The Canadian federal government is allowing Microsoft to bring in an unspecified number of temporary foreign workers to British Columbia as trainees without first looking for Canadians to fill the jobs.

According to the Citizenship and Immigration Canada website foreign workers will receive specialized training in a new human resources development centre in the province. The tech giant will not have to perform a labour market impact assessment (LMIA) — a rigorous process that would include a search for Canadians who could fill the positions.

The Canadian government argues the arrangement is the result of a significant investment by Microsoft that will create jobs for Canadians as well at a new 400-person training centre. Unfortunately the jobs will go to lower paid Chinese and Indian workers and Canadians will still be out on the street with their skills undercut, but who cares?

Not the government, which is doing its best to say that it is protecting Canadian jobs.

Many other tech companies also offer training but are not being given such an exemption. He said the trainees who come through the centre will not just be learning, they will be "developing product" for the company.