment with the adoption of new regulations on April 1st. To build on that work and to address other issues that have been raised, this fall, we will be reaching out to those with an interest in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.”
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program allows for the hiring of foreign workers for temporary employment to support economic growth in Canada. In many cases, employers must demonstrate that they are unable to find suitable Canadians or permanent residents to fill the jobs, and that the entry of these workers will not have a negative impact on the Canadian labour market.
Human Resources and Skills Development Minister Diane Finley will co-host this consultation. Invited participants will include employers from the oil and gas, construction, agriculture and hospitality sectors, as well as labour representatives.
“We are currently working on a number of initiatives that, when implemented, should help make the Temporary Foreign Worker Program more responsive to labour market needs,” said Minister Finley. “I look forward to considering ideas coming out of the consultations to ensure that the program continues to support economic growth, while at the same time protecting employment opportunities for Canadians.”
The Temporary Foreign Worker Program is jointly managed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada and Human Resources and Skills Development.
Photo of Minister Kenney will be available later today at: www.cic.gc.ca/english/department/media/photos/high-res/index.asp
For further information (media only), please contact:
Candice Malcolm
Minister’s Office
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
613-952-1650
CIC-Media-Relations@cic.gc.ca
Alyson Queen
Office of Minister Finley
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-2482
Media Relations
Communications Branch
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559
Building a stronger Canada: Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) strengthens Canada’s economic, social and cultural prosperity, helping ensure Canadian safety and security while managing one of the largest and most generous immigration programs in the world.
