Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Services
Calgary Catholic Immigration Society
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Services
Funded by:
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
Historical Background
1970’s
-Seasonal Agricultural
Workers & Live-in CG
-Highly Skilled Professionals
-Low Skilled Workers
TFWs in Alberta : 2005 vs. 2008
Setting up of Advisory Offices
Funding of Immigrant Serving
Agencies
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
How Does The Program Work?
HRSDC / Service Canada
-Processes LMO applications
Citizenship and Immigration Canada
-Processes Work Permit applications
Canadian Borders Service Agency
-Has the final say on who may enter Canada.
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
CCIS’ Role
Mandate:
•Orientation, Information and Referral
•Outreach
•Interpretation
•Supportive counseling
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
Challenges
1. Language Barrier
2. Restricted Work Permit
Employment Rights
Employment Insurance
-laid off workers
-pregnancy
Health Related Issues
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
Challenges
Workers’ Compensation Board
Income Support/Career Mobility
3.Nature of the Program
 Susceptible to being abused
 Limited pathways to permanent
residency for semi-skilled workers
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
How is the Government Addressing the
Issues?
1. Open Work Permits to Working-Age Dependent
Children of Skilled Workers
2. Open Work Permit to Spouses of Long Haul Truck
Drivers
3. Temporary Work Permit for AINP Nominee and
open work permit for the spouse
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
How is the Government Addressing the
Issues? (con’t)
•Province-wide discussion
Impact of TFW Program
Recommendation
1.Expanding pathways for permanent residency for low and semiskilled workers, increase allocation for AINP
2.Gov’t of Alberta should ensure rights of TFWs are recognized and
upheld by employers and communities.
3.Gov’t of Alberta should support and encourage inclusive and
engaged community initiatives throughout the province
4.Gov’t of Alberta should ensure that the rights and responsibilities are
communicated to TFWs and Employers as well as the services
available to them.
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
How is the Government Addressing the
Issues? (con’t)
•Regulatory Changes by CIC
 A thorough assessment of the genuineness of the
job offer
 Employers who fail to meet the employment terms
will be ineligible to hire TFWs for two years;
names posted at CIC
A four-year limit on the length of time some TFWs
may work in Canada then they go back to their
country of origin
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
What Needs To Be Done?
Lifting of the Employer Restriction on Work
Permits
Open Work Permit for Spouses under ALL
Occupations
Hiring of Inland Foreign Workers before Hiring
from Outside
Expanding the options for semi-skilled TFWs to
obtain permanent residency ***
 Following Manitoba’s Worker Recruitment and
Protection Act
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
CCIS TFW Program
Calgary
South West
North East
High River
Okotoks
Banff
Brooks
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Services
“We invited guest workers, and got human
beings”
By Max Frisch. Quoted in
International Labour Office,
“Towards a Fair Deal for Migrant Workers
in the Global Economy”
Our Community. Our Future.
Business, Employment and Training Services
Temporary Foreign Workers’ Support Program
Our Community. Our Future.