Conservatives Leverage Job Site to Target Temporary Foreign Workers

A job-posting website, originally created to monitor foreign worker applications, has become a focal point for conservative politicians in Canada seeking to criticize immigration policies. Michelle Rempel Garner, the Conservative Party’s shadow minister for immigration, has frequently referenced jobwatchcanada.com in social media posts, alleging misuse of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Her posts have raised eyebrows, particularly for their implications that foreign workers are taking jobs from Canadian youth.

From August 26 to September 26, 2025, Rempel Garner highlighted job listings from the website, suggesting many were fraudulent. One notable example was a listing for six full-time cook positions at Boston Pizza in the Ottawa area, offering wages between $17.20 and $23 per hour. Rempel Garner pointed out that Ottawa’s unemployment rate stood at 6.7 percent, arguing that this figure indicated sufficient local labor to fill such vacancies. She asserted that the TFWP was unfairly displacing young Canadians, especially given that 206,000 young people were unemployed in Ontario.

The website jobwatchcanada.com was established by Tyrel Chambers, a software developer from north of Toronto, with the intention of tracking businesses that apply for Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), a requirement for hiring foreign workers. Chambers explained that the site offers a searchable database of job postings linked to LMIA applications, aiming to provide a clearer understanding of the TFWP.

Initially, the site struggled to gain attention. However, after Rempel Garner began promoting it to her approximately 175,000 followers on social media, traffic surged. Chambers noted, “In the last two weeks, I have gone more viral than any other time in my life,” indicating the significant impact of political endorsement.

Despite the site’s growing popularity, the data it presents primarily originates from publicly available government sources. Chambers confirmed that all LMIA-linked job postings are derived from daily data scraping of the Government of Canada’s Job Bank. He intended the website to simplify complex information, but its focus on potential fraud has drawn criticism for lacking context.

Particularly concerning is the “Report a Company” section, where users can flag businesses perceived to hire excessive foreign workers. Chambers attempts to vet submissions but admits that many claims are based on singular complaints, often reflecting personal biases rather than substantiated reports of wrongdoing.

Critics argue that the Conservative Party’s framing of the TFWP as a contributor to youth unemployment oversimplifies a complex issue. Indeed, the unemployment rate cited by Rempel Garner is misleading. The actual rate for the Ottawa metropolitan area was 6.4 percent at the time of her post, just above the threshold that would typically disqualify businesses from hiring foreign workers.

The Conservative Party’s strategy became clearer following a press release on September 3, where they announced plans to dismantle the TFWP, linking it directly to rising youth unemployment. Rempel Garner and her colleague Pierre Poilievre have positioned the program as detrimental to young Canadians, despite evidence suggesting that various factors, including the rise of gig work and technological advancements, are contributing to the challenge of youth employment.

A report by Desjardins highlights that while policies during the pandemic allowed for an increase in foreign workers, the overall job landscape is influenced by multiple elements beyond just immigration. The report notes that youth unemployment has historically been higher than the general unemployment rate, a phenomenon seen globally.

Rather than addressing these systemic issues, the Conservative Party has opted for a narrative that vilifies temporary foreign workers, effectively turning a complex labor market issue into a polarizing political tool. This strategy has resonated with certain demographics, particularly younger voters, as evidenced by a recent Nanos poll showing nearly half of voters aged eighteen to thirty-four favoring the Conservative Party.

Chambers, the creator of jobwatchcanada.com, remains unfazed by the politicization of his site. He views the focus on accountability rather than blame as crucial, stating, “I see their focus as less about blaming TFWs and more about holding businesses accountable for exploiting the TFWP.” Yet, the transformation of his website into a platform for political discourse raises questions about the impact of this framing on public perception and the treatment of foreign workers in Canada.

As the Conservative Party continues to leverage this narrative, the implications for both the TFWP and the broader labor market in Canada remain significant. The challenge lies in addressing the root causes of youth unemployment without scapegoating vulnerable populations, ensuring that political strategies do not overshadow the need for comprehensive reform.