Toronto's Albany Club, a private establishment known for its connections to Canada's business and Conservative political leaders, faced staffing challenges last year. The club, which offers upscale amenities and gourmet dining, struggled to find Canadian workers and sought federal approval to hire temporary foreign workers. In late 2023, the club was authorized to employ two servers, followed by approvals for two chefs and two food service supervisors in early 2024. These positions are part of a larger list of labor market impact assessments published by the government, indicating that the club was cleared to hire foreign workers.

Recently, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre criticized the temporary foreign worker program, claiming it is being misused by corporations and hinders job opportunities for young Canadians. His spokesperson, Sam Lilly, stated, "Conservatives are calling for an end to the opportunity-stealing, wage-suppressing Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) program. Businesses that use the TFW program, particularly in areas of high unemployment like Toronto, should know better. We will not make excuses for them. They should hire Canadians instead."

The Albany Club, established in 1882, has a history of membership that includes every Conservative prime minister. Current Conservative MP Lianne Rood and Ontario Progressive Conservative MPP Matthew Rae are among its board members. Poilievre has spoken at the club, with his last appearance in 2021.

Through access to information requests, it was revealed that the Albany Club had identified the two foreign workers it wanted to hire after failing to find Canadian candidates despite advertising the positions widely. The club's application stated, "Even though we advertised for this position on various platforms to reach out to all audiences and be creative in finding labour by offering a handsome hourly wage, we cannot recruit and retain Canadian citizens or permanent residents."

The club offered the servers a wage of $17 per hour, slightly above Ontario's minimum wage, but did not provide housing. This contrasts with some employers in the agricultural sector who offer housing or assistance in finding it. The Albany Club noted that the server position has a high turnover rate and is essential for the restaurant's operations. The application emphasized the need for additional staff to alleviate pressure on current employees, stating, "It will bring diversity and stability to our business and our current staff will regain their composure."

Membership at the Albany Club costs $3,441 annually, with a $2,530 entrance fee for new members, although discounts are available for younger members, students, and sitting politicians. The club had not previously hired temporary foreign workers before last year. The jobs at the Albany Club were part of a total of 238,000 temporary foreign worker positions approved in 2024.

Jennifer Kozelj, a spokesperson for the Jobs Minister, acknowledged that the temporary foreign worker program needs improvements. She stated, "It is clear that improvements are needed to the (temporary foreign workers program). This starts with a focused approach that targets specific strategic sectors and needs in specific regions." Kozelj noted that the low-wage stream of the program, which includes restaurant servers, has decreased by 70 percent this year, but she argued that eliminating the program entirely would negatively impact the economy.

Employers must submit labor market impact assessments to demonstrate their efforts to recruit Canadian workers before hiring temporary foreign workers. The Albany Club met these requirements, but recent rule changes mean it would no longer qualify, as companies can only hire foreign workers in areas with an unemployment rate below six percent. Toronto's unemployment rate is currently nearly 10 percent.

Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, pointed out that the issue lies not in the club's ability to hire foreign workers but in the restrictions placed on those workers. He stated, "The issue here is not that they were given permission to hire workers. The issue is that they were given permission to hire workers who could not leave them for a better job."

Christopher Worswick, an economics professor at Carleton University, noted that employers often prefer temporary foreign workers because they tend to be less demanding and are willing to accept lower wages compared to what they might earn in their home countries. He explained, "They tend to work harder. They’re less likely to leave. Actually, it’s hard for them to leave without going back to their home country," which can create downward pressure on wages as companies may not feel compelled to increase pay when they struggle to fill positions.