Temporary foreign workers could be welcomed in a more humane way if Quebec were the sole implementer of the program, believes Labor Minister Jean Boulet.
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“If I had an opinion to give you, I hope that one day we will have a program that is Quebec,” said the minister on the sidelines of an announcement in the National Capital on Wednesday.
Mr. Boulet deplores the heaviness of the current program for temporary foreign workers, which according to him does not adequately meet the “specific needs of Quebec”, because it is too complex and too expensive.
“There are about 13 stages, it leaves from Quebec and it goes to Ottawa”, he illustrated, citing as an example the certificate of acceptance from Quebec which is given to foreign students who are accepted. by educational institutions, before a study permit is issued by the federal government. Similarly, a certificate of acceptance is first issued by Quebec for temporary foreign workers, but it is Ottawa that ultimately provides the work permit.
“This duplication is an obstacle, and I think that the system must be simplified to ensure that we respond with more diligence and more respect for this system,” whispered the minister.
Minister Boulet believes that the reception of these workers would be done more efficiently and with more dignity if these duplications were eliminated.
“I think there would be fewer round trips, and it would be less complex for people who come here (…), who are often waiting, he explained. And that creates a lot of human resentment. I think it would certainly be more humane in terms of procedure.”
Need
In recent years, employers have increasingly relied on temporary foreign workers, with their numbers increasing from 23,300 in 2019 to 38,500 in 2022, mainly due to labor shortages.
So is Quebec dependent on these workers? “No”, replied Jean Boulet, adding: “It’s a need, it’s a human force that meets the needs of companies that are in a context of shortage”.
But the increase in the number of temporary foreign workers is accompanied by an increase in the number of work accidents, which have more than doubled in a few years. They went from 154 in 2019 to 362 in 2022.
Faced with this increase and to ensure that the rights of these workers are respected, the Commission for Standards, Equity, Health and Safety at Work (CNESST) will intensify its prevention efforts.
The prevention squad was until then seasonal, and only worked in seven regions of Quebec. It will henceforth be permanent, and present in all regions and in all sectors of activity.
The CNESST will also increase surveillance of workplaces, by carrying out systematic audits of placement and recruitment agencies for temporary foreign workers.