QUESTION PERIOD — Employment and Social Development
Temporary Foreign Worker Program
May 16, 2023
Madam Speaker, congratulations once again on your appointment.
My question is for the Government Representative in the Senate. Canada needs immigrant labour, and Quebec is asking for francophone immigrants. Haiti, a member country of the Francophonie, is very close to Canada and its diaspora has had deep roots here for many decades.
What is Canada waiting for to add Haiti to the list of countries that are eligible for the Temporary Foreign Worker Program?
Thank you for your question and for emphasizing how important this issue is to our economy and society.
The government knows that Canada is looking for quick and effective solutions to meet the demand for qualified and talented foreign workers. In Budget 2022, the government allocated $385.7 million to speed up the entry of temporary foreign workers into Canada so that they can fill critical labour market vacancies.
Under Bill C-19, the government made changes to the Express Entry program in order to select the highest-ranking candidates from the pool. It also temporarily lifted the 20-hour-per-week cap on the number of hours that eligible post-secondary students are allowed to work on campus while in school.
As for the matter of Haiti, I will undertake to inform the minister responsible of your suggestion and concerns.
