(Dec. 10/14) Restaurants Canada pushed back against proposed changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) that impact our members. Measures include new enforcement powers, and a new ‘privilege’ fee of about $100, on top of the $1,000 LMIA processing fee.
In our presentation to the Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology, we:
- recommended the word “temporary” be removed from the TFWP so the program provides a clear pathway to permanent residency;
- disputed the government’s claim that wage increases in Alberta’s foodservice sector have not kept up with the overall economy;
- explained our members’ efforts to hire from underrepresented groups (e.g. First Nations, people with disabilities, new immigrants);
- supported stronger penalties for the few who break the rules, to protect program integrity;
- opposed government’s plans to penalize employers for good faith errors, especially given the fast-evolving TFWP rules that are difficult to understand;
- opposed giving officials blanket authority to publicly expose an employer without due cause or a fair hearing; and
- recommended that applicants whose LMIA is rejected get a partial refund of their application fees.
Read our full presentation.