Research Library

Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada: Reconstructing “Belonging’ and Remaking “Citizenship’

Abstract

This article brings perspectives of temporary foreign workers into academic and policy discussions. I focus on their experiences of different stages of immigration process. I interviewed Filipino workers because of my close relationship with the community and because Filipino nationals dominate the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). Ultimately, this article discusses the reasons why Filipino workers aspire to stay in Canada and discusses how they perceive their social and economic status as TFWP participants. Based on the data collected through interviews, I argue that temporary workers’ desire to stay in Canada is grounded in their unwillingness to return to the economic uncertainty facing them in the Philippines. Another reason is them viewing life abroad as indicative of success. Finally, over the course of their TFWP, Filipino workers establish the sense of belonging in Canadian society. All these factors justify temporary workers’ claims to formal citizenship. Overall, this study argues that Canadian immigration policy should be adjusted to accommodate the needs and expectations of temporary foreign workers to stay in Canada.