Pause the Flawed TFW System. Let's Build Canada's Hospitality Workforce at Home

By: PRLog

September 18, 2025 at 14:13 PM EDT

VANCOUVER, British Columbia - Sept. 18, 2025 - PRLog -- Wyrk is calling on Ottawa to temporarily halt new Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) and study-permit streams until oversight improves. At the same time, Wyrk is urging the federal government to focus on mobilizing Canada's underused domestic workforce.

"With unemployment above 7% and youth unemployment near 15%, a domestic workforce exists," said Sarj Dhaliwal, CEO of Wyrk. "Instead of defaulting to quick fixes, let's pause, repair, and relaunch these programs and build a local pipeline now."

Why a Pause Is Needed

Integrity breaches are documented: CBC and investigative reports have exposed LMIA "jobs for sale" schemes for $25k–$45k.
Oversight gaps are real: ESDC found 116 employers in violation of TFW rules in 2022-23, with $1.54M in fines (proof of systemic risk).
Worker mobility matters: Closed, employer-tied permits make workers vulnerable to abuse and wage suppression, flagged by international labour groups.

"Tying legal status to a single employer creates a coercive environment," said Dhaliwal. "We can do better than 21st-century indentured servitude."

A Better Ready-Now Path

Regional Talent Pools: Pre-vetted hospitality staff available for call-outs, peaks, and seasonal demand.
Paid Practicums: College partnerships to turn students into job-ready hires.
"Already Here" Recruitment: Domestic students, recent grads, open-permit holders, and current workers.
Smart Scheduling Tech: Match shifts faster, keep staff longer.

"Give us 100 days across two regions," said Dhaliwal. "If we fill shifts faster than LMIA pipelines, scale it."

A call to action

Restaurants, hotels, chambers of commerce, schools can join Wyrk in building a transparent, ethical pipeline that puts Canadian youth and residents to work while pressing Ottawa for real reform.

(https://www.wyrk.io)

Contact
Sarj Dhaliwal
***@wyrk.io

Photos: (Click photo to enlarge)