BC Chamber of Commerce Statement on Immigration Target Cuts and Temporary Foreign Worker Program Changes

Fiona Famulak, President and CEO of the BC Chamber of Commerce, released the following statement in response to the announcement by the federal government regarding the changes to immigration targets and the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFW) program:

“The BC Chamber of Commerce agrees that we need an effective and sustainable immigration system, and we support efforts to ensure it is not being abused by people entering the country or those sponsoring individuals coming to Canada.  The decision by the federal government to dedicate over 60% of total permanent resident admissions to the economic classification is welcomed.

“However, immigration is a driver of economic growth and is the primary source of population growth in the near term. Canadian businesses continue to face considerable challenges to grow and maintain profitability. Decreasing the labour pool will therefore add to their burden, not improve it, in the coming years.

“In addition, the federal government has made several changes to the TFW program recently and more changes are expected soon. Businesses need certainty. Continual changes to policies, programs and targets impact their costs and their ability to plan forward and serve as a disincentive to investment.”