Lobbying for cheap labour: How Tim Hortons is gaming Canada's immigration system

Amid rising public concern and reports of workplace abuses, Tim Hortons is lobbying to raise temporary foreign worker caps to exploit record population growth for its own gain.

Tamara Ugolini
  |   December 05, 2025   |   News Analysis   |   2 Comments

 

For more than a year, Tim Hortons and its parent company, Restaurant Brands International (RBI), have actively lobbied the federal government to raise the cap on temporary foreign workers at their franchise locations.

The lobbying efforts spanned at least 18 months and included letters, meetings with MPs, and direct communications with federal officials, while Canadian public opinion on immigration grew more cautious.

A letter sent to Immigration Minister Marc Miller in May 2024 outlined the company’s concerns: “The food service industry sector was disproportionately hard hit by the pandemic and continues to face unprecedented labour shortages,” it read.

Tim Hortons requested that the permissible percentage of foreign workers per franchise increase from 20% to 30%, even as government rules had recently reduced caps to 10% to address housing shortages, wage suppression, and an unprecedented influx of temporary residents.

Government documents show Tim Hortons executives pushed for faster visa renewals and looser rules, even asking for a “NEXUS-style” preapproval—a fast-track system modelled on the Canada-U.S. border program that lets travellers expedite through the customs queue. The goal was clear: keep low-wage labour flowing without delays.

Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIAs), which are intended to ensure no Canadian workers are available before hiring temporary foreign workers, have surged in recent years, as franchisees continue to argue that more foreign staff are essential for operational flexibility.

However, concerns about workplace culture have also emerged alongside this influx of foreign workers.

Reports from former employees describe unsanitary food handling, expired products, and management practices prioritizing temporary foreign workers due to lower wages and government subsidies. Allegations also include management incentivizing fake reviews, segregating staff by language, and using staff vehicles to manipulate corporate competitions.

In a shocking revelation, a 17-year-old worker in Picton, Ont. alleges being pressured into a sham marriage scheme to secure residency for a foreign worker—a matter now under investigation by the Canadian Border Services Agency. Notably, LMIA approvals in Picton tripled from 2022 to early 2025.

Parliamentary findings from 2021 indicate systemic issues with the TFW program, especially in certain sectors, with up to 75% of surveyed participants reporting hiring preferences based on nationality, as incidents of wage theft, kickbacks, and immigration sponsorship sold for cash were documented.

LMIA schemes have even appeared for sale online.

This reliance on temporary foreign workers in Canada’s food service sector only serves to benefit corporate lobbyists like Tim Hortons, calling it an ‘opportunity for more Tims,' pushing for greater flexibility while public opinion increasingly calls for tighter oversight.

Recent polls show 71% of Canadians favour reduced immigration levels, reflecting the growing concern about the societal and economic impacts of unmitigated, unprecedented immigration programs.

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Tamara Ugolini

Senior Editor

Tamara Ugolini is an informed choice advocate turned journalist whose journey into motherhood sparked her passion for parental rights and the importance of true informed consent. She critically examines the shortcomings of "Big Policy" and its impact on individuals, while challenging mainstream narratives to empower others in their decision-making.

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COMMENTS

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  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2025-12-06 01:31:01 -0500
    TH stopped being a Canadian company a number of years ago. Should we be surprised that it tends not to hire citizens?
  • Melvyn Schobel
    commented 2025-12-05 16:12:43 -0500
    One day, the silent majority will wake up from their slumber. It’s time to boycott Tim Horton’s and put them out of business. What’s wrong with hiring caucasian workers? Are they not qualified? Years ago, it was common practice to hire seniors for some of these positions. What happened to that trend? Did it get lost in the wind? mmm I wonder?