April 18, 2008

Number of temporary foreign workers in construction rises

OTTAWA

A new study says the number of temporary foreign workers being used to meet short-term peak demand in the construction industry is on the rise, especially in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario.

If labour market opinion approvals over the past few years continue at the current rate, Alberta could potentially see a 600% increase in temporary foreign workers.

Although the stated number of construction temporary foreign workers is minimal, the trend as indicated by a six-fold increase is significant.

Last year, the Construction Sector Council's Labour Market Information Program identified the need to train close to 250,000 workers by 2015 in order to replace a retiring workforce and to meet new demand for construction projects.

Temporary foreign workers have been needed to fill vacant positions in specific regions and for specific trades requiring skilled and qualified workers immediately.

In response to the industry’s need to know more about this crucial labour source, the Construction Sector Council has just published “Temporary Foreign Workers in the Canadian Construction Industry: An Analysis of Programs and Mechanisms.”

“Labour and business leaders wanted to get a handle on how many temporary foreign workers there are in the industry, where they are coming from and where they are going to work,” says CSC Executive Director George Gritziotis, noting that “the study also provided an opportunity to examine the entire process that involves a number of stakeholders.”

– Canada News Wire

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