Temporary Foreign Workers Face Tight Restrictions - By Elsie Ross, Nickle's Energy Group, Canada
Two Chinese contractors are among the companies being considered for the company's Horizon oilsands tank farm which the company plans to develop this summer. However, Doucet notes there will be an incentive for a contractor to hire local workers because they will not have to pay high transportation costs, for example. "That being said, if they (Canadian workers) are not available, they (still) have to do the job."
If a foreign company wins a contract, the Canadian immigration department will permit it to bring a certain number of supervisors or engineers without a labour market opinion to ensure the job is being done properly. "For the actual work you actually have to hire Canadians or prove there aren't any," said Zeliger. "It is certainly possible to get to a complete work force of other than Canadians but it is not a foregone conclusion just because you happen to be a foreign company."