Immigration | Quebec will slow the arrival of foreign workers and students

Quebec is preparing to limit the number of foreign students in the province and temporary foreign workers in Montreal. This announcement, contested by the business community, is on the contrary mocked by the Parti Québécois, which sees them as “half-measures” that are clearly insufficient.

At a press conference in Montreal on Tuesday, Prime Minister François Legault and Christine Fréchette, Minister of Immigration, announced, starting September 3, a six-month freeze on the issuance of permits for temporary foreign workers who settle in Montreal.

Only temporary workers earning less than $57,000 per year, the median salary in Quebec, will be affected. Those working in health, education, construction, agriculture and food processing will benefit from an exemption.

Mr. Legault explained these measures – endorsed by the Trudeau government – ​​by the need to “protect our public services” and the French language.

As for foreign students, the Prime Minister indicated that a bill is necessary because he does not have legal means at his disposal to limit the volumes per establishment, which he intends to correct. It is also a question of putting an end to “abuses” in certain establishments, he said, without giving further details.

Over the past two years, in Quebec, “we have gone from 300,000 temporary immigrants to 600,000,” which, according to Mr. Legault, creates undue pressure in health, education and housing, among other areas.

Asked to what extent English-language universities would be affected, Mr. Legault responded that we would have to wait until the bill is tabled to know more, “given that discussions are still ongoing” on these terms.

Given that several regional CEGEPs, in particular, depend on the influx of foreign students to stay open, should they be worried? “I want to reassure” these institutions, he said. “There is no question of closing classes.”

“Changing the reflex of companies”

If there is a moratorium coming for temporary foreign workers and if it affects the metropolis, it is to “change the reflex of companies, particularly in Montreal, to recruit internationally, because the situation has changed,” declared Mr. Legault.

What has changed in particular, explained the Prime Minister, is the unemployment rate, particularly among young people in Montreal, which does not justify, according to his analysis, that labour is not sought first in the metropolis.

This argument was immediately refuted by the Montreal business community, which says it still has a significant need for foreign workers.

Minister Fréchette also raised the issue of asylum seekers, which, according to Quebec, remains unresolved. “Quebec represents 22% of Canada’s demographic weight. It is abnormal that we have received 50% of asylum seekers.”

On this subject, Mr. Legault went further, believing that this share of asylum seekers “is not fair.”

Generally speaking, Mr. Legault believes that “as the responsible leader of the only state that represents a majority of French speakers, [il a] the responsibility, particularly in Montreal, to reduce the number of immigrants.”

The Prime Minister reiterated that he expects Ottawa to reduce the number of asylum seekers and temporary foreign workers by 50%.

Paul St-Pierre Plamondon, leader of the Parti Québécois, called Tuesday’s announcements “half-measures” and promised that a PQ government would instead believe in a “plan to drastically reduce” permanent and temporary immigration, “in all categories.”

A “lack of planning”

Asked to comment on the day’s announcements, Jean-Pierre Corbeil, demographer and associate professor in the sociology department at Laval University, stressed that he was surprised, again, “by the lack of planning in temporary and permanent immigration.”

Because even today, he says, it is mainly businesses and educational institutions that dictate these levels.

He also rejects the CAQ government’s allegation that the Trudeau government is solely responsible for the “loss of control over temporary immigration”, which, in his eyes, is real.

But who is responsible for what?

In fact, Mr. Corbeil responds, if Quebec “controls between 60 and 70% of permanent immigration”, there remains some uncertainty regarding temporary immigration, the Quebec government being nonetheless responsible for issuing acceptance certificates, he notes.

With the collaboration of Fanny Lévesque, The Press

Some reactions

The businesses most affected will be small businesses already facing challenges with liquidity, financing, supply, recruitment and retention of workers in a still uncertain economic context. The Chamber opposes a measure that targets only businesses on the Island of Montreal.

Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal

Companies would not recruit abroad if the existing labour pool here could meet demand. Recruiting internationally is an obstacle course! They are launching into international recruitment because they cannot find candidates with the skills and interest in the positions offered.

Véronique Proulx, President and CEO of Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters

The announcement will have a definite impact on the cost and access to many goods and services for Montrealers. Since the announcement targets sectors such as restaurants, retail, and auto mechanic services, Montrealers will see their spending increase […].

Karl Blackburn, President and CEO of the Quebec Employers Council

The Fédération des CEGEPs is reassured to hear the Prime Minister recognize the importance [des étudiants étrangers] for our CEGEPs and for the regions of Quebec. […] We will closely monitor the work surrounding the bill and we intend to participate in the consultations.

Marie Montpetit, President and CEO of the Fédération des cégeps

[…] We are reassured that institutions that have always acted in a sustainable and ethical manner in terms of recruitment will not be targeted by the bill announced by the Prime Minister.

McGill University