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The coursework explains about Temporary Foreign worker program in Canada to enable very classified&high skilled employee

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Temporary Foreign worker program in Canada

Overview of the program:

Temporary Foreign workers program in Canada is introduced as early as in 1973. The root cause of the program is the requirement and the lack of local skills in specialist domains in the country. At the time of starting the program, the program is open only to enable very classified and high skilled employees from foreign countries to work in Canada. In the early days only few professions for which there is skills scarcity in the country, the program is applied for. Later TFWP is revised several times to bring in low skilled people, as well to the country. The first revision to the fundamental TFW has occurred in 2002 to add low skilled people in the program. Later on the program has become quite popular and as of now, most of the foreign workers working in the country are basically from this category of employment. In recent times there are several modifications included in the program to enhance the speed of processing the applications (Fast tracking), enforcing policies to increase the wages of the people brought into the country through this channel. The revision of the policies occurred first in 2006 and later in 2013. In 2013, the accelerated application systems of TFWP have been removed from operations. As per the recent estimations, there are about 338,000 foreign workers working in the country. The most generous legislation in this regard is the fact that the federal government of Canada allowed all the temporary foreign workers allowed to work in the country under this program have been given the same rights and privileges like the native workers, with only exception of banning the foreign workers if there is local talent available for the same skills. This program is emphasizing the social justice and change in the global work philosophy in general and in Canada in particular. Such programmes can be considered as benchmarks in mankind movement towards unison, borderless working, sharing the same spirits beyond the nationalities and so and so forth. It is a true example of proactive spirit of globalization. But this is only an overview and surface picture of the scheme. The actual picture underlying is different. The actual revelation that the migrant worker is discriminated under different legislations and is not achieving the social status and work life as same that of the local Canadian is true. The following part of the write-up discusses the topic in more depth and inferences are drawn to judge the rationale of the program and regarding the on-going controversies about the program.

 

Analysis of the program:

The analysis and rationale of the program is to enable the employers present in Canada to bring foreign workers only on temporary basis for their short term requirements of employment.  It is very clearly indicated in the legislation that TFWP need to be applied only in the cases where the local skill in Canada is not available. As per Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), this is not just single program rather a collection of diverse programs which are brought under one umbrella. The divisions of the programme are applicable to the domains like High skilled occupations, low skilled occupations, seasonal agricultural worker programs, live in caregiver program and provincial nominee program (Eggerman, 2012). In accordance to Wong et al (2008) the TFWP can be subdivided into six programs in total. Though the fundamental legislations applicable for each of these classes of programme is same, the underlying regulations for each program are varying. Even though the working conditions and privileges provided to the workers under this schema are same like the local workers of Canada nationality in principle, there is discrimination inherently present by enforcing distinct regulations. Practically speaking major TFWs are discriminated. Some of the aspects like open or restricted work permits, the need for medical screening, limitations in possibility to convert into the permanent residency are some of the several concerns that differ from program to program under TFWP. So there is to some extent unsaid curbing of the freedom of the migrant worker in the host country. TFWP is basically a manifestation of Non-immigrant Employment Authorization Program (NIEAP). NIEAP institutionally has enforced stricter control on the movement and the entry of the Migrant workers (Temporary workers) in Canada. From superficial observation the scheme sounds like very proactive and generous scheme as that offering equal opportunities to the foreigners into the country, but actually it is not true. The scheme is providing unjustified power and giving control to the employers. The freedom of the worker is restricted and further he is made more and more vulnerable. Labour market opinion (LMO) is also another legislatory weapon introduced by the country making the life of the migrants more difficult. LMO insists that the labour market opinion need to be considered and to be taken before accepting a migrant foreign worker into the country. Hence it has become a powerful instrument to offer support to the permanent residents against foreign competition. This made the employers even more difficult to enable the permanent residency of the hired foreigner employee. Also the legislation is not very much flexible to offer employees change their employers. This has become very much difficult for employees to change their employers and required for them to obtain a different and new work permit (Byl, 2010).

                                Apart from the legislatory resistance the true pulse of the native Canadians is also not favourable towards intake of the foreign workers. In recent years, when the government of Canada allowed huge number of Temporary workers into the country, there is a big outcry noticed from all cross sections of the native people. The increase in the TFWs in the country resulted in the formation of the labour unions and workers demonstrations and rallies in the country. However still these concerns are more oriented towards high paying and lucrative jobs, because loss of these jobs is considered to be a big concern by the local people. However still there is also another perspective, the labour market segmentation has demarked some of the low paying and not so lucrative jobs in Canada, not very much interested by the local people, the TFWP started inducing foreign workers into these trades and professions.  This is something like procuring cheap labour and infact working to boost up the economy and revenues of the companies involved in these functionalities. However still there is social demarcation and discrimination often observed from people from these job segments (TFW’s) in the country. TFWP though if often being considered as a blow to the local people and for their job prospects, the reality is being observed differently, it is making TFWs  become vulnerable as well the policies and procedures introduced in these schema are more like in the medieval slavery business. TFWs can just cannot be eliminated from doing the professions which are looked down by the native Canadians. Whatever may be the circumstances and the conditions that are surfacing time to time against TFWs, Canada is facing labour shortage as well the fertility rate in the country is quite less hence there is no go for the country except to hire the cheap labour from other countries. Also there are hell lot of countries in the world, which are finding employment in Canada as lucrative and contributing to the uplift of their social status. Hence TFWs are finding benefits and Canada also need to open the doors for them (Nakache, 2013).

Conclusion

To wrap up the discussion, it can be said that there is need for Canada to recruit the foreign workers for both high skilled and low skilled jobs in the country, as there is shortage in indigenous labour for both these streams. However still it is more required for the country to hone its social and humanity angle of behaviour. There is need to make the legislation better, considering the humanity and social perspectives of the contemporary mankind progression, the legislation need to be modified to make the life of the TFWs much comfortable. They need to be considered as human beings like their own natives and should be availed of similar socio-legal statuses as well should be provided with opportunities to live comfortably like their native people. Considering the global trends and change of mankind towards more integrative and humanistic approach towards issues, Canada need to consider its policies to let the TFWs be treated better. Being a resourceful and high economy country it cannot be a big burden to the country. After all it can curtail the number of migrant workers being allowed in, if it cannot afford to bear; but it is not justified to keep discriminating with uncertain and ambiguous and dynamic policies. As a whole, the Temporary Foreign workers program is implemented with a positive expectation of filling the labour shortage in the country; Canada is one of the earliest countries, where globalization of work force is enabled. If Canada propels the same spirit in making ideal work environment and treatment to TFWs it can grab the distinction and recognition as a humanistic and most sought after country to work in. Canada can consider revision of its policies in this regard and can pave way for more proactive legislations for TFWs in all the four programs in the country.

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