Quebecois must come first for Quebec jobs. Our Government will not allow employers to hire temporary foreign workers while leaving Quebecois without jobs.
In June 2014, our Government overhauled the Temporary Foreign Worker Program to ensure the program is only used as intended—as a last and limited resort to fill acute labour shortages on a temporary basis when qualified Canadians are not available. These changes will be implemented on April 30th, giving Quebec businesses almost a year to adjust.
Where there are a significant number of unemployed workers in Quebec, the Government believes that employers must do more to attract them. For example, in Quebec, there were at least 143,000 individuals receiving employment insurance in any month in 2013.
It is important to note that these reforms do not apply to the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) as there are proven acute labour shortages in this industry. Canadian farmers, including those in Quebec, remain exempt from many of the changes including the application fee, the cap on low-wage workers, and the reduction to the time period that a low-wage temporary foreign worker can remain in Canada.
Effective April 30, 2015, all reforms announced in June 2014 will be implemented in the province of Quebec and employers will be subject to the same rules as employers across the country.
Our Government is a strong partner in Quebec's prosperity, and we will continue to work in collaboration to ensure that Quebecois come first for available jobs.
The Honourable Pierre Poilievre, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Employment and Social Development
