You’ve probably noticed that most of the feature stories on The Level are written by yours truly. We’re a lowkey, small operation.

But yesterday I had a rare day off thanks to Dozie Anyaegbunam, managing editor of The Newcomers.

Following the pandemic, the Trudeau government increased the cap on temporary foreign workers in Canada to help with the labour crunch.

But in 2024, Ottawa started reducing the cap to “ease pressures on our housing, services and infrastructure.”

Cue the debate.

Dozie is the voice behind The Newcomers, a podcast and publication making sense of the Canadian immigrant experience. Dozie covers the policy, the practical, and the questions that don't have clean answers.

If you happen to know someone new to Canada who might enjoy reading or listening to The Newcomers, consider passing it on to them.

His feature story is below, followed by our usual poll. Don’t forget to vote on where you stand.

Have a great day.

-Neil Malik

The program meant as a last resort has become a hiring shortcut — and Canadians are paying the price. Closed permits tie workers to employers, enabling abuse while sidelining local job seekers. Youth unemployment is climbing, violations are rising, and companies are less likely to raise wages. If the system stays intact, critics warn, young Canadians stand to lose the most.

Ottawa is slowly cutting temporary foreign workers, but some communities may not have anyone to replace them. In regions already at full employment, fewer TFWs don’t mean more local hiring; it means unfilled roles across businesses that provide things like janitorial services, elder care, and food service. With a labour gap growing, the risk isn’t theoretical — it’s businesses closing down entirely.