The Temporary Foreign Worker Program: Separating Fact from Fiction in the Ongoing Debate

Strategic Insights -

As Canada's unemployment rate ticked upward, the temporary foreign worker program has become a lightning rod for criticism, with politicians and social media rhetoric pointing to it as the culprit. However, government data and immigration experts say that narrative distorts the facts, fuelling a heated debate over the real role migrant labour plays in Canada's economy. The controversy has reached a critical moment, with a recent poll suggesting nearly half of Canadians want the program scrapped altogether.

Key Takeaways:

  • The temporary foreign worker program was created in 1973 to fill jobs Canadians could not or would not take, and it brings in thousands of workers each year, mostly in agriculture, making up a small share of the overall workforce.
  • Temporary foreign worker approvals declined year over year, from 71,177 in the first quarter of 2024 to 53,845 in the same period of 2025, according to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) data.
  • The claim that TFWs are taking jobs from Canadians amid rising unemployment is a misrepresentation, as the program requires employers to prove no Canadians are available for the role through a labour market impact assessment (LMIA), and ties workers to a single employer, leaving them vulnerable to abuse.
  • The program allows for the hiring of foreign nationals for temporary positions only after submitting an LMIA for government approval, which requires substantial evidence that no local Canadians or permanent residents are available for the role.
  • TFWs make up less than one per cent of Canada's workforce, not two per cent as claimed by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, according to government data.
  • The number of temporary resident permits in many instances includes visas that have been reissued to the same person each year, not just new arrivals to the country.
  • Non-permanent migration has actually been declining since late 2023, with 90,000 more non-permanent residents leaving Canada than arriving over the past six months, according to Statistics Canada data.
  • Advocates have long called for stronger protection and permanent pathways for workers, which would mitigate exploitation and provide a pathway to permanent residence.

Statistics:

  • Temporary foreign worker approvals decreased from 71,177 in the first quarter of 2024 to 53,845 in the same period of 2025, according to Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) data. (Source: ESDC data, as cited in the article)
  • Non-permanent migration has declined since late 2023, with 90,000 more non-permanent residents leaving Canada than arriving over the past six months, according to Statistics Canada data. (Source: Statistics Canada data, as cited in the article)
  • TFWs make up less than one per cent of Canada's workforce, not two per cent as claimed by Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, according to government data. (Source: Government data, as cited in the article)
  • The number of temporary resident permits in many instances includes visas that have been reissued to the same person each year, not just new arrivals to the country. (Source: Article, citing experts)
  • The temporary foreign worker program brings in thousands of workers each year, mostly in agriculture, making up a small share of the overall workforce. (Source: Article, citing experts)

Sources:

  • "Temporary Foreign Workers: Separating Fact from Fiction" by The Star, citing experts and government data.
  • Statistics Canada data, as cited in the article.
  • Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) data, as cited in the article.
  • "Temporary Worker Abuse" by Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, cited in the article.
  • Graham Hughes/ The Canadian Press file photo.