Canada Turns on Temporary Foreign Workers
Even young Canadians, once seen as pro-immigration, now lead calls to end TFWs
New polling from Abacus Data suggests a plurality of Canadians would support ending the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program if given the opportunity. This comes alongside new data from Spark Insights on Carney’s handling of economic issues.
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Recently, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has called for the end of the TFW program, citing high rates of youth unemployment alongside rising unemployment among the general population. Other leaders, such as BC NDP Premier David Eby, have also joined the call to end the program, building a political consensus across the spectrum.
When Abacus asked Canadians whether they would support or oppose eliminating the TFW program, 44 percent agreed, while 30 percent said they opposed the idea.
The strongest support came from Conservative voters, with 61 percent backing an end to the program, compared to 36 percent of Liberals and 28 percent of New Democrat supporters.
Eighteen percent of Canadians say they are neutral on the issue, showing how quickly it has taken hold in many voters’ minds.
Young Canadians were among the most likely to support ending the TFW program, with 48 percent of those aged 18 to 29 and 50 percent of those aged 30 to 44 in favour. Opposition among those two age brackets sits at 18 percent and 23 percent, respectively.
The only age group with more opposition than support is Canadians over 60, of which 41% oppose eliminating the program and 37% support doing so.
Perhaps it stands as a point of contention given this is the one age group that’s mostly outside the work force, unlike other respondents in this survey.
Opposition to the TFW program is not surprising given the rise in anti-immigration sentiment in Canada. Concerns about the cost of housing, the stability of the healthcare system that is already chronically underfunded, and rising unemployment and economic uncertainty have all pushed Canadians toward seeking limits.
Polling from Research Co. earlier this summer found that 41 percent of Canadians wanted the number of legal immigrants coming to Canada reduced, while only 16 percent wanted more. That same survey found Canadians almost evenly split on whether immigration’s impact on Canada has been positive or negative.
Spark Insights also found Canadians holding a lukewarm view of Carney’s handling of several key issues. Only 31 percent believe the government is doing a good job on improving the economy, while 40 percent rated its performance as acceptable and 29 percent said it has been poor.
On immigration, 21 percent said the government is handling it well, compared to 36 percent who said it has done poorly and 44 percent who rated its performance as acceptable.
On housing affordability, just 21 percent said the government is doing a good job, while 39 percent rated its performance as poor and 40 percent said it was acceptable.
In the end, the debate over the TFW program is becoming a flashpoint in Canadian politics. With rising economic anxiety and growing skepticism toward immigration, pressure is mounting on leaders to decide whether the program still has a place in Canada’s future.