Changes to Temporary Foreign Worker Program get thumbs up from Charlottetown Chamber of Commerce

The Greater Charlottetown Area Chamber Of Commerce is applauding the federal government's changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program.

Under a new one-year exemption, employers in seasonal industries can hire an unlimited number of low-wage workers as long as they work fewer than 180 days.Prior to the changes employers would have faced a 10 per cent cap on these workers this season.

• Temporary foreign worker limit lifted in seasonal industries this year

While the chamber is happy about the move, it'surging the government to assess the impact of restrictions on all industries.

The chamber, which represents 975 businesses on the Island, saidmany employers have said it can be difficult to hire people and the Temporary Foreign Worker Program has helped keep their businesses going.

LiberalMP for Malpeque, Wayne Easter, said government will review the temporary foreign worker program next year. He said caps on the number of workers should be in place, but the size of those caps needs to be determined on an industry-by-industry basis.