08 May 2009

Changes to temporary Canadian visa programme imminent

The Canadian government is considering changes to the temporary Canadian visa programme so that temporary workers have better chances of obtaining permanent residency and are better protected from exploitation.

According to The Star, the recommendations to improve the temporary Canadian visa programmes come from a new report from the parliamentary foreign affairs committee on non-status and temporary foreign workers. 

The key recommendations include relaxing the laws on the Canadian work permit so that holders of this visa type are not restricted to working for one sponsoring employer.  The hope is that this would protect Canadian work permit holders from exploitation from employers and recruiters, as temporary workers would not be obliged to put up with questionable conditions.

A spokesperson for Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said that while the report is only just being considered by parliament now, it is likely that most recommendations would come into effect for the temporary Canadian visa programmes.

"The minister is currently consulting with cultural communities and employers on how to improve the temporary foreign worker program as well as the live-in caregiver program to better protect foreign workers, with a view to implementing tougher regulations in the upcoming months," The Star reports Alykhan Velshi as writing in an email yesterday.

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