Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada’s temporary foreign worker program (TFWP) must adopt a more “focused approach” that meets the labour needs of specific sectors and regions, while easing pressure on housing, infrastructure, and social services.
Speaking to the Liberal caucus at its annual retreat in Edmonton on Wednesday, Carney emphasized the government’s broader plan to bring immigration levels to what he called “sustainable levels.” That includes reducing the number of non-permanent residents — temporary workers and international students — to below five per cent of Canada’s total population. As of April 1, they accounted for 7.1 per cent.
“Now, it’s clear that we have to work to continue to improve our overall immigration policies, and the temporary foreign worker program must have a focused approach that targets specific strategic sectors and needs in specific regions,” Carney told caucus. “We’re working on that — setting goals, adjusting, and easing the strain on housing, public infrastructure and our social services while building a strong economy.”
The comments come as youth unemployment has become a flashpoint in the immigration debate. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, speaking in Brampton on Tuesday, called for the program to be scrapped entirely, citing July’s youth unemployment rate of 14.6 per cent, the highest in three decades.
Poilievre argued the issue lies with government mismanagement. “They’ve allowed massive abuses of the international student, temporary foreign worker and asylum claims system, with rampant fraud that happened right under their nose. And as a result, our youth can’t find jobs or homes,” he said.
The government counters that the program remains necessary, though adjusted targets show a sharp decrease in admissions. Roughly 119,000 temporary workers came to Canada in the first half of 2025, down from 245,000 in the same period in 2024. Ottawa’s target is to admit about 368,000 workers this year, dropping to 210,000 in 2026.
Former immigration minister Marc Miller said the TFWP is essential and accused Poilievre of trying to stoke “anti-immigrant sentiments.” “We need immigration whether we like it or not in this country,” he said.
Others, however, have also pressed for reform. B.C. Premier David Eby recently suggested eliminating the program due to youth job concerns, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford said young people could still find jobs if they searched harder.
Economists caution against drawing direct links between immigration and youth unemployment. Kari Norman of Desjardins said broader economic forces — from the ongoing trade war to AI-driven automation — are having a significant impact. She noted that teenagers seeking their first jobs are bearing the brunt, missing opportunities to gain early work experience that could set them back for years.
“This is something that we may see youth struggle with for a little while,” Norman said.