A new Abacus Data poll reveals that 44 per cent of Canadians support eliminating the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program, with backing strongest among younger Canadians facing high unemployment rates.
Statistics Canada reported that the national unemployment rate for youth aged 15 to 24 climbed to 14.6 per cent in July, fuelling concerns about job opportunities for young Canadians. The poll shows more than half of respondents aged 30 to 44, and nearly half of those 18 to 29, support scrapping the program. In contrast, only 37 per cent of respondents aged 60 and older agreed.
Support is highest in the Prairie provinces and lowest in Québec and Atlantic Canada. Political divides are also clear: most Conservatives back their leader Pierre Poilievre’s proposal to end the program, while Liberals are split, with 36 per cent in favour and 39 per cent opposed. Abacus Data CEO David Coletto suggested the issue could become a major wedge for the Conservatives, similar to their stance on the carbon tax.
Prime Minister Mark Carney last week ruled out eliminating the program, describing it as part of a broader immigration policy review. The government’s goal is to reduce the proportion of temporary residents from the current 7.1 per cent to five per cent of the population.
Conservative immigration critic Michelle Rempel Garner has been spotlighting job postings through a website, Job Watch Canada, which tracks employers applying to hire foreign workers. The site has highlighted applications from fast food outlets in cities such as Edmonton, Vancouver, and Ottawa, raising questions about labour shortages.
Tyrel Chambers, the site’s creator, said many Canadians find it difficult to reconcile high unemployment with widespread employer requests for temporary foreign workers. “It just doesn’t make sense that there are so many companies that claim they can’t find a Canadian worker,” he said.
Business groups, including Restaurants Canada, warn that scrapping the TFW program would hurt industries like hospitality and tourism. Some observers argue the program needs scaling back and stricter oversight, but not elimination.
Analysts say the poll reflects growing economic anxiety among young Canadians, who face pressures from artificial intelligence, global instability, and a weakened domestic job market. With the Conservatives set to push immigration reform when Parliament resumes next week, the future of the Temporary Foreign Worker program is expected to remain a highly contentious national issue.