The Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade (SWRBOT) recognizes Premier David Eby’s recent call for urgent federal action to address challenges in Canada’s immigration system, particularly around the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) and international student system.
“As Premier Eby highlighted, we cannot ignore the economic and social pressures that come from poorly managed immigration pathways,” said Joslyn Young, CEO of the Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade. “Fraud in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and misuse of Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs) undermine public trust, place strain on social services and hurt the very businesses and workers these programs were designed to support.”
While concerns about fraud are legitimate, SWRBOT stresses that blanket restrictions, such as the removal of LMIA points in Express Entry, risk increasing labour shortages at a time when BC’s economy urgently needs skilled workers. Industries such as construction, healthcare, and technology rely on attracting and retaining international talent.
Employers in Surrey, White Rock, and across Canada need immigration tools that are fair, transparent, and effective. Rather than cancelling or weakening programs, we urge the federal government to focus on modern verification and enforcement tools to eliminate fraud while ensuring businesses can access the skilled workers they need to grow.
The Surrey & White Rock Board of Trade calls on the federal government to:
- Strengthen fraud prevention through enhanced LMIA verification and monitoring.
- Restore Comprehensive Ranking System points for legitimate LMIA-backed job offers to maintain Canada’s competitiveness in attracting global talent.
- Ensure program reforms balance protecting Canadian workers with safeguarding the future of key industries.
Surrey and White Rock businesses face some of the fastest-growing labour demands in the province. Well-designed, and effective immigration policy is critical to ensuring sustainable growth, protecting young workers, and meeting the region’s economic needs.
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Aman Parmar
604.634.0345 | aman@businessinsurrey.com
