A recent United Nations report has condemned Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) as a potential breeding ground for modern slavery. The TFWP, intended to address labor shortages in agriculture and caregiving, links workers’ legal status directly to their employers, creating a significant power imbalance that hinders workers from reporting exploitation or abuse for fear of deportation.
Growing Concerns Over Worker Exploitation
According to the report by Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokata, the number of migrant workers in Canada under the low-wage temporary foreign worker stream surged from 15,817 in 2016 to 83,654 in 2023. These workers frequently face poor working conditions, limited healthcare access, and inadequate legal protections. The program’s structure effectively prevents workers from changing employers, trapping many in exploitative situations.
The report highlights that many workers are subjected to debt bondage, where they incur substantial debts to third-party recruiters. This financial strain forces them to cling to their jobs despite harsh conditions. Additionally, the lack of access to federal settlement services and limited awareness of their rights leave many workers isolated and vulnerable.
Regulatory Oversight and Calls for Reform
The report also criticizes the weak regulatory environment, noting that inspections are often virtual and unannounced visits are rare, particularly in sectors like caregiving. This lax oversight allows employers to neglect responsibilities with minimal risk of being caught.
In response to the findings, Canada‘s Immigration Minister Marc Miller acknowledged that while the TFWP is not fundamentally flawed, it requires substantial reform. Miller indicated that the government plans to introduce new measures to address issues within the program, citing the need to reduce temporary immigration amid a housing crisis and rising anti-immigrant sentiment.
Critics argue that existing reform efforts have been insufficient, and call for more robust measures to protect temporary foreign workers from exploitation and abuse.