Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - March 2009
The Canadian news has had no shortage of coverage on job losses due to the downturn in the economy. While many news items have focused on the layoffs of foreign workers in certain sectors, others show that many employers are still actively recruiting.
For many Canadians, a foreign worker – especially a high-skilled one – can be seen as a threat to their own job security. During economic struggles, government policies must shift to appease the voters. As such, throughout Canadian history, it has been immigrants and foreign workers who are the first to feel the effects of economic recession.
However, both this trend and perception could have a negative impact on all workers in Canada says Harald Bauder, a professor at Ryerson University, who argued this in an editorial piece for The Star recently.
Bauder says that having a more vulnerable group, such as immigrants, at the bottom of the labour market brings down working standards for everyone.
“In a period of economic slowdown, when workers compete for a declining number of jobs, this drag on wages and labour standards becomes a downward spiraling vortex,” wrote Bauder.
He uses an example from the US to prove his point that, rather than becoming targets, immigrants should be protected during slow economic times. President Barak Obama included some high-profile immigrant advocates in his cabinet selection which, says Bauder, signifies his awareness of the relevancy of such issues in today’s global market.
In Canada, however, the awareness seems to be lacking. The recent trend toward increasing the number of temporary foreign workers over permanent residents does little to advance the cause of Canadian workers.
Canada is not a lost cause, however, in Bauder’s eyes. The new immigration class (Canadian Experience Class) that opens up status to more foreign workers and students, “could be a step in the right direction” says Bauder if the government can work out the red tape. He also recommends increased representation for non-status workers as well as continued development of foreign credential recognition systems.
Source: The Star
