Mexican and Guatemalan workers pick strawberries at a strawberry farm in Pont Rouge, Que., on Aug. 24, 2021. The Canadian Press/Jacques Boissinot
An assessment used to determine if employers genuinely need to hire temporary foreign workers due to a shortage of qualified Canadians has been misused by “unscrupulous employers,” posing serious challenges for Canada, says a briefing note from the federal labour department.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) says the “illicit misuse” of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) has become a “serious issue.” There is “evidence that these types of illicit activities are being undertaken by a range of players, both domestically and internationally,” according to the department’s June 18 briefing note, though no specific figures were provided.
