Bridging the gap: policies to address the effects of temporary foreign workers on youth unemployment in British Columbia

Temporary Foreign Workers are increasingly being used in low-skilled positions in British Columbia. At the same time, Canadian youth are facing unemployment rates more than twice the adult Canadian workforce. While studies have addressed labour market impacts of Temporary Foreign workers in specific industries and regions, none have addressed the impacts on youth. This capstone addresses investigates the adverse effects that Temporary Foreign Workers have on youth unemployment, and provides policy options that Employment and Social Development Canada can use to decrease the unemployment gap. This capstone uses case studies and interviews to formulate and assess the policy options, concluding that a youth jab placement program is the recommended option.