Changes in Canada’s temp worker program worry Filipinos

By: 9 years ago

More than 200 Filipinos gathered in Moncton, New Brunswick, but their picnic was shadowed by worries about the temporary foreign worker program. GAËLLE ENGELBERTS/RADIO CANADA PHOTO

MONCTON, New Brunswick – Worries over the recent changes to Canada’s temporary worker program shadowed the gathering of nearly 200 Filipinos from across the Maritimes here August 2, as they played games and shared food and stories.

Many of those at the picnic hosted by the Filipino Association of New Brunswick are temporary foreign workers.

There are up to 100 Filipinos at a fish plant in Deer Island working through the temporary foreign workers program, and they are all worried about changes to the program announced earlier this year. Employers will have to pay higher fees and workers will not be able to stay in Canada as long as before.

Esthela Pyett, president of the Filipino Association of New Brunswick, told CBC News that the temporary workers, especially those with expiring work permits are “very, very much concerned.” She said the Filipino Association will hold a meeting to find out if there is anything it can do to help people keep their jobs.

Among the new rules announced in June, employers must now pay $1,000 for every temporary foreign worker they want to hire and pass a tougher labor market impact assessment test to prove the need to hire a foreign worker over a Canadian.

An increase from $275 to $1,000 per worker in the employer application fee is effective immediately. The government had introduced a $275 fee last year, but there was no fee prior to April 2013.

There will be increased inspections, as one in four employers will be inspected each year. The government says it will hire approximately 20 more inspectors, bringing the number to about 60. Fines of up to $100,000 for employers who abuse the program will start in fall.

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