The sudden rise of temporary foreign workers in entry-level office jobs

Temporary foreign workers are no longer a rare presence in entry-level office roles.

Last year, employers were approved to hire more than 3,500 administrative assistants via the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, up from just 112 of those roles approved in 2016, according to figures published by the federal government. In addition, companies were authorized to hire nearly 2,000 administrative officers in 2023. (The TFW program accounts for a small share of foreign labour in Canada, so it’s likely that other pathways are being tapped for admin workers, too.)

The TFW program has soared in use over the past few years, including more recruitment of low-wage workers in hospitality, construction and other fields. But this trend has brought greater scrutiny to the program, particularly as the unemployment rate has risen and some groups — notably young people and recent immigrants — have struggled to find jobs.

The federal government has said it’s trying to scale back the TFW program, and earlier this week, it announced a pause in using it to hire certain low-wage workers in the Montreal region.

Abdullah Balal, a licensed immigration consultant in Oakville, Ont., questioned why employers needed to look outside the country for admin workers. “How is a Canadian company in an urban or semi-urban area not able to find an administrative assistant?”

Mr. Balal said this surge of admin work likely includes cases of fraud, in which temporary residents pay employers for jobs, often so they can stay in the country longer and have a better shot at obtaining permanent residency. The federal government has acknowledged the existence of fraud in the program.

Kerry Molitor, a licensed immigration consultant in St. Catharines, Ont., said that administrative assistant roles are highly desirable for temporary residents because they have a relatively low barrier to entry, but still allow people to qualify for the Express Entry pool of immigration candidates.

“I don’t think there is a labour shortage for admin assistants,” Ms. Molitor said. “Maybe in the more rural areas. But in places like Toronto and Vancouver, I just don’t see it.”

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