Canadian workers will soon be forced to compete with jobseekers around the world for employment opportunities in Canada, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government announced plans to open the country’s job market to global competition.

High-skilled workers will be able to come to Canada to find work without first obtaining a job offer, Immigration Minister Sean Fraser announced at the Collision tech conference in Toronto.

Under the new Innovation Stream under the International Mobility Program, Canadian employers will be able to offer jobs to foreign workers without demonstrating a labour shortage or trying to hire Canadian workers first.

“In recent consultations with tech industry stakeholders, we have heard that labour shortages are persistent in key tech occupations and broadening Canada’s talent base in the sector should continue to be a goal,” Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada said in a statement. ^[1]https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2023/06/canadas-tech-talent-strategy.html “With this in mind, the Government of Canada is planning to launch a new Innovation Stream of the International Mobility Program by the end of 2023. This means that IRCC will create a new exemption from the labour market impact assessment process to help high-growth employers and talented workers in support of Canada’s innovation priorities and high-tech industries.”

But Trudeau’s plan to open Canada’s job market to global competition amid massive layoffs in the tech sector has sparked concerns about a potential race to the bottom for Canadian workers.

“Employers are going to bypass Canadian workers to hire international workers willing to accept lower wages, leading to job displacement and reduced job security for Canadians,” the advocacy group Canadians Against the Temporary Foreign Worker Program said in a statement. “The fear of losing out to international workers in industries already facing labor oversupply creates uncertainty and anxiety among the domestic workforce.”

“The influx of international job seekers can create a downward pressure on wages in Canada. With a larger labor pool to choose from, employers may have the leverage to keep wages stagnant or even drive them down.” the statement added. “The race to the bottom phenomenon occurs when workers are forced to accept lower wages and diminished working conditions to remain competitive in a globalized job market. Canadian workers may find themselves trapped in a cycle of declining wages and reduced bargaining power.”

The group wants employers to invest in upskilling the Canadian workforce to plug any labour gaps instead of turning to migrant workers.

“To remain competitive in the global job market, Canadian workers must have access to quality education and training programs,” the group said. “Investing in skills development initiatives will equip workers with the necessary tools to adapt to changing job requirements and emerging industries.”