Quebec Premier François Legault has announced a six-month freeze on new temporary foreign workers for low-wage jobs in the Montreal area. The measure, aimed at protecting the French language and easing strain on public services, will take effect on September 3. Legault, alongside Immigration Minister Christine Fréchette, emphasized the need to address growing pressures on schools and services, noting that many new students are from immigrant families.
The freeze will apply to temporary foreign worker applications for jobs paying less than $27.47 per hour, Quebec’s median wage, and will also impact renewals for current workers. However, exceptions will be made for essential sectors like health, education, construction, agriculture, and food processing.
Legault expects the move to reduce the number of temporary immigrants by 3,500 over the next six months. He described this decision as a “first step” towards securing more immigration powers for Quebec from the federal government.
In Quebec, low-wage temporary foreign workers typically require provincial approval and the federal Immigration Ministry’s approval of their employer’s Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA). However, under Quebec’s new plan, the federal government will halt the processing of LMIA applications for these positions.
The Quebec government reports that the province now has 600,000 non-permanent residents, a number that has doubled since 2021. On Tuesday, Premier François Legault expressed concerns that the influx of newcomers is straining the province’s ability to provide essential services like health care, education, and housing.
Legault reiterated his longstanding assertion that the addition of 300,000 temporary immigrants in recent years has contributed to Quebec’s housing crisis.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, left, and Quebec Premier François Legault, right, are seen here during a bilateral meeting in Montreal, Friday, March 15, 2024. On Tuesday, the premier reiterated his demand for Quebec to have more immigration powers from Ottawa.
I know some people are shocked when I say this, but it’s a fact,” Premier François Legault stated, emphasizing that the influx of newcomers not only strains public services but also threatens the future of the French language, particularly in Montreal.
In response, federal Employment Minister Randy Boissonnault confirmed that Ottawa has agreed to pause the processing of Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) applications. He explained that the decision is intended to safeguard the temporary foreign worker program, ensuring it is only used when no qualified workers are available within Canada.
Additionally, Quebec plans to introduce a bill in the fall aimed at limiting the number of foreign students in the province.
Legault Urges Canada to Take Stronger Action
Despite cooperation between Quebec and Ottawa on this initiative, tensions remain over certain issues related to newcomers. At Tuesday’s news conference, Premier François Legault highlighted that of the 600,000 temporary immigrants in Quebec, 180,000 are managed by the province, while 420,000 are under federal control. He called on Ottawa to reduce its share by half, down to 210,000.
Legault emphasized that this request isn’t about drastic cuts but a return to levels seen just two years ago, not decades ago. While pressing the federal government on this issue, Legault also took a swipe at Ottawa.
Federal Minister of Public Services and Procurement Jean-Yves Duclos, a Quebec MP, later mentioned to Radio-Canada that he would have appreciated an invitation to the news conference.
We’ll extend an invitation when he takes action on the 420,000 non-permanent residents under federal control,” Premier Legault remarked.
PQ Leader Claims Premier is ‘Powerless
Opposition parties criticized the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government, accusing it of improvising on measures that do little to effectively address temporary immigration.
Parti Québécois leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon dismissed Premier François Legault’s plan as superficial and limited in scope. “What François Legault is doing is shifting responsibility back to the federal government, revealing that he’s overwhelmed by the immigration situation,” St-Pierre Plamondon said on Tuesday. “He is powerless when it comes to dealing with the federal government.”
Québec Solidaire immigration critic Guillaume Cliche-Rivard echoed these concerns, noting that his party had urged the government to slow down temporary immigration for months. However, they were met with assurances from the premier that the increase in temporary foreign workers was beneficial for the province.
“It’s a sudden shift for the CAQ to finally recognize the need for concrete measures to reduce temporary immigration,” Québec Solidaire’s Guillaume Cliche-Rivard told CBC News. “However, I believe the measures they’ve proposed are hasty and don’t directly address Quebec’s real needs.”
André A. Morin, the Quebec Liberal Party’s immigration critic, echoed these sentiments, criticizing Legault’s announcement as yet another instance of the CAQ acting “without proper planning, without consultation, and without engaging with organizations or business partners.
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