Quebec's reliance on temporary foreign workers to meet labour shortages is growing at an alarming rate, and the overwhelming majority of the francophone province's newest permanent residents consist of these workers.
In a recent study by the Quebec Institute, economists Daye Diallo, Mia Homsy, and Simon Savard pointed out that the province relies more on temporary foreign workers to fill openings.
According to them, Quebec should conduct a thorough analysis of this plan's policy of increasing temporary immigration on a regular basis, as it might have unforeseen and undesirable side effects.
Quebec has the second-highest rate of job vacancies in Canada. Based on Statistics Canada data from the fourth quarter of 2021, Quebec account for almost 40% of Canada's estimated 81,000 vacant manufacturing positions. In 2021, manufacturing contributed 12.6% to Quebec's gross domestic product, the largest share of all sectors.
The province, however, plans to bring in more than 71,000 permanent residents in 2022 after immigration declined to 25,225 in 2020 due to the pandemic.