Calls to Ottawa’s tip line for abuse in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program jumped sharply last year, with federal figures showing an 85% spike in complaints and thousands of inspections triggered as a result.According to an Inquiry of Ministry tabled in the Commons, the labour department fielded 14,021 tips through its 1-800 line — nearly double the 7,593 calls the previous year and the highest number ever recorded. Blacklock's Reporter says cabinet did not offer any explanation for the surge. Officials said every allegation is reviewed within two business days and ranked by urgency, credibility and potential risk to a worker’s safety.The department said that while not every call leads to enforcement, 4,160 of last year’s tips did spark compliance actions, including new inspections or additions to ongoing probes. .The figures were released after Conservative MP Andrew Lawton asked for a breakdown of all calls since 2019.The crackdown follows years of criticism that Ottawa failed to police employers who hire migrant labour. A 2017 audit blasted the department for relying on paperwork instead of meaningful oversight, prompting a new round of unannounced inspections. By 2020, auditors found 41% of reviewed employers were violating labour laws, resulting in warnings, penalties or temporary bans..Cabinet has acknowledged the program is being stretched by employers who increasingly rely on migrant labour.Former immigration minister Marc Miller said last year that Canada had “gotten addicted to temporary workers,” adding that business groups consistently lobby for more access to the program.Miller warned that Ottawa can’t afford to grow complacent as demand continues to climb.
