An assessment used to determine if employers genuinely need to hire temporary foreign workers due to a shortage of qualified Canadians has been misused by “unscrupulous employers,” posing serious challenges for Canada, says a briefing note from the federal labour department.
Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) says the “illicit misuse” of the Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) has become a “serious issue.” There is “evidence that these types of illicit activities are being undertaken by a range of players, both domestically and internationally,” according to the department’s June 18 briefing note, though no specific figures were provided.
“LMIA misuse includes both the buying and selling of LMIAs, as well as the unethical recruitment and exploitation of vulnerable foreign nationals for personal and financial gain,” the briefing note added, as first covered by Blacklock’s Reporter….