New rules let you pay foreign temp workers 15 per cent less than others


Do you run an operation that requires lots of cheap labour? Sick of paying your foreign temp workers the prevailing wage? Good news! The Conservative government has just announced new rules that will allow you to pay those foreigners 15 per cent less than their Canadian counterparts.

From the news release:

A new wage structure will also be introduced to provide employers with greater flexibility. Wages that are up to 15% below the average wage for an occupation in a specific region will be accepted; however, employers must clearly demonstrate that the wage is consistent with that of Canadian workers based on Statistics Canada data.

Each year, Canada brings in about 200,000 workers under the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which totally isn’t notorious at all for worker exploitation. Nope.

Even the government’s website gives foreign workers such helpful tips as:

  • Your employer must pay you for your work.
  • Your employer must make sure that your workplace is safe.
  • Your employer cannot take your passport or work permit away from you.

Other changes to the program seem to cut down on needless red tape, but the wage change seems odd. After all, the 15 per cent rule will not only hurt the foreign workers (obviously) but will likely lower wages for everyone else too. Why hire a Canadian at the full wage when you can hire someone for less?

Toronto Star Dennis Jarvis/Flickr