Canada's Immigration Policy Under Fire Amid Rising Unemployment and Increased Temporary Foreign Workers

Strategic Insights -

Canada's opposition has sharply criticized the government's immigration policies, citing high levels of foreign temporary workers arriving in the country despite increasing youth unemployment. The Conservative Party leader, Pierre Poilievre, attacked the government, stating that the number of temporary foreign workers is expected to reach a record high, taking jobs away from Canadian youth. Meanwhile, the government's data agency, Statistics Canada, has reported an overall unemployment rate of 6.9% and youth employment levels nearing 15%. The government has committed to reducing Canada's temporary population to less than 5%, but the continued high levels of temporary workers being admitted are unlikely to mollify anti-immigration sentiment.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Conservative Party claims that the government's Temporary Foreign Workers programme has issued 105,000 permits so far in 2025, exceeding the promised cap of 82,000.
  • The promised cap for temporary workers under the International Mobility Programme (IMP) was 285,000, but 302,000 workers were admitted in the first six months of 2025.
  • Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stated that the figures in its datasets include new visas and renewals, but only 33,722 new visas were issued, accounting for 42% of the annual target.
  • Indians secured 94,010 of the total 302,280 work permits issued under IMP in the first six months of 2025, down from 209,065 in 2024.
  • Prior to the immigration policies of then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau taking effect in 2015, 21,635 Indian citizens entered the country under the programme out of a total of 186,005.
  • IRCC has said that the measures implemented have resulted in "125,903 fewer new temporary workers arriving in Canada between January and June 2025 compared to the same period in 2024".

Statistics:

  • Overall unemployment rate in Canada: 6.9% (Statistics Canada)
  • Youth employment levels: nearing 15% (Statistics Canada)
  • Number of temporary foreign workers permits issued so far in 2025: 105,000 (Conservative Party)
  • Number of temporary workers under the IMP: 302,000 (IRCC)
  • Number of new visas issued under IMP: 33,722 (IRCC)
  • Number of Indians who secured work permits under IMP: 94,010 (IRCC)
  • Total work permits issued under IMP: 302,280 (IRCC)
  • Number of Indians who entered Canada under the programme prior to 2015: 21,635 (IRCC)

Sources:

  • Canadian Press
  • Statistics Canada
  • Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC)
  • Hindustan Times