Don’t throw baby out with the bathwater when reforming foreign worker programs
Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program, when used as intended, is a valuable initiative that helps Canadian trucking companies access foreign labor in times of high demand, when Canadian drivers are in short supply.
This may not be the case today, given the persistent freight recession that has obliterated demand for trucking jobs, but make no mistake – trucking’s labor shortage will return. There aren’t a lot of farm kids these days clamoring to be over-the-road truck drivers.
Unfortunately, a lack of oversight has attracted fraud and abuse to the program, like flies and maggots to a decaying carcass. Fleet leaders with no moral compass, abetted by greasy-palmed immigration “consultants” have turned the program into a money-making, dream-killing scheme.
Foreign drivers with big ambitions and visions of a better life here have been widely exploited, forced to pay extortionist fees for Labor Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) that should be paid for by the employer, put into shoddy equipment and encouraged to run illegally in what has been described by the United Nations as a form of modern-day slavery.
This isn’t how it’s meant to be. No one is more upset about the abuse that takes place – and you can read more about that here – than the employers who have first-hand experience with the program.
Take Doug Walton, senior advisor, member services with the Alberta Motor Transport Association, as an example. He visited Europe and Jamaica while working for a fleet involved in the program and saw first-hand how it can provide life-changing benefits to drivers while addressing real labor needs at home.
“At that time, the program not only provided life-changing opportunities for individuals seeking a better future in Canada – it also helped us fill critical gaps in our driver workforce,” he recounted. “Some of the best drivers I’ve worked with came through that program. A lot of them are now proud Canadian citizens, who have built a great life for themselves and their families. Getting to be a part of their journey was honestly one of the best parts of my career.”
Abuse ‘deeply personal’
Abuse of the program, to Walton, is “deeply personal.” He adds, “The ones who suffer the most are those who’ve sold everything for a chance at a better life, only to be misled, exploited, and sent home with nothing. That’s not the Canada we should be.”
Trevor Bent, CEO of Eassons Transport, also takes it personally when he hears of TFW abuse. The company has been involved in the program since 2012, and three of the first foreign workers it brought to Canada are still with the company today. Other foreign workers who came to Eassons under the program have gone on to become owner-operators, business owners, and permanent residents, Bent told me.
The program has merit. But it needs to be reformed, to protect foreign workers and also Canadian jobs. After all, carriers that abuse temporary foreign workers often withhold wages and run illegally, enabling them to undercut the rates of compliant carriers.
Employers need to be pre-vetted before participating, to ensure they’re compliant with labor laws and run safe operations. It’s insane to think this isn’t the case today.
Compliant carriers welcome increased oversight
The companies that participate in the TFW program responsibly are begging for such reforms. They want to be vetted. They want ongoing audits and are willing to pay for them. They welcome increasingly punitive monetary penalties for non-compliance. They want to be scrutinized.
They also fear such rampant abuse of the program will lead to an overreaction by policymakers, maybe even the outright cancellation of the program. Let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater when it comes to reforming the TFW program.
It can and should be fixed, not killed, and the carriers that use the program as intended are more than willing to help implement needed fixes. Let’s get on with it so we’re ready to reap the benefits of the program when the driver shortage again rears its head, as well all know will happen in time, without leaving a trail of human destruction in our wake.
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Canada and the US has NEVER HAD A DRIVER SHORTAGE!!! What we do have is a Professional Companies Shortage to work for and with. I have worked for a number of carriers thru-out my career and not one of them offered OT, benefits, pension and most times no stat pay etc. One Carrier I was with as an O/O, cut all the O/O’s and drivers rates/pay by approx 20%, after a couple of us had built up LTL in MO. so the CO. could make more MONEY and have dedicated routes. I personally lost about $800.00/wk. The owner said we O/O’s were making to much money. Really? We were running 4000-4300mi one wk and 2300 -2500mi the following wk doing all our own pic’s and drops. Now the Carrier was MAKING TO MUCH MONEY off our hard work. Needles to say, I soon left. As a Co. driver I never got OT until at least 60hrs and most times 70hrs and stat pay was a joke with the Ont Ministry of Labor always siding with the Co when a complaint was filed. And when a complaint was filed, I was soon terminated. The ON. Min. of Labor DOES NOT BACK UP DRIVERS. Truck Drivers are THE ONLY LABOR FORCE IN CANADA that the FEDS REFUSE to classify as SKILLED LABOR because carriers, and shippers lobby to keep us as modern day slaves to substantially increase THEIR EARNINGS. (a hair dresser and manicurist have to apprentice for up to 12mons or more and are then classed as SKILLED LABOR). I’ve never known hair or finger nails to be involved in an incident. The exception – waking up in the morning with hair going 64 different directions. Most carriers office staff make as much as the drivers who deliver the goods making the Co. money and are sometimes gone for 2 days to 2-3 wks. I have known a lot of skilled drivers who quit driving because of the LOW PAY, NO STAT pay, no OT and poor working conditions and went on to do something that payed more. This is the reason that Co’s are looking for foreign drivers. If carriers had treated us with respect and decent pay there would be NO SHORTAGE and no need for Unskilled Foreign drivers. Everyone wants their freight NOW very cheap, but no one wants to pay for it unless it’s from the Beer Store, the LCBO or Amazon. Highly Skilled Drivers are worth more than their weight in gold, but unfortunately get paid in pieces of Lead.
NOTE: In 1972, I earned $21,300. In 1973, I earned $21,600, 4x’s that of a nurse, (my wife was a nurse), or teacher, 2x’s that of a principal and 1/3 to 1/4 of a Doctor). Carriers and shippers showed a PROFIT. With inflation that would be approx $180,000 today. Deregulation lowered drivers pay by approx 70%.
Something is definitely wrong here.
At this time we have a surplus of truck drivers and Foreign students have became truck drivers
I think to be used as a way for a higher educated accountant or or others like a Denist to come into. CANADA can make our roada more dangerous. I think we need a wage grid like teachers or firepersons, to encourage and reduce driver turnover. . We need to fix the medical care issues when trucks drivers have to leave the industry
We need to look at why O T R truck drivers have so much unpaid time compared to other skilled workers
We need to ensure that all foreign truck drivers are paid hourly on payroll and if the trucking company has 2 or wage complaints outstanding no foreign drivers or mechanic for the next 12 months
If 3 or more complaints outstanding not be allowed to haul hazard or cross border freight. Any trucking company that brings foreign workers should limit the truck drivers to Canada only for the first 6 months and pass a English course before going into the United and have good medical care insurance
The industry and the Federal government look. At all driverinc contracts and lease to purchase of any fleets of 6 or units or that helps a employee get P R or has someone on TFW permit. I think what a number of companies are doing for their mechanics and other trade people in sask and MB to provide housing and shared access to a older minivan is a great idea to get from the housing to work and should happen across Canada. In Alberta I am seeing a number of trucking and oil field companies that put them as a mechanic s helper for 6 months to 15 months then drive truck or heavy equipment in the oil fields or on the farms that these companies own and are paying after 1 yr of $32 to $44 per hour plus overtime often from countries like Australia and Europe that are fitting into Canada very well. I would be happy to send you a list of those companies and you could interview if wanted to a story on them . I like when we bring in younger mechanics less than 30 because they are needed to keep trucks safe and well repaired.