International Coffee Brands and Tim Hortons' Push on Worker Caps
Tim Hortons has lobbied the Canadian federal government for at least 18 months to lift the cap on temporary foreign workers at some franchised stores. An access-to-information request revealed a May 2024 letter to the immigration minister asking to raise the ratio from 10% to 30%. Parent company RBI also lobbied lawmakers from multiple parties in October, despite tightening immigration channels and cooling public opinion.
The chain, among the international coffee brands with a large Canadian footprint, also wants visas renewed for foreign workers already employed and an expedited approval mechanism similar to the Canada-U.S. fast-track border program. Critics say the plan takes jobs from young people and argue the program needs deep reform or removal. The outcome will shape staffing at thousands of franchise locations.
Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons has been revealed to have persistently lobbied the federal government over the past year or more, seeking to eliminate the cap on the proportion of temporary foreign workers hired by some of its franchised stores. Through an access-to-information request, an internal letter sent to the immigration minister in May 2024 was disclosed, in which the company requested raising the foreign worker ratio from 10% to 30%. Despite cooling public attitudes toward immigration in Canada and the government tightening various immigration channels, Tims' parent company RBI still intensively lobbied lawmakers from multiple parties in October. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Tims also wants the government to renew visas for already-employed foreign workers and is seeking an expedited approval mechanism similar to the Canada-U.S. fast-track border clearance program. Various parties strongly oppose this, believing the plan deprives young people of job opportunities, or that it should be thoroughly reformed or even abolished.
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According to a recent CBS News report, Canadian coffee chain giant Tim Hortons has been persistently lobbying the federal government over the past year or more, with the core demand being the elimination of the cap on the proportion of temporary foreign workers set for some of its franchised stores.
It is understood that Tims, for at least 18 months, has repeatedly raised the request to adjust the cap on the proportion of temporary foreign workers through various means, including submitting written materials and holding lobbying meetings with government officials and lawmakers.
Meanwhile, an access-to-information request aimed at obtaining communications between Tims, its franchisees or parent company Restaurant Brands International (RBI) and Canada's immigration department brought to light an internal letter Tims wrote to the then immigration minister in May 2024.
In the letter, Tims stated that "the food service industry was hit particularly hard by the pandemic and continues to face unprecedented labor shortages," and therefore requested that the federal government raise the 20% cap on temporary foreign workers (TFWs) to 30%. During the most severe phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, the federal government made an exception to raise the TFW cap, allowing businesses to hire more foreign workers. However, later in 2024, the federal government lowered the TFW cap to 10%.
Although public opinion on immigration policy in Canada has shifted and negative views toward immigration are growing, and the federal government is reducing various new immigration channels, Tims has still not given up its push for more temporary foreign workers. According to records from the Office of the Commissioner of Lobbying of Canada, representatives of parent company RBI and Tims lobbied multiple members of Parliament from different parties as well as staff from several federal departments during a series of meetings on October 28.
In addition, multiple sources familiar with the matter told CBS News that Tims "wants the government to commit to continuing to renew visas for workers already employed." Its parent company RBI is seeking a mechanism similar to the Canada-U.S. fast-track border clearance card program to allow foreign employees to obtain visa approval more quickly.
In response to related media reports, Tims' communications director said in response to a request for comment that the company is seeking "flexibility in hiring temporary foreign workers." He pointed out that in areas facing labor shortages such as rural and small communities, temporary work visa holders who are already working and contributing in Canada should have the opportunity to stay longer, and believes these foreign workers can achieve this goal through extending their work permits or obtaining a pathway to permanent residency.
(Image source: media.licdn.com)
Interestingly, all Canadian parties firmly oppose this unreasonable proposal put forward by Tims. Some government figures said bluntly that the temporary foreign worker program deprives young people (including fast-food restaurant employees) of entry-level job opportunities, and believe the program should undergo "thorough reform" or be abolished.
Others believe that Tims' demands ignore market signals, saying, "If they can't find employees to work, it may be because they aren't paying enough wages and aren't providing good working conditions, so they should address this problem first."
Image from: Internet
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