The Legault government asks Ottawa to impose a “grandfather clause” in order to allow companies outside Montreal and Laval to keep their temporary foreign workers.
Many entrepreneurs fear losing an essential workforce since the federal government has decided to reduce the permitted proportion by 20% to 10%, among low-wage employees.
The newspaper revealed on Saturday that 23 Quebec companies are continuing the federal government for $ 300 million due to this sudden change that could make them lose millions of dollars.
“Maintaining the level of temporary foreign workers in certain regions is important for many manufacturing companies faced with labor issues. This is why we ask the federal government to concentrate its efforts to reduce in the regions of Montreal and Laval, “said the cabinet of the Minister of Immigration, Jean-François Roberge, in a written declaration.
“Grandpa clause”
In a letter sent to the federal ministers of immigration and employment, in June, Jean-François Roberge greeted the measures imposed within the framework of the program of temporary foreign workers.
However, he invited Ottawa to concentrate his reduction efforts in the metropolis. The Caquist government fears that too much concentration of new arrivals in the metropolitan region harms their integration.
Discussions continue with Ottawa in order to apply such a “grandfather clause”, underlines the cabinet of Minister Roberge.
Monday morning, the manufacturers & exporters of Quebec (MEQ) also demanded the maintenance of temporary foreign workers already stationed in Quebec. If Ottawa is pretended to move forward, some companies could lose up to 30% of their sales, say manufacturers.
Reduce dependence
In Ottawa, it is explained that the federal government is committed to “reducing the dependence of Canadian employers with regard to the PTET (temporary foreign workers’ program) from September 26, 2024”.
“To be clear, the PTET is designed as an extraordinary measure to use to fill critical employment gaps, only when qualified Canadians and permanent residents are unable to occupy vacancies. He does not replace Canadian talents and is subject to the guarantee that measures have been taken to recruit Canadian workers, “wrote the cabinet of the Federal Employment Minister Patty Hajdu.
