After a recent parliamentary report regarding labor shortages in the Toronto construction industry, the Canadian Labour Congress and the government of Canada have announced an initiative that would provide permanent residence for “out-of-status” construction workers, according to www.constructiondive.com.
The government cited research that indicates the construction workforce has relied on these undocumented workers—who often operate in an “underground economy”—for many years. The initiative would allow permanent residency for 500 construction workers and their families in the greater Toronto area and would run from Jan. 2, 2020, to Jan. 1, 2022.
The Temporary Public Policy for Out-of-Status Construction Workers in the Greater Toronto Area is expected to act as a recognition of the city’s reliance on the long-term resident construction workers, as well as a functioning public policy that will provide a safety net for workers’ undocumented status.
Toronto is one of the most active cities for construction in North America, with more cranes than any other city on the continent as of the end of the second quarter. But adding to the labor shortage is that a quarter of the construction workforce in Toronto’s province, Ontario, will retire during the next decade, and the industry would need an additional 26,100 workers to meet its needs. The construction industry reportedly will be actively recruiting new workers during the coming decade, especially as the country anticipates a yearly average of 131,000 newcomers.
Although the initiative is temporary, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada says the policy still will increase the protection of undocumented construction workers and help continue to protect Canada’s labor market.
The CLC will prescreen and send qualified candidates to the immigration department for a final assessment. With room for 500 workers and their families, the application will open Sept. 3 on the CLC website.
“It’s a very small project for us but a very important project to initiate,” says Hassan Yussuff, president of the Labour Congress. “Some of these workers have been here for five years plus and their families have set down roots in this country. We need to find a way to resolve their status.”
