Canada’s largest restaurant chain is in the market for about 10,000 teenagers willing to learn how to make an Iced Capp.
What happened: Tim Hortons is planning to cut back its use of the federal Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program and hire 10,000 Canadian workers this year to fill new roles. The coffee chain, which is planning to open 80 new locations this year, has also pledged to stop lobbying Ottawa to expand the TFW program.
Tims has faced criticism from across the political aisle for its use of the immigration stream, but the company claims it has cut down its usage of the program by 50% since 2024, citing high youth unemployment as a major factor.
The restaurant chain has consistently lobbied Ottawa (as recently as last year) to allow it to hire even more workers through the program. Tims has said it has previously needed TFWs to fill roles during the pandemic, particularly in rural areas.
Why it matters: Critics of the TFW program have long argued that letting employers fill 20-30% of their workforce with low-paid foreign labour would inevitably hurt Canadian workers (particularly young ones), put major pressure on infrastructure like housing and healthcare, and drive down wages.
Now, with the youth unemployment rate over 14%, it's pretty difficult for any employer to make the argument that they can’t find a Canadian worker to fill entry-level roles, especially at a restaurant chain where almost half of staff are 15-to-24-year-olds.
Zoom out: Some have suggested that this reversal might be part of a strategy to lean into Tim Hortons’ Canadian roots (despite being majority owned by a Brazilian investment firm), especially with American challenger Dunkin’s recently announcing Canadian expansion plans.—LA
