Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre, joined by Shadow Minister for Immigration Michelle Rempel Garner, unveiled one of the party’s boldest economic proposals yet — a plan to permanently abolish the Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) Program and immediately stop new work permits.
Framing the policy as a move to “put Canadians first,” Poilievre accused Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government of fueling unemployment and wage stagnation by allowing record numbers of temporary foreign workers into the country.
The Poilievre Plan: “Canadian Jobs for Canadian Workers”
Under the proposal, a future Conservative government would:
- Permanently end the TFW Program and refuse to issue any new permits under it.
- Create a separate, standalone agricultural worker system designed only for “legitimately hard-to-fill” farm jobs.
- Cap the transition period at five years for ultra-low-unemployment regions before the program’s full dismantlement.
- Impose stronger enforcement to ensure that employers hire Canadians first, particularly youth and recent graduates.
Poilievre said the move is driven by an urgent need to “protect Canadian workers” from corporate exploitation and to rebuild an economy where “every Canadian, not just foreign labour, has the chance to work and thrive.”
“A Wage-Suppressing, Opportunity-Stealing Program”
Standing before a backdrop of blue and white banners reading Canadian Jobs for Canadian Workers, Poilievre criticised employers and what he called “weak Liberal enforcement” that allows Canadian companies to depend heavily on foreign recruits instead of training local employees.
“Prime Minister Carney has failed to meet his own immigration targets while still issuing the highest number of TFW permits in history,” Poilievre said. “This program suppresses wages and steals opportunities from our youth.”
Citing recent data, Poilievre noted that Temporary Foreign Workers now account for almost 2% of the private-sector workforce — a figure he says has grown unchecked over the last decade.
Youth unemployment, he added, is at its highest level since 1998, excluding the pandemic, while Employment Insurance claims surged 7.4% from March to June 2025.
Michelle Rempel Garner: “Our Youth Are Locked Out of the Workforce”
Shadow Minister for Immigration Michelle Rempel Garner reinforced Poilievre’s message, blaming the Liberal government for a “broken jobs market” where young Canadians are increasingly unable to find entry-level positions.
“Ten years ago, students could pay their tuition by working part-time in Ontario coffee shops — now those jobs are vanishing. Employers are choosing cheap labour from abroad instead of investing in Canadian talent,” she said.
Rempel highlighted that employers like Tim Hortons have increased their use of Temporary Foreign Workers by over 1,100% in just four years, according to Bloomberg.
Key Statistics Cited in the Announcement
| Metric | 2024 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment Insurance claimants (Mar → Jun) | 504,110 | 541,430 | +7.4% |
| Long-term unemployed Canadians | 379,000 | 400,000+ | Highest since 1998 |
| New TFW permits, first half of 2025 | — | 105,000 | Highest ever |
| Promised TFW cap by Liberals | 82,000 permits | — | Overrun by 23,000 |
| Youth participation in workforce | — | Lowest in 25 years |
Poilievre claimed that by maintaining mass intakes of temporary residents while unemployment rises, Carney is “repeating the policy mistakes that nearly cost Canadians their faith in the system.”
Conservatives Draw a Red Line Against “Corporate Exploitation”
The Conservative Party has stated it will take a “Canada First” approach to the labour market, prioritizing citizens and permanent residents before any temporary recruitment is allowed.
Poilievre clarified that the plan does not target immigrants, but rather “a broken system that allows businesses to exploit foreign workers while sidelining Canadians.”
“We’re not blaming these workers — they’re victims too,” Poilievre said. “We’re cracking down on the greedy employers and the Liberal government that lets them replace Canadians with cheaper foreign labour.”
Under the new Conservative framework, agricultural jobs deemed “legitimately unfillable” would fall under an independent farm labour stream — a stripped-down version of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). Participation would be tightly capped and regionally assessed.
Reaction and Analysis
Supporters Applaud Domestic Hiring Focus
Small-town workers, vocational schools, and union groups have largely welcomed the Conservative move, saying it could “restore fairness and opportunity” to Canadians turned away from entry-level jobs by overuse of TFWs.
Business Community Pushes Back
However, employer groups and chambers of commerce warn the policy could intensify labour shortages, particularly in hospitality, manufacturing, and food processing. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has already publicly cautioned that some companies “depend on temporary labour just to survive.”
Broader Political Context: Immigration at the Heart of the 2025 Election
Immigration policy is emerging as the most divisive issue ahead of Canada’s anticipated 2025 federal election.
According to the CIC News comparison of party platforms, Conservatives under Poilievre are advocating for:
- Immigration numbers tied to housing and healthcare capacity.
- Large cuts to temporary programs (TFW and International Mobility Program).
- “Very hard caps” on overall population growth until Canada’s infrastructure “catches up.”
In contrast, Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Liberal government aims to “stabilize” arrivals rather than cut them outright, keeping permanent resident levels at around 395,000 annually while introducing reforms to strengthen employer accountability in foreign labour recruitment.
Critics Warn of Economic Fallout
Economists and migrant support coalitions warn that eliminating TFWs overnight could hamper recovery in industries already short-staffed.
The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) estimates that farm labour vacancies alone exceed 63,000 positions, and food security could be at risk if seasonal recruiting drops before domestic solutions take hold.
However, Poilievre insists that “real Canadian training solutions” will fill those gaps, saying his party will reinvest program savings into apprenticeships, trade certifications, and youth job subsidies.
The Road to 2026: an Ideological Divide
If implemented, Poilievre’s plan would represent the largest rollback of temporary migrant labour programs in modern Canadian history, marking a sharp policy contrast from the Liberal Party’s expansionist approach.
While critics call it extreme, supporters view it as necessary “economic reset” that forces Canadian employers to invest in upskilling and domestic hiring rather than relying on short-term solutions.
“It’s time to restore the Canadian dream,” Poilievre concluded. “Our young people need jobs, not excuses — and they’ll get them when we end this Liberal mess and take back our labour market.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre vows to abolish Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program, stop new permits, and replace it with a strict agricultural-only alternative. Framed as a fight to “protect Canadian jobs,” the policy moves to the center of Canada’s 2025 political debate, setting up a sharp clash with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s more moderate, stabilization-based Liberal plan.
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