Should Canada End the Temporary Foreign Worker Program? Poilievre vs. Liberals Sparks National Debate
Key Stats & Summary
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Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has proposed a full phase-out of the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program, except for a narrow agricultural stream.
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Canada admitted 82,000 TFWs in 2025 under federal targets, but government data shows only 33,722 new workers actually entered between January–June.
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Many of the 105,000 permits issued this year were extensions for workers already in Canada.
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Critics warn that abolishing TFWs risks leaving employers without critical labour in construction, caregiving, food processing, and hospitality.
- As of first week of September, there are more than 155,000 jobs posted on Indeed Canada and only about 10% of them could lead to PR. There are currently 29,000 PR eligible jobs as per QuestJobs data.
Poilievre’s Proposal in Context
Poilievre argues the TFW Program is “wage-suppressing” and “opportunity-stealing.” His plan includes,
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No new permits issued anywhere in Canada.
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A five-year transition in regions with very low unemployment.
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A standalone farm labour stream for jobs that are truly difficult to fill.
He frames this as a policy to protect Canadian youth and workers, noting that youth unemployment is at its lowest in 25 years (excluding pandemic years).
Liberal Government’s Response
The Liberal government quickly pushed back, saying Poilievre’s numbers were “inaccurate or incomplete.”
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Immigration Minister Lena Diab’s office clarified that most of the 105,000 permits issued in 2025 were renewals.
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The actual inflow of new workers was only 33,722 — around 40% of the annual target.
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Canada is already reducing reliance on temporary workers, with 125,903 fewer arrivals in early 2025 compared to 2024.
Prime Minister Mark Carney stressed that while reforms are underway, the program “has a role,” especially in sectors that rely on seasonal or specialized labour. He added that when speaking with business leaders, their top issues are tariffs and labour shortages. The government’s plan is to tighten TFW use, not abolish it.
Poilievre’s proposal comes alongside a broader federal strategy to shrink temporary resident populations (TFWs + international students),
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Reducing temporary residents from 7% of the population to 5% by 2026.
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Cutting study permits from 485,000 in 2024 → 437,000 in 2025.
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Refusing low-wage TFW applications in regions with 6%+ unemployment.
The direction is clear: fewer temporary visas, more emphasis on balancing housing, wages, and immigration levels.
Competing Perspectives
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Federal Government (Carney): The TFW Program still “has a role,” but must be re-focused.
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Migrant Worker Advocates: Groups like the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change accuse Poilievre of fueling xenophobia, arguing instead for direct PR pathways to end cycles of exploitation.
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Employers (CFIB): Businesses warn that abolishing TFWs would create severe labour shortages.
“If you’re trying to hire in rural Saskatchewan for a quick-service restaurant, the unemployed kid from Toronto isn’t moving cross country,” said CFIB President Dan Kelly.
The Smarter Path Forward
Rather than scrapping the TFW Program outright, Canada should expand Provincial Nominee Programs (PNPs) and Canadian Experience Class (CEC) pathways so TFWs can move into permanent residency. It will also be a big leap if the government require employer designation for sectors with chronic shortages. And lastly, the government should build a clear PR roadmap so newcomers are not trapped in temporary cycles.
Poilievre’s push to abolish the TFW Program has reignited a polarizing debate. While his plan appeals to concerns about wages and fairness, the facts show Canada is already reducing its reliance on temporary workers.
The real challenge is balance: protect Canadian workers, meet employer demand, and give newcomers a fair shot at permanent residency.
Ending the program outright risks economic disruption. Restructuring it into a PR-focused model is the smarter, more sustainable path.
Many Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) spend years in “dead-end jobs” with no pathway to permanent residency. They build Canada’s economy, staff our hospitals, care for our children, and work on construction sites — yet far too often, their contributions end in uncertainty and exploitation.
This reality is exactly why we created QuestJobs.
For years, foreign workers have faced a confusing labour market where not all jobs lead to permanent residency. Canada currently has over 154,000 jobs posted on Indeed, but only about 10% are actually eligible for PR.
That means 9 out of 10 workers could spend their visa tenure in roles that go nowhere — jobs that provide income today but no future tomorrow.
We designed our platform to,
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Filter out the noise: Instead of wasting time on jobs that don’t qualify, QuestJobs highlights only those that can directly contribute to PR eligibility.
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Provide clarity: Each job posting is mapped against Canada’s immigration streams, so workers know if it’s a PR-track role or not.
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Offer a roadmap: Beyond job listings, we connect workers to the steps they need to take — from securing employer sponsorship to preparing for Express Entry draws.
For every worker who dreams of calling Canada home, QuestJobs makes the job hunt not just about finding employment — but about building a future.
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