Canada to restrict low-wage foreign workers, consider lower immigration targets

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is urging businesses to hire Canadians as his government announces new restrictions to limit low-wage temporary foreign workers.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is urging businesses to hire Canadians as his government announces new restrictions to limit low-wage temporary foreign workers.

Ottawa is also considering whether to reduce its immigration targets for permanent residents.

The Liberal government, which has been criticized for the recent influx of temporary foreign workers, is bringing back pre-pandemic rules that made it more difficult for businesses to hire low-wage workers from abroad.

Speaking to reporters at the Liberal cabinet retreat in Halifax, Trudeau said his government loosened the rules to help businesses that were facing labour shortages recover from the pandemic.

But the economic situation is different now, he said, and Canada "no longer needs as many temporary foreign workers."

"We need Canadian businesses to invest in training and technology and not increasing their reliance on low-cost foreign labour," Trudeau said.

"It's not fair to Canadians struggling to find a good job, and it's not fair to those temporary foreign workers, some of whom are being mistreated and exploited."