Carney Rules Out Scrapping Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Programme Amid Opposition Pressure

Toronto (Rajeev Sharma) — Prime Minister Mark Carney confirmed on Wednesday that Canada will not abolish the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) programme, even as opposition parties intensify criticism over its rising numbers and alleged misuse. Speaking ahead of a Cabinet planning meeting in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Carney said the government is reviewing the immigration system but emphasized that the TFW scheme “still has a role.”

“We can’t just erase this programme but we can definitely improve it,” Carney said, noting that Canadian businesses rank access to temporary workers as their second-biggest concern after U.S. tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump’s administration. He added that overall immigration levels would decline gradually, from around seven percent currently to about five percent “several years from now.”

The TFW programme, which allows employers to hire foreign nationals when no Canadians are available, has long been controversial. Earlier in the day, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre called for its outright abolition, accusing Carney of driving record-high admissions despite a sluggish job market. “Prime Minister Carney has failed to meet his own already excessive immigration targets and now he’s on track to issue the highest number of TFW permits ever in a single year,” Poilievre said at an event in Mississauga.

According to Conservative figures, Canada issued 105,000 new TFW permits in the first six months of 2025 alone—far exceeding the government’s promised cap of 82,000. They argued that while youth unemployment is at a quarter-century high (outside the pandemic years), the country continues to admit large numbers of low-skilled foreign workers, further depressing wages.

Data shows that immigration through other channels has also surged. Under the International Mobility Programme (IMP), 302,000 workers were admitted between January and June 2025, surpassing the 285,000 cap. Indians remain the largest group of entrants, securing over 94,000 IMP permits and 16,560 under the TFW programme during this period. By contrast, in 2015, only 1,955 TFW visas were issued to Indian nationals out of 72,960 overall.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) defended the government’s approach, stressing that measures have already reduced new arrivals. “We have committed to returning immigration to sustainable levels, including reducing Canada’s temporary population to less than 5%,” the agency said. It also clarified that raw permit numbers include renewals, with new visas accounting for just 42% of the annual target.

With anti-immigration sentiment rising and immigration emerging as a flashpoint in Canadian politics, Carney faces mounting pressure as Parliament resumes in less than two weeks. His government is expected to outline long-term immigration plans this fall, balancing economic needs with growing public unease.