Hotel and restaurant owners are increasingly relying on temporary foreign workers to address labor shortages in their industries. To address this issue, there is a growing push to provide more pathways to permanent residency for these workers. Naomi Alboim, a senior policy fellow at Toronto Metropolitan University, suggests including occupations with a high demand for temporary foreign workers in the permanent immigration system. The use of temporary foreign workers in the accommodation and food service industry has been on the rise for years, and their share of the workforce has more than doubled from 4.4% in 2010 to 10.9% in 2020, according to Statistics Canada.
The COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the labor shortage in the industry, with companies struggling to fill tens of thousands of vacant positions. Adrienne Foster, vice-president of policy and public affairs for the Hotel Association of Canada, explains that even with increased wages, benefits, and perks, employers are still struggling to attract domestic applicants. The demographics of the Canadian workforce make it necessary to hire internationally, she adds.
To address the labor gaps, the federal government implemented temporary measures in April 2022, allowing employers in the accommodation and food service sector to hire up to 30% of their workforce through the Temporary Foreign Worker program for low-wage positions. However, there are concerns about the over-reliance on temporary foreign workers and the risks they may face. Critics argue that tying temporary foreign worker permits to specific employers makes workers reluctant to report abuses. Derek Johnstone, special assistant to the national president of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, emphasizes the need to shift the responsibility away from the migrant workers and address employer abuse.
While the government is opening doors to more temporary foreign labor, it is also increasing immigration, mainly in higher-skilled sectors. This creates an imbalance, as many temporary foreign workers in lower-skilled jobs have fewer opportunities to transition to permanent residency. Naomi Alboim suggests that the current system is bifurcated and not healthy for the economy or the country. Recent changes to the selection system for economic immigrants include more occupations considered lower-skilled, but more needs to be done, she states.
The restaurant sector should focus on hiring domestic workers and exploring immigration as well as utilizing temporary foreign workers when necessary, says Olivier Bourbeau, vice-president of federal affairs with Restaurants Canada. He emphasizes the need for a comprehensive immigration strategy rather than relying solely on temporary foreign workers. Bourbeau agrees with Alboim that the current system should allow more mobility for temporary workers within companies and industries to enhance their eligibility for permanent residency.
Adrienne Foster supports the idea of providing more paths to permanent residency for temporary foreign workers in the hospitality sector through the Express Entry program. She believes that the current immigration system favors education and is not aligned with job vacancies. Instead of the current complex system, Naomi Alboim suggests expanding the federal economic immigration system to include workers who are filling ongoing labor market needs. She argues that it is unacceptable to rely on temporary workers to fill permanent positions.
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