By Mata Press Service

Jobs commonly filled by temporary foreign workers are also among those young Canadians are least willing to pursue, according to new research that challenges claims foreign labour is displacing youth from the workforce.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business said nine in 10 small businesses relying on the Temporary Foreign Worker Program cannot fill those positions with local employees.

Its study found many of the vacancies involve overnight shifts, heavy physical labour, outdoor work, seasonal schedules and jobs in rural or remote communities.

Nearly half of the young Canadians surveyed said they would not look for work that required regular overnight shifts or frequent and heavy physical effort.

More than one-third said they were unwilling to seek jobs that were mainly outdoors and exposed to the weather, or positions paying at or near minimum wage.

The findings come as Canada struggles with elevated youth unemployment while the federal government moves to reduce the number of temporary residents and tighten access to foreign workers.

CFIB president Dan Kelly said the Temporary Foreign Worker Program has become an easy target amid concerns about the youth job market.

“The Temporary Foreign Worker Program has become a convenient scapegoat for a tighter job market for Canadian youth, but the argument just doesn’t hold up,” Kelly said.

“Canada’s youth are not looking for overnight kitchen shifts or work in rural and remote communities. Cutting the program doesn’t hand jobs to youth, it creates staffing crises and puts even more Canadian jobs in jeopardy.”

The largest group of temporary foreign workers is employed in agricultural harvesting, according to the report.

Harvesting labourers accounted for 32 per cent of positions filled through the program. The work is generally seasonal, physically demanding and performed outdoors.

Other leading occupations include nursery and greenhouse labourers, livestock labourers, food-service supervisors and cooks.

Many of the positions involve irregular schedules, early mornings, late nights or workplaces far from large urban centres, where most young Canadians live.

The study found that even young people willing to consider service-sector work were reluctant to relocate for it.

Only 19 per cent said they would move to another city or town for a service job. Eight per cent would relocate to a small town or rural community, while three per cent would consider moving to a remote or isolated location.

By comparison, most young people who expressed interest in service work preferred to find it close to home.

CFIB policy analyst Molly MacCormack said a high youth unemployment rate does not mean suitable workers are available where small businesses need them.

“There’s no lineup of young people from urban areas applying for a 5 a.m. bakery shift in rural Saskatchewan,” MacCormack said.

“Pretending otherwise and limiting access to labour doesn’t get those jobs done.”

She said young Canadians may be prepared to take customer-facing jobs at nearby restaurants, but the business also needs people willing to start early, remain late or work in demanding kitchen conditions.

“Canadian kids may be willing to serve food in a nearby restaurant, but unless there are staff to start early, work late or deal with a hot kitchen, the system breaks down,” MacCormack said.

The labour pressures are particularly severe outside major cities.

In June, 46 per cent of rural small businesses reported a labour shortage, compared with 38 per cent of urban businesses, according to CFIB.

Rural employers have smaller local labour pools and often face additional difficulties related to transportation, housing and an aging population.

Businesses in cities are also struggling to recruit for jobs with non-standard schedules, physically demanding duties and high turnover.

More than half of the small firms using temporary foreign workers said the program had helped them stay open and continue employing Canadians.

That figure rose to 76 per cent among hospitality businesses, a sector that provides many young people with their first jobs.

CFIB said the loss of workers in kitchens, food preparation, supervision or other essential roles can force a business to reduce hours or close, putting the jobs of Canadian employees at risk.

“The small businesses that rely on the TFW program are the same ones hiring young Canadians whenever they can for front-of-house roles, entry-level positions and seasonal work,” said Bérengère Fouqueray, a CFIB research analyst.

“When businesses close, everyone loses, including the young Canadians who work there.”

The federal Temporary Foreign Worker Program allows employers to hire workers from outside Canada when Canadians or permanent residents are unavailable.

Employers are generally required to obtain a Labour Market Impact Assessment showing that hiring a foreign worker will not negatively affect the Canadian labour market.

Ottawa has tightened the program during the past two years amid concerns about population growth, pressure on housing and services, mistreatment of foreign workers and employers becoming too dependent on low-wage labour.

Most employers are limited to having temporary foreign workers fill 10 per cent of their low-wage positions. Employers in certain sectors, including construction, health care and food processing, may use a higher 20 per cent cap.

Low-wage applications may also be refused in census metropolitan areas where the unemployment rate is six per cent or higher, subject to exemptions.

The federal government has said the program should be used as a last resort when qualified Canadians and permanent residents cannot be found.

CFIB is calling for a permanent category covering occupations that are consistently difficult to fill.

The organization said jobs involving overnight schedules, physical demands or persistently high turnover should be eligible for adjusted worker caps and wage rules, regardless of regional unemployment rates.

It also wants the rules applied consistently across Canada rather than allowing provincial participation to determine whether rural employers receive additional flexibility.

The study suggests that reducing youth unemployment and addressing small-business labour shortages will require separate policy responses.

CFIB said governments should expand apprenticeships, internships and work-integrated learning while reducing the cost and complexity of programs intended to encourage employers to hire young workers.