Portrait of Justin Trudeau
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Justin Trudeau on Temporary Foreign Workers Program

Immigration growth focus (moderate)

Justin Trudeau's government oversaw a substantial increase in Canada's overall immigration targets, a policy framework which would inherently impact the use and scope of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP).

His administration's stated rationale for raising immigration levels, which included temporary residents, was explicitly tied to stimulating the Canadian economy during his tenure as Prime Minister.

While Trudeau has publicly emphasized high immigration targets, direct, detailed commentary focusing only on the specific regulations or controversies surrounding the TFWP itself is less prominent in the provided context than broader immigration policy.

Context

As Prime Minister of Canada from 2015 to 2025, Justin Trudeau held the ultimate authority over federal immigration policy, which includes the administration and regulation of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP).

His government's broad approach to immigration, which included setting ambitious intake targets, places the TFWP within a larger economic strategy.

Actions Taken

  1. Policy Direction
    Advisors recommended drastically increasing immigration levels to stimulate the economy, which would affect the volume of temporary residents.
  2. Immigration Target Setting
    The government increased immigration targets annually, reaching almost 1 million newcomers (permanent and temporary residents) in both 2022 and 2023.
  3. Immigration Target Setting
    The government announced an intention to admit 500,000 immigrants per year by 2025, continuing the trend of high intake.
  4. Policy Adjustment
    In response to cost of living crises, the government announced cuts to immigration targets, affecting future intake levels for both permanent and temporary residents.

Related Positions

  • Overall Immigration Levels Trudeau's primary focus was on aggressively raising the total number of newcomers (both permanent and temporary) to achieve economic stimulation.
  • Housing Affordability The high intake of residents, which includes temporary workers, drew scrutiny regarding the exacerbation of housing pressures.

Criticism

Various sources

The administration faced warnings about the impact of rapid population growth, which includes temporary residents, on housing and services.

Critics

The high rate of population growth under the Trudeau government, including temporary residents, has been linked to the cost of living and housing crises.