Carney also said that the government is reviewing the temporary foreign worker program along with the immigration system as a whole to ensure that they are working effectively for Canadians.
Overall, experts and economists agree that while there are challenges in the Canadian job market, the temporary foreign worker program is not the main culprit behind high youth unemployment. Instead, they point to factors such as the influx of international students transitioning to open work permits, the impact of artificial intelligence on job prospects, and cuts to public sector positions as contributing to the problem.
As Canada continues to navigate economic uncertainty and work towards recovery from the pandemic, it will be crucial for policymakers to address these underlying issues in order to create more opportunities for young Canadians in the workforce.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre Calls for Government to Scrap International Student Program
In a recent statement, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre urged the government to scrap the program that allows international students to study in Canada. He highlighted the drastic decrease in the number of permits issued to students from abroad, with nearly 90,000 fewer permits issued compared to last year.
One of the changes implemented by the government last year was capping the number of hours international students can work off-campus to 24 per week while they are enrolled in classes. However, students can work unlimited hours off-campus during scheduled school breaks, such as summer and winter holidays or reading week.
Poilievre expressed concerns about the impact of the government’s cuts to international student numbers on youth unemployment, noting that it could take years to see the full effects. He also pointed to Statistics Canada’s report on the country’s stalled population growth, attributing part of the decline to the government’s decision to lower levels of both temporary and permanent immigration in 2024.
A recent report by Desjardins suggested that a decrease in the supply of labor among Canada’s youngest workers could lead to better job prospects for youth. The report emphasized that a reduced youth population could help balance supply and demand in the job market, ultimately bringing the youth unemployment rate in line with economic conditions.
As the debate over international student programs continues, Poilievre’s call to scrap the program highlights the need for a reevaluation of immigration policies and their impact on the Canadian labor market. It remains to be seen how the government will respond to these concerns and whether changes will be made to address the issues raised by Poilievre and other critics.
