Unusual Hiring Patterns in Fish Processing

Temporary foreign workers in the seafood sector across New Brunswick are being let go after only a few weeks on the job, according to an advocate with the Madhu Verma Migrant Justice Centre. Employers have pointed to trade tariffs when releasing employees, yet quickly recruit new staff immediately following those dismissals.

Cristian Sanabria, a community legal worker at the Fredericton organization, noted that about 50 workers have experienced this pattern during the current year. “They come in May and they only work for three weeks and they are dismissed,” Sanabria stated. “Then the next batch of workers, they come in June and they work until July, and then they are dismissed.” Industry representatives were not available to comment prior to publication.

Financial Costs and Trade Context

The practice has drawn attention due to the significant financial outlay required from employers using the program. Businesses must pay a $1,000 Labour Market Impact Assessment fee per spot alongside international travel costs. Sanabria highlighted that one firm secured approvals for over 250 LMIAs this year alone, making brief employment periods economically puzzling.

While US trade tensions created market uncertainty, proposed tariffs targeting the seafood sector have not been enacted. Federal counter-tariffs listed in August that included American seafood products were rapidly removed due to potential domestic economic impacts. Despite this, workers reported being told, “Well, now with the tariffs, we don’t have enough jobs for you guys, so we have to dismiss you,” according to Sanabria.

Rallies and Legislative Context

The reports arrive as the Migrant Rights Network coordinates demonstrations in Fredericton and 10 other Canadian cities to coincide with Parliament’s fall return. Advocates are calling attention to the role foreign labor plays in the regional economy while highlighting workplace challenges, including crowded housing, unpaid wages, and rigid closed work permits that bind migrants to a single employer.

Federal figures show 80 workers in the province have received open permits as “vulnerable” individuals following workplace abuse this year, down from 205 in 2023. Seafood processing accounts for the majority of the province’s foreign labor force, employing 2,360 of the 3,325 temporary foreign workers registered in New Brunswick through late July.