Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) industries increasingly rely on temporary foreign workers to fill labor shortages. Sectors such as agriculture, hospitality, and food processing particularly depend on this workforce to sustain operations during peak seasons.
Many employers stress that without temporary foreign workers, their businesses would struggle to maintain productivity. The agriculture sector, for instance, faces a significant gap in seasonal labor that local workers have not filled.
An economist cautions against growing dependence on temporary foreign labor, highlighting potential risks including reduced incentives to invest in local workforce development and possible long-term economic vulnerability.
“While temporary foreign workers are essential now, relying on them too heavily can undermine efforts to strengthen domestic employment and skills,” the expert noted.
The debate around P.E.I.'s reliance on temporary foreign workers reveals tension between immediate labor needs and the pursuit of long-term economic stability through local workforce growth.