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Migrant Rights Network

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2020: We have a plan. Join us.

Nearly 50 people, representing 34 organizations and migrant justice networks from 13 cities, came together in Toronto last weekend to assess our struggles and determine steps to win migrant and racial justice in the year ahead. 

These are our decisions, and we need your support. In 2020, together we will: 

  • Organize migrants and racialized people. We are only as powerful as the numbers of people with us. In 2020, we are expanding our membership at every level. If you are part of a migrant or racial justice organization – we want to hear from you right now! Email info@migrantrights.ca
  • Take to the streets on June 14th! We are calling for actions for racial and migrant justice across the country on June 14th. Save the date! 
  • Fight for migrant & racial justice. We will be escalating our fight for migrant rights under this minority federal government. Campaigns and actions by care workers, farm workers, refugees, undocumented people, migrant students, and others will be launched throughout the year. 
  • Work with Indigenous, Climate & Labour Movements. We only win together. Our members across Canada will connect and collaborate with Indigenous, Climate and Labour movements. We will organize a migrant justice presence at actions such as Labour Day and Earth Day. 
  • Carry out mass political popular education. Changing the world requires understanding it. We will produce digital educational tools and organize trainings so that supporters can become migrant and racial justice champions.

Our convergence was entirely funded by donations from people like you! Make sure we can implement our 2020 plans by becoming a monthly sustainer. Click here to give a monthly contribution of as low as $2 per month. 

Today, 2,153 billionaires have more wealth than 4.6 billion people. Power over the lives of the majority is concentrated in the hands of these very few. Our collapsing climate, the threat of yet another war, and worsening quality of life are a direct result of this concentration of power.  

To continue their hold on our collective resources, the rich minority fuel racism, xenophobia and divisiveness. Today, at least 70.8 million people are displaced, another 258 million live and work away from their homes. Most migrants are low-waged, racialized people exploited in the countries where we try to build new lives.

Here in Canada, temporariness in the immigration system and in work is increasing. Government policies polarize and divide us. We are given different rights on the basis of the places of our birth, the colour of our skin, the accents we have, and the bodies we inhabit. We are denied labour protections, decent healthcare, the ability to change jobs, and to be with our families. We are divided, tricked into fighting each other instead of those responsible for our suffering. 

We reject these categories of migrant, irregular, refugee, undocumented, citizen. We assert our humanity. We fight not just for ourselves, but for all of us, because we all deserve:

  • Status for All: Permanent resident status and family unity for all migrants and refugees here, and landed status on arrival for those that arrive in the future. No detentions, no deportations!
  • Decent Work: $15 minimum wage, full labour rights and no employer specific or time limited work permits, as well as democratic control over work. 
  • Universal Services: Full access to quality public services including healthcare, education, income security, childcare settlement services, pensions, and more for all residents.
  • Justice for All: Indigenous self-determination, gender justice, and an end to racism, particularly anti-Black racism and Islamophobia, and specific policies to end social oppression. 
  • No Displacement: An end to practices that force people to migrate including climate change, wars, corporate impunity and capitalist economic exploitation.

Winning the fight for racial and migrant justice!

We are in the fight for our lives. Polarization is increasing across the country. Austerity drive governments are in power in many provinces and are slashing public services. The climate crisis is escalating. The worst impacts of these will be on migrants, even as anti-immigrant sentiment increases.

This is a fight we must win. It’s a fight we can win – together. We know we can, because we have accomplished so much, with so little already! 

In 2019, you joined thousands of people in 20+ cities from coast to coast to coast in one of four days of action. Together, we gave a clear warning to politicians that we would not allow racism as a divisive strategy. At these actions, we spoke out against discrimination and global displacement and put forward our platform for justice.

The Migrant Rights Network trained 400 facilitators just between April to September. These facilitators in turn had thousands of one-on-one conversations with people in their lives; busting myths that fuel xenophobia, challenging divisiveness and calling for decent work, universal services, and permanent status for everyone.

While we organized to change minds and the media narrative, we also WON better laws. Care workers facing deportation won a new program for themselves. Immigration detainees won at the Supreme Court of Canada. Farm workers won a commitment to a partial permanent residency program. Migrants pushed for an open work permit for vulnerable workers. International students increased their organizing!

In the days before the election, we issued 10 Election Reality Checks emails full of facts and infographics. You were part of hundreds of thousands of people who read these updates, shared them on social media and used them to talk to your neighbours, friends and family members.

As we approach the end of this incredible year, we know there is hard work ahead of us. Right now, grassroots migrant groups from British Columbia to PEI are holding local meetings to assess  our work to date, and plan for 2020. Just $2 per month would go a long way in ensuring we can continue our work. Give now: www.migrantrights.ca/Donate

If you are part of a self-organized group of racialized people and migrants, get in touch at info@migrantrights.ca. If you want to stay connected, and aren’t part of an organization, sign up!

With your support, in 2020 we will:

  • Bring together grassroots migrant justice organizations from across the country to share strategies and resources, to increase collaboration, and bring migrant leadership to the front!
  • Work closely with climate, labour, feminist and other social movements here and around the world to build a common future where we all thrive!
  • Win better laws and policies for migrants and support campaigns for justice!
  • Create and disseminate popular education materials to build our capacity to fight racism and win!

Together, we will win. Onwards to 2020!

Election Reality Checks

This election, we are publishing regular updates with speaking points and facts to help you talk to your friends, family members and co-workers about racism and immigration.

Often it’s hard to have these difficult conversations, so we prepared a step by step guide to anti-racist conversations to help you.

  • Election Reality Check 1: Let’s Get Louder – For the next 40 days, we will be hearing more lies, half-truths and empty promises from politicians. This is why for the next 40 days, we will be sending you regular Election Reality Checks to help you cut through the noise. These Reality Checks will be full of facts and talking points you can use to respond to politicians who will try to make us blame migrants for low wages, inadequate services and the high cost of living.
  • Election Reality Check 2: Refugees Explained – 9 key facts about refugees that you need to know.
  • Election Reality Check 3: Talking About Blackface – Racialized people, particularly children, are hurt when they see the Prime Minister in Blackface. These images are reminders of all the ways in which they are seen as inferior, been excluded, or tormented. But this is about a lot more than feelings of hurt, this is about systematic laws, policies and culture that underwrite Canada, and how they must change.
  • Election Reality Check 4: Climate Crisis, Racism and Migration – It is no coincidence that the politicians refusing to act on climate change are the same ones drumming up hatred against migrants. Those who have brought us to the brink of climate catastrophe want to evade their responsibility by selling us ineffective individualistic solutions and put the blame elsewhere. To win action on climate, we must reject the politics of division and racism.
  • Election Reality Check 5: Immigration Detention – While migrants are framed as criminals by politicians and the media, the truth is many migrants live in daily fear of being imprisoned without charges or trial, often indefinitely. The threat of detention and deportation keeps migrants from asserting basic rights. Canada’s immigration detention system is unjust, deadly and growing.
  • Election Reality Check 6: What they say vs What they mean on Immigration Policy – During this election you’ll hear many statements and promises about immigration. Some will be explicitly racist, most will be based on half-truths, and all will fall short of what we really need. Here are some common refrains you will hear, and some points you can use to understand and challenge them.
  • Election Reality Check 7: Quebec’s Law 21 Explained – Under the guise of secularism, Quebec’s Law 21 is whipping up anti-immigrant sentiment and Islamophobia. This strategy is not unique to Quebec; it is part of a broader attack on migrants through provincial and federal laws across the country. There is widespread resistance to Law 21 in Quebec. We must amplify that resistance and reject all forms of racism that serve to distract and divide us.
  • Election Reality Check 8: Thank a Migrant Farmworker: We must build communities that prioritize the needs and humanity of migrant farm workers as centrally as our communities rely on their labour. From clean drinking water to safe housing, accessible public transportation, healthcare, full and equal labour and immigration rights, we must build communities in which migrant farm workers and their families can thrive.
  • Election Reality Check 9: Affordability, Work and Wealth: During this election campaign, almost every party has expressed concern for people “struggling to make ends meet” or pledged to make life “more affordable”. Most of the ‘solutions’ on offer, like tax cuts and credits, fail to redistribute wealth and make the economy work for the majority of us. Here are some points you can use to challenge your friends and family members to demand better.
  • Final Reality Check: After the Election: While it may seem difficult to impact what happens inside parliament, we have and we must continue to build our power outside it. Let us coordinate in our workplaces and our communities by talking to people, and winning them over to a shared vision of justice for all, one person at a time, one meeting at a time. And as we come together around issues that matter to each of us the most, we must connect and build links with others here and around the world, towards a common platform of decent work, universal services, permanent status, climate justice, and an end to displacement and discrimination.

4 step guide to talking about racism this election

A recent poll showed that 63% of residents believe that Canada should limit immigration, even though the majority of migrants are coming on temporary permits with few rights. 

Many of our neighbours, colleagues and family members are being convinced by anti-immigrant ideas. It is crucial that they hear from people they know and trust that these anti-immigrant messages are not a solution to our problems but a strategy to distract and divide us. It is crucial that they hear from you.

We are creating tools and tips to help you have these conversations with people in your life. Here are regular bulletins with talking points you can use to respond to the latest anti-immigrant messages your friends and families that we created during the federal election. 

Download a poster version of these 4 steps here. 

We know this is not an easy ask. So, here’s a step-by-step guide:

(1) Listen: Start by listening, and asking questions to identify what feelings are underlying their beliefs. While the specific points may vary, most racist anti-immigrant ideas at their root are motivated by scarcity (there isn’t enough for everyone), law and order (I follow the rules but others do not), or fear (someone is out to get me and my family). Identify the motivating feeling so that you can engage with it. 

(2) Acknowledge: Most of us feel anxious about our future and our children’s future. Acknowledge that and highlight how most of us share this anxiety. Then point out how the people responsible for our low wages, high cost of living, and climate change are the rich and corporations, not migrants.

(3) New facts: Changing people’s minds is largely about values and feelings. But facts are useful too. Share facts about the realities of immigration or the economy, while also talking about why these are not the facts we usually hear and whose interests are served by that. We have lots of resources on our website, and we will be sending you useful facts regularly between now and the election once you sign the pledge at www.migrantrights.ca. 

(4) Solidarity: It’s important to paint a vision of collective struggle that includes all of us as workers, irrespective of immigration status. Talk about how we can all have decent work, universal services, permanent status and fully rights, and a world free of discrimination and displacement if we work together, and the rich pay their fair share. 

The only way to do this is to try. So call up that friend, family member, or co-worker who is falling prey to racist and anti-immigrant ideas and have a conversation. Test out these steps and let us know what worked – email info@migrantrights.ca. Remember: it will take more than one conversation. But we can stop the rise of xenophobia, one conversation at a time. 

Together we can win:

      • DECENT WORK: $15 minimum wage, full labour rights for all, and no employer specific or time limited work permits.
      • UNIVERSAL SERVICES: Quality public services including healthcare, education, income security, childcare, settlement services, pensions, and pharmacare for all.
      • STATUS FOR ALL, STATUS NOW: Permanent resident status for all migrants and refugees here, and landed status on arrival for those who come in the future. No detentions, no deportations!
      • JUSTICE FOR ALL: Indigenous self-determination, gender justice, and an end to racism, particularly anti-Black racism and Islamophobia.
      • NO DISPLACEMENT: An end to practices that force people to migrate including climate change, wars, corporate impunity, and economic exploitation.

 

Immigration Truth & Lies

Learn how to challenge myths about immigration. Let’s unite in our demands for a fair and just society for everyone.

Unite Against Racism Film

This video is a tool to help communities educate themselves about immigration, racism, and the importance of uniting to fight the rise of the right. It comes with discussion guide that will assist you in screening.

Migrant Care Workers Claim Partial Victory, Continue to Demand Landed Status On Arrival

For media contacts, please email info@migrantworkersalliance.org

Toronto, June 15, 2019 — Migrant Care Worker groups from Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec welcome changes announced today that finally allow care workers to bring their families and work without work permits tied to employers. These changes respond, in part, to what care workers have been demanding for years. But this victory falls short of the permanent resident status on arrival that is necessary for migrant care workers to be treated the same as others through our immigration system. Many questions and concerns remain about the implementation of the changes announced today, particularly for migrant care workers already in Canada who will continue to be left out. Migrant workers across Canada are taking action on June 16, 2019 for International Domestic Workers Day, see list of events here.

“Today’s announcement is a result of care workers fighting for our rights for decades, it’s a tremendous victory and testament to our organizing and it’s not enough. Migrant care workers take care of families, and have been for centuries, this is a permanent program with a permanent solution and that means permanent resident status upon arrival for future workers, and full immigration status for all migrant workers already in the country, particularly those who have become undocmented. We particularly need changes for workers already in the country, which means removing arbitrary and unnecessary language and educational requirements, and granting open work permits to all.”
– Kara Manso, Landed Status Now Campaign, Former Care Worker, Coordinator – Caregivers Action Centre

New Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker Pilot Program & Changes Needed

The new pilot program will come into force on June 18th, 2019. Care Workers will have to demonstrate 1 year of post-secondary education, CLB level 5, and a job offer in Canada to apply. They along with their spouses and children will be vetted in advance of arrival to Canada. Upon arrival, the Care Worker will receive an occupation specific work permit, spouses will receive an open work permit, and children will receive study permits. Only after completion of 24 months of service, will care workers and their families be able to apply for permanent resident status.

Care Workers have long demanded the creation of non-LMIA specific work permits, and the ability for families to accompany workers – the addition of these in today’s announcement is a victory.

Care workers demand:

    • English language requirements should be kept at CLB Level 3, and educational requirements should be kept at high school. The Interim Program (see below) was created because CLB Level 5 and post-secondary educational requirements were impossible for most care workers, and unnecessary to work or live or succeed in Canada. They should not be re-introduced. These increased requirements will shut out skilled care workers who do not have the money to pay for the education and English language training.
    • Care workers already in Canada should be granted occupational specific work permits immediately. The government has now clearly recognized that employer specific work permits creates conditions of abuse, there is no reason for them to be continued for workers already here.
    • Migrant care workers must be able to come to Canada with permanent resident status on arrival and with their families. Migrant care work is permanent work, and requires a permanent solution, not another pilot program. Requiring 24 months of service before granting permanent resident status gives enormous power to employers which opens up the possibility of exploitation and abuse.
    • The definition of the family unit must be inclusive, and children must be able to get work permits and pay domestic tuition fees. Care Worker families include grandparents, siblings and other relatives who are sometimes primary carers in the family instead of or in addition to spouses – families should be expanded from just spouse and children. Dependent children are of varying ages and there should be no age limit. Accompanying children must be allowed work permits (not just study permits) and be allowed to pay domestic tuition fees. Care workers must have the ability to choose when their families join them.
    • There should be no second medical examination
    • Care Workers in Quebec continue to be left in limbo. Coordinate with Quebec-based Care Worker groups and the Government of Quebec to ensure this program is extended and includes workers based there.

Interim Pathway & Changes Needed

The Interim Pathway created on March 4th and which expired on June 4th is now being extended from July 8th to October 8th. This Interim Pathway was created in response to the arbitrary, unfair and unnecessary requirements that were created in November 2014, which left tens of thousands of racialized workers without a path to permanent residency, needing to choose between deportation and becoming undocumented.

  • The Interim Pathway lowered service requirement from 24 months to 12 months
  • The Interim Pathway lowered educational requirements from 1 year post-secondary education to high school education.
  • The Interim Pathway kept the arbitrary CLB Level 5 requirement, even though only CLB Level 3 is required or necessary to work in Canada.

While the extension of the program is a Care Worker demand, and opens up the opportunity for some workers to apply, Care Workers continue to demand:

  • Expand the Interim Pathway to all workers including undocumented workers who came to Canada under the 2014 Pilot Caregiver program (i.e., grandfather all current caregivers in the program under the Interim Pathway). For those without enough service accumulated, ensure workers can be grandfathered into the new 2019 Caregiver Pilot Program;
  • Allow Care Workers to apply if they have worked in Canada for 12 months, even if the work was done without a work permit; Care Workers should not have to bear the costs of the unworkable LMIA permits
  • Reduce the required language level to CLB Level 3. Without this change thousands of workers face becoming undocumented;
  • Remove requirement for second medical examination as was previously the law; and,
  • An Interim Pathway for Quebec be created in coordination with Quebec-based Care Worker groups and the Government of Quebec. Since the creation of the Interim Pathway many Quebec based workers have been forced to move out of the province to apply for this program creating mass displacement.

Federal Workers Program

Landed Status Now demands the creation of a Federal Care Worker Program that provides landed status upon entry for Care Workers and our families. Care Workers should be able to seek employment in Canada through the national job bank. Employers seeking Care Workers can use the job bank to find care worker employees. This would take away the need for third-party recruiters / job agencies and the thousands of dollars they charge care workers to get a job.

Landed Status Now: Care Workers Organize (www.LandedStatusNow.ca) is a national coalition including Caregivers Action Centre (Toronto); Caregivers Connection (Toronto); Alberta Careworkers Association (Edmonton); Migrante Alberta; Migrante BC, Migrante Canada; Migrante Ottawa; PINAY Quebec; Immigrant Workers Centre (Montreal); Association for the Rights of Household Workers (Montreal), Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregiver Rights (Vancouver), and Migrant Workers Alliance for Change (Canada).

Actions Across Canada Put Forward Anti-Racist Demands Before Federal Elections

Canada – The cross-country alliance Migrant Rights Network is holding Canada-wide actions on June 16 to put forward a pro-migrant and anti-racist agenda in advance of the federal elections. June 16 is International Domestic Workers Day and Father’s Day. Many migrants are unjustly separated from their families, and domestic workers continue to be harmed by federal and provincial laws that deny them full rights and permanent resident status. Ahead of the federal election, migrants and allies are ringing the alarm on the increasing use of racist and xenophobic rhetoric as a vote wining strategy. The Migrant Rights Network is calling on all political parties to committ to status for all, decent work, quality universal public services, end to discrimination, and a stop to policies of displacement.

Cross-Canada Media Contacts:
EN: Syed Hussan, 416 453 3632, hussan@migrantworkersalliance.org
FR/ES: Karen Cocq, 647 970 8464, karen@migrantworkersalliance.org

Affiliated rallies / creative actions and marches are planned in:

  • Fredericton – 7pm, June 16, City Hall, Tabatha Armstrong 506.453.4875 (No One Is Illegal Fredericton)
  • Guelph – 12pm, June 16, Mandy Hiscocks, 519.731.4179 (OPIRG Guelph)
  • Halifax – 2pm, June 16, Garrison Grounds, Citadel Hill
  • Kelowna – 12pm, June 16, Dayton Street Overpass over Harvey Avenue. Luis Diaz, 250.826.1551 (RAMA)
  • London – 1pm, June 16, Victoria Park
  • Montreal – 2pm, June 16, Parc Nelson Mandela, Romina Hernandez-Gomez, (514) 560-0673 (Solidarity Across Borders)
  • Ottawa – 2pm, June 16, Dundonald Park – Karen Cocq, 647 970 8464 (Migrant Workers Alliance)
  • Peterborough – 2pm, June 16, Confederation Park
  • Toronto – 2pm, June 16, Grange Park – Syed Hussan, 416 453 3632 (Migrant Worker Alliance)
  • Winnipeg – 1pm, June 15. Canadian Museum for Human Rights
  • Vancouver – For migrant workers only, by invitation. Byron Cruz – (604) 315-7725 and Lorina Serafico – (604) 618-3649

    See full details at www.migrantrights.ca/June16 (more added daily)

Background

#UniteAgainstRacism Demands:

  • STATUS FOR ALL: Permanent resident status and family unity for all migrants and refugees here, and landed status on arrival for those that arrive in the future. No detentions, no deportations!
  • DECENT WORK: $15 minimum wage, full labour rights for all and no employer specific or time limited work permits.
  • UNIVERSAL SERVICES: Full access to quality public services including healthcare, education, income security, childcare, pensions, and more for all residents.
  • NO DISCRIMINATION: Indigenous self-determination, gender justice, and an end to racism, particularly anti-Black racism and Islamophobia.
  • NO DISPLACEMENT: An end to practices and policies further climate change, wars, corporate impunity, dirty mining and economic exploitation which force people to migrate.

Open Letter: Labour Council Presidents Across Canada #UniteAgainstRacism

To sign, please fill out the form on this page. To download a PDF, click here. To access a template resolution for your local or Council, click here. 

Brothers, Sisters and Comrades,

An insurgent right wing is seizing political power at the provincial level across Canada. Their victories have ushered in austerity, cuts, and attacks on workers and communities.

We are at a critical political moment. We are calling on Labour Councils and the Labour movement across Canada to #UniteAgainstRacism.

While workers are united in the desire for decent work and strong social programs for all residents, politicians are using anti-immigrant and racist ideas to pit workers against each other. We saw this in the federal by-election in February, when Maxime Bernier’s anti-immigrant party garnered 11% of the vote in Burnaby South. In Alberta many United Conservative Party candidates were found to have close ties to white supremacists. And in Quebec, the Coalition Avenir Quebec campaigned for a 20% reduction in immigration and won a majority. This is Trump’s strategy, and the strategy of many other right wing parties globally.

The mainstreaming of racist ideologies has resulted in grave violence. We were horrified at the mass murder of Muslims in Christchurch at a New Zealand mosque. In Canada, since the deadly Quebec City Mosque shooting in 2017, hate crimes have increased 47% and there are now 300 active white supremacist organizations operating in this country — a 200% increase.

Labour has the opportunity to show leadership and stand strong against racism and xenophobia. We must ensure union members are not divided by racism and lured into voting for a right wing government that will hurt all of us. We must stand united as workers – an injury to one is an injury to all. Our members must see us showing as clearly as possible that we will not be divided.

This year, let’s hold high the banner of #UniteAgainstRacism. Through our visual materials, our media statements, and speeches and in member-to-member education from now on and especially on Labour Day, let us insist that:

  • All workers are suffering, and feel precarious. But we feel strong when we stand together for decent work; for quality public services; permanent immigration status for all; and for gender, racial, climate and Indigenous justice. Let’s build a vision of global solidarity that inspires workers to fight together, not fight each other for scraps. Let’s not allow any political party to use racism to divide us for votes.
  • Immigrants are not responsible for low wages, or poor services, but rather it’s the bosses and their political representatives who exploit us all;
  • Far from benefiting unfairly from their work in Canada, migrant workers and refugees are being exploited in substandard working conditions, because regressive immigration and labour laws restrict their agency and leave them open to abuse;
  • Migrants and refugees aren’t vulnerable, they are organizing and winning rights and justice for all workers;
  • Labour is unified in our call for decent work, universal quality services, and permanent resident status for all workers, including migrants. Now is the time to ensure racial and gender justice including Indigenous self-determination; and an end to practices that force people to migrate including war, corporate impunity and climate change.

As allies of migrant worker groups in the Migrant Rights Network (www.migrantrights.ca), we call on Labour Councils across Canada to make #UniteAgainstRacism a key rallying cry now, and the theme of Labour Day 2019. Join actions in communities taking place on June 16, 2019.

Contact info@migrantrights.ca for #UniteAgainstRacism materials or to arrange a popular education training for your members. You can endorse the letter by filling out the form on this page.

Together, we will win.

Initial Signatories, May 22, 2019

Tiffany Balducci, President
Durham Region Labour Council

Greg Mady, President
Edmonton and District Labour Council

Kevin Smallwood, President
Fredericton and District Labour Council

Janice Folk-Dawson, President
Guelph and District Labour Council

Anthony Marco, President
Hamilton District Labour Council

Suzanne MacNeil, President
Halifax-Dartmouth and District Labour Council

Lesley Jamieson, President
Kingston and District Labour Council

Patti Dalton, President
London and District Labour Council

Henri Giroux, President
North Bay and District Labour Council

Additional signatories

Dan Tobin, President
Northumberland Labour Council

Krysty Thomas, President
Lethbridge and District Labour Council

Kevin Smith, President
Grey Bruce Labour Council

Wayne Kelley, President
Annapolis Valley Labour Council

Michele McCleave-Kennedy, President
Sault Ste Marie District Labour Council

Lou Ann Binning, President
Niagara Regional Labour Council

Shobna Radons, President
Regina & District Labour Council

Deborah Jones, Acting President / 1st Vice President
Winnipeg & District Labour Council

 

New Cross-Canada Network Launches Today to Fight Racism and Xenophobia

National Media Contacts (local contacts listed below):
EN: Syed Hussan, 416 453 3632, hussan@migrantworkersalliance.org
FR: Karen Cocq, 647-9708464, karen@migrantworkersalliance.org

Actions today on the International Day for the Elimination of Racism in Montreal (10am, 200 Rene Levesque) Halifax (4:30pm, Halifax Convention Centre), Toronto (5:30pm, City Hall) and Vancouver (6:30pm, 350 West Georgia). Actions in over a dozen cities this week updated here: https://migrantrights.ca/en/march21/

Canada – Actions are taking place in over a dozen cities this week from Halifax to Vancouver as part of the launch of the Migrant Rights Network, a new cross-Canada alliance to demand pro-migrant, anti-racist laws and policies, including permanent residence status for all. The Migrant Rights Network’s formation, in advance of the federal elections, has been given added urgency after the white supremacist attacks in New Zealand that left at least 50 Muslims dead.

“After decades of job loss, wage stagnation and service cuts, people across the country are increasingly worried about the future. Politicians are responding to this fear, not by raising wages or expanding public services, but by demonizing migrants and refugees,” says Syed Hussan from Migrant Workers Alliance for Change in Toronto. “This divisiveness has created a dangerous political environment, and must be stopped.”

Since the Quebec City Mosque shooting in 2017 that left 6 dead and served as a blueprint for the New Zealand shooter, police reported hate crimes have increased by 47% in Canada. At least 300 known white supremacist organizations are currently active across the country.

“CAQ won a majority after campaigning on an anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim platform. We will not allow federal political parties to repeat this disturbing and dangerous strategy,” says Niel La Dode from Immigrant Workers Centre in Montreal. “At the end of the day, we all want the same things: decent work, the ability to provide for our families, a life with dignity. The politicians and corporations who deny us these basic rights are the real problem, not migrants, not refugees, not undocumented people.”

Under current immigration policies, 700,000 people, over 70% of migrants who arrive in Canada each year, are shut out from basic services, such as healthcare and education, because of unfair temporary permits. This denial happens despite migrants and refugees paying for public services through municipal, sales and income taxes.

“The social safety net is being pulled away from us while corporations get massive tax cuts. Politicians want us fighting for scraps, and blaming immigrants for their economic mess. We can’t be distracted. We must demand the fundamental changes our communities need,” says Marco Luciano, of Migrante Canada from Edmonton.

The Migrant Rights Network is demanding permanent residence status for everyone, decent work and labour protections, universal access to social services, real gender and racial justice, and respect for indigenous self-determination. In addition, practices of displacement and persecution that force people to migrate including climate change, wars, corporate impunity and economic exploitation, need to be eradicated.

“Indigenous and racialized people suffer at every turn because of the systemic racism reflected in Canadian laws and policies. We do not want piecemeal reforms. It is time for fundamental changes,” says Stacey Gomez from Halifax. “No matter what issue you are concerned about, uniting against racism right now is our most urgent task.”

Women of colour continue to earn far less than white men. Black and Indigenous communities are unfairly targeted by police and imprisonment.

“Decisions made in Canada have directly led to the escalation of the climate crisis, political instability and the global displacement of peoples. We all have a moral responsibility to stop the Canadian government and corporations to continue profiting from unsafe mining, arms exports, and fossil fuel extraction,” says Chris Sorio from Migrante BC in Vancouver. “

Led by grassroots migrant and refugee groups, civil society organizations and labour unions, Migrant Rights Network will counter fake news about Canada’s immigration system and coordinate a national dialogue to create a Platform for Racial and Migrant Justice ahead of the federal election. All social, environmental and labour groups in Canada are invited to participate in this process.

Following the March 21 #UniteAgainstRacism mobilization, actions are also called for May 1, 2019 (International Workers Day); June 16, 2019 (Father’s Day & International Domestic Workers Day); and September 2, 2019 (Labour Day).

Upcoming #UniteAgainstRacism actions. Week of Action March 17 – 24.
More actions are being announced everyday, visit https://migrantrights.ca/en/march21/ for the latest listing.

March 21, 2019

HALIFAX – 4:30pm, Halifax Convention Centre
Stacey Gomez, 902-999-4458

MONTREAL – 10am, 200 Rene Levesque
Niel La Dode, 438-505-4820; Viviana Carol Velazquez, 514-342-2111

TORONTO – 5:30pm, Nathan Phillips Square
Syed Hussan, 416-453-3632

VANCOUVER – 6:30pm, Alma VanDusen Room, 350 West Georgia Street
Chris Perry Sorio, 416-828-0441

March 23, 2019

LETHBRIDGE – 12pm, City Hall

EDMONTON – 6pm, 11834 Kingsway Avenue – Note this event is a fundraiser
Marco Luciano, 780-966-5908

March 24, 2019

MONTREAL – 2pm, Saint-Laurent Station
Safa Chebbi, 438-497-4243

OTTAWA – 2pm, 166 Frank Street
Aimee Beboso, 613-255-1921

Migrant and racial justice organizations are coming together as the Migrant Rights Network to intervene in an increasingly divisive and alarmingly dangerous political environment.

THE MIGRANT RIGHTS NETWORK DEMANDS

STATUS FOR ALL, STATUS NOW: Permanent resident status and family unity for all migrants and refugees here, and landed status on arrival for those that arrive in the future. Replace Caregiver “pilot project” with a Federal Care Workers Program that provides landed status upon entry for Care Workers and their families. No detentions, no deportations!

DECENT WORK: $15 minimum wage, full labour rights and no employer specific or time limited work permits.

UNIVERSAL SERVICES: Full access to quality public services including healthcare, education, income security, childcare settlement services, pensions, and more for all residents.

JUST SOCIETY: Indigenous self-determination, gender justice, and an end to racism, particularly anti-Black racism and Islamophobia.

NO DISPLACEMENT: An end to practices of displacement and persecution that force people to migrate including climate change, wars, corporate impunity and economic exploitation.

Cross Canada Network Launches to Fight Racism and Anti-Immigrant Hysteria in Election Year

Media Contact National (local contacts listed below):
EN: Syed Hussan, 416 453 3632, hussan@migrantworkersalliance.org
FR: Karen Cocq, 647-9708464, karen@migrantworkersalliance.org

Cross Canada Network Launches to Fight Racism and Anti-Immigrant Hysteria in Election Year

Canada – New Zealand mosque shooting with 49 murders and counting has given intense urgency in Canada which faced a similar mosque shooting in 2017 in Quebec. With actions planned from Halifax to Vancouver, a new cross-country alliance, the Migrant Rights Network is launching March 21, International Day for the Elimination of Racism, to counter fake news about Canada’s immigration system, and urgently demand pro-immigrant and anti-racist laws. The Migrant Rights Network is led by grassroots migrant and refugee groups, civil society organizations and labour unions. March 21 marks the beginning of a national dialogue to create a Platform for Racial and Migrant Justice ahead of the federal election. All social, environmental and labour groups in Canada are invited to participate in this process.

Following the March 21 #UniteAgainstRacism mobilization, actions are also called for May 1, 2019 (International Workers Day); June 16, 2019 (Father’s Day & International Domestic Workers Day); and September 2, 2019 (Labour Day). More information can be found on www.migrantrights.ca

Initial details and media contacts for #UniteAgainstRacism Week of Action (March 17-24)
More actions being announced everyday at https://migrantrights.ca/en/march21/

March 17, 2019

NIAGARA – 2pm, 1665 Four Mile Creek Rd
Sonia Aviles, 289-990-4519

March 20, 2019

PETERBOROUGH – 6pm, Confederation Park

March 21, 2019

HALIFAX – 4:30pm, Halifax Convention Centre
Stacey Gomez, 902 999 4458

MONTREAL – 10am, 200 Rene Levesque
Niel La Dode, 438-505-4820; Viviana Carol Velazquez, 514-342-2111

TORONTO – 5:30pm, Nathan Phillips Square
Syed Hussan, 416 453 3632

VANCOUVER – 6:30pm, Alma VanDusen Room, 350 West Georgia Street
Chris Perry Sorio, 416-828-0441

March 23, 2019

LETHBRIDGE – 12pm, City Hall

EDMONTON – 6pm, 11834 Kingsway Avenue – Note this event is a fundraiser
Marco Luciano, 780-966-5908

March 24, 2019

MONTREAL – 2pm, Saint-Laurent Station
Safa Chebbi, 438-497-4243

OTTAWA – 2pm, 166 Frank Street
Aimee Beboso, 613-255-1921

BACKGROUND

Migrant and racial justice organizations are coming together as the Migrant Rights Network to intervene in an increasingly divisive and alarmingly dangerous political environment.

n Canada, police reported hate crimes went up 47% in 2017. At least 300 known white supremacist organizations are currently active across the country. Over 70% of the migrants in Canada are denied full access to basic labour or social rights because of unfair temporary permits. Women of colour continue to earn far less than white men. Black and Indigenous communities are unfairly targeted by police and imprisonment. Racialized people are shut out of basic services. Meanwhile, anti-immigrant populist messaging by federal political parties increased dramatically during the recent by-elections. Clearly, Canada is not immune to the racist and anti-immigrant rhetoric which was central to national elections in the United States, and in many countries in Western Europe. Uniting against racism now is the only way forward.

THE MIGRANT RIGHTS NETWORK DEMANDS

STATUS FOR ALL, STATUS NOW: Permanent resident status and family unity for all migrants and refugees here, and landed status on arrival for those that arrive in the future. Replace Caregiver “pilot project” with a Federal Care Workers Program that provides landed status upon entry for Care Workers and their families. No detentions, no deportations!

DECENT WORK: $15 minimum wage, full labour rights and no employer specific or time limited work permits.

UNIVERSAL SERVICES: Full access to quality public services including healthcare, education, income security, childcare settlement services, pensions, and more for all residents.

JUST SOCIETY: Indigenous self-determination, gender justice, and an end to racism, particularly anti-Black racism and Islamophobia.

NO DISPLACEMENT: An end to practices of displacement and persecution that force people to migrate including climate change, wars, corporate impunity and economic exploitation.

Migrant Caregivers WIN MAJOR VICTORY but permanent resident status on arrival for migrant workers still needed

Newly announced pilot Caregiver Program, and Interim Program important steps in the right direction, and a direct response to Caregiver organizing.

CANADA – Migrant Care Worker organizations and allies from across Canada (scroll below for list of organizations) are welcoming the newly announced Caregiver Program which is a direct response to the Landed Status Now (www.LandedStatusNow.ca) campaign and decades of organizing before that, but questions remain on details, and the temporariness of the program continues to allow for migrant Care Worker exploitation. Migrant Care Workers remain united in calling for permanent resident status on arrival for all migrant workers.

Care Worker Wins!

In the new pilot program

  • Sector-specific work permits for Care Workers allowing workers greater ability to leave bad jobs;
  • The ability of migrant Care Workers to bring their spouses and children with them upon arrival;

In the interim program

  • The removal of post-secondary educational requirements;
  • The ability for workers to apply after 12 months of service (instead of 24 months);
  • The ability of workers to count work experience in either of the two streams – Childcare or High Medical Needs; and
  • Expedited processing

Questions remain about recent announcement, including about:

  • Details of the eligibility criteria of the new pilot program;
  • Processing mechanisms of the pilot program particularly with the bulk of processing taking place in sending countries and 5,500 per annum applications cap in place;
  • Interaction between the new sectoral work permits and Labour Market Impact Assessment process which is generally employer specific; and
  • Dates when the new pilot program will go into effect.

Care Worker organizations will be responding to further information as it becomes available.

Temporary program continues to allow for worker exploitation

  • The program announced keeps the temporary nature of the system in place, despite evidence that the lack of permanent resident status is the primary reason for migrant worker exploitation;
  • The changes announced are for a pilot program, restricted to 5 years, and by Ministerial order rather than by changes to law or regulations. This is a temporary change, while Care Work is a permanent need. Care Workers have been coming to Canada for more than 100 years;
  • The announcement excludes workers in Quebec, who remain caught in a web of exploitation;
  • The interim program excludes workers who have become undocumented as a result of exclusionary requirement in the current program, or because they were issued permits for less than 24 months. These workers must be included;
  • The interim program is only open from March 4 to June 4, 2019 – which is not sufficient time for many workers to even hear about the changes. Only 1,955 Care Workers and dependents were granted permanent residency in the first 36 months under the current Caregiver program set to expire in November 2019. This is in stark contrast to the average of 10,740 Care Workers and their dependants who received permanent resident status every year under the previous Live-In Caregiver program;
  • The 5,500 cap on applicants per year is far lower the Care Work in the economy. Concerns remain about assessment in sending countries, and what will happen to Care Workers who apply each year after the 5,500 cap has been reached;
  • It is not clear if the existing criteria of Canadian 1-year post-secondary education equivalent and high levels of English language expertise will be part of the new pilot program. If it is, and assessments are happening in sending countries, this new pilot program will shut out migrants with fewer resources who have historically been able to come to Canada under Caregiver Programs;
  • No resources have been announced for families arriving with Care Workers in the new pilot; or for workers to access the interim program. It is essential that assistance be provided to ensure that family members are able to settle in Canada, including affordable housing, full healthcare and the ability attend schools and post-secondary institutions without paying high international fees;
  • No details on regulating recruiters, licensing employers and holding them jointly financially liable were announced which will be even more essential with processing happening in sending countries;
  • Section 38(1)(c) of the IRPA (“Medical Inadmissibility” rules) has not been repealed which denies PR to an entire family if even one member of the family has a disability. No details have been announced on whether there will be a second medical examination; and
  • Temporary migrant Care Work remains an ad-hoc solution rather than part of a broader Care Strategy in Canada that ensures universal childcare and elder care.

Coalition of Migrant Care Worker groups and allies and Landed Status Now Campaign (in alphabetic order by organization)

For contact numbers of these organizations, please email hussan@migrantworkersalliance.org

  • Association for the Rights of Household Workers
  • Caregivers Action Centre – Toronto
  • Caregiver Connections Education and Support Org – Toronto
  • Vancouver Committee for Domestic Worker and Caregiver Rights
  • Migrant Mothers Project University of Toronto – Toronto
  • Migrant Workers Alliance for Change* – Canada
  • Migrant Workers Centre – Vancouver
  • Migrante Alberta – Edmonton
  • Migrante British Columbia – Vancouver
  • Migrante Canada
  • Migrante Ottawa – Ottawa
  • PINAY Quebec – Montreal

* The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change includes individuals as well as Alliance for South Asian Aids Prevention, Asian Community Aids Services, Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support), Caregiver Connections Education and Support Organization, Caregivers Action Centre, Durham Region Migrant Solidarity Network, FCJ Refugee House, Fuerza Puwersa, GABRIELA Ontario, IAVGO Community Legal Clinic, Income Security Advocacy Centre, Migrante Ontario, No One Is Illegal – Toronto, Northumberland Community Legal Centre, OCASI – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants, OHIP For All, PCLS Community Legal Clinic, SALCO Community Legal Clinic, Students Against Migrant Exploitation, Social Planning Toronto, UFCW, UNIFOR, Workers Action Centre and Workers United.

Landed Status Now

Courageously take action and send an email to the Immigration Minister right now and insist that Care Workers deserve permanent residency status, family unity and full rights. This is about human rights, it’s about Canada keeping its promises, and it’s about ensuring health and care for everyone.

Media Release: Migrant Care Workers Speak Out for Status and Fairness

Download our new report at www.LandedStatusNow.ca

CARE WORKERS WILL BE LAUNCHING A NEW REPORT AND THEIR CAMPAIGN AND SHARING THEIR STORIES IN FIVE CITIES

  • Toronto: Nov 18, 11am, Suite 202, 720 Spadina Avenue, 647-782-6633 (Caregivers Action Centre & Caregiver Connections)
  • Vancouver: Nov 18, 10am, BCGEU, 130-2920 Virtual Way, 604-618-3649 (Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregiver Rights)
  • Edmonton: Nov 18, 1pm, CUPE 474 Hall – 10989 124 Street, 780-937-5908 (Alberta Careworkers Association & Migrante Alberta)
  • Montreal: Nov 18, 10am, 4755 Van Horne, Bureau 110, 514-238-0089 (PINAY Quebec)
  • Ottawa: Nov 18, 2:30pm, 251 Bank Street, 613-255-1921 (Migrante Ottawa)

CANADA – Today, migrant Care Workers across Canada are raising their voices together to call for permanent resident status on arrival, dignity and fairness for migrant Care Workers by simultaneously launching a report with personal stories from hundreds of Care Workers across Canada. The Caregiver Program is set to expire in November 2019. Tens of thousands of racialized women who came to Canada with the promise of living in Canada permanently with their families are now in limbo.

“Women like us have been coming to Canada for over a century raising children, taking care of the sick and the elderly, being the backbone of the economy, and yet we are treated like we are expendable,” says Kara Manso, coordinator of the Caregivers Action Centre speaking in Toronto. “We need security, and that means landed status on arrival, family unity and justice for workers already here.”

Care Workers are calling on Canada to replace the broken Caregiver Program with a new program that will end precarious status, forced family separation, and exploitative working conditions while improving access to the critical care that Care Workers give to all Canadians. This requires creating a new permanent immigration stream for migrant Care Workers, and in the interim creating open work permits, removing discriminatory language, educational and medical requirements, and granting permanent residency to workers in the country.

The report, “Care Worker Voices for Landed Status and Fairness”, has been produced by Care Workers and their organizations through surveys, focus groups and interviews. It features over a 150 Care Worker stories which demonstrate the painful impacts of family separation, low-wages, precarious status, and unfair laws and policies on racialized women.

An average of 8,000 new Care Worker permits were issued annually in the last five years – all of whom come on employer specific work permits, without their families and with temporary resident status. Over 95% of Care Workers surveyed reported family separation enforced by the Caregiver Program as having the most significant detrimental impact on their lives.

“Care Workers keep coming to Canada with the promise of eventually getting permanent residency and being reunited with their families, but the program excludes so many and is expiring without any details of what will replace it, promises are being broken,” says Julie Diesta of the Vancouver Committee for Domestic Worker and Caregiver Rights. “This isn’t integrity, it is not ethical, Canada must do better.”

Only 1,955 Care Workers and dependents were granted permanent residency in the first 36 months under the current Caregiver program. This is in stark contrast to the average  10,740 Care Workers and their dependants received permanent resident status every year under the previous Live-In Caregiver program. At least 20,000 Care Workers have applied for permanent residency and are awaiting a decision on their application, others are unable to apply because of new requirements.

“Care Workers do the critical work of raising families, caring for an elderly population and ensuring dignity for those who are sick and disabled, without us the economy doesn’t work, yet we get low wages, long work hours, unsafe housing and constant stress” adds Cynthia Palmaria from Migrante Alberta speaking in Edmonton. “Making these changes won’t just benefit migrants, it will ensure that everyone in Canada is healthy and has a better quality of life.”

“Most people have the ability to change jobs when they have a bad employer, or celebrate their children’s birthday, or sit by their parent’s bedside when they are ill, or be able to take a day off when they are sick, these are basic human rights, and that’s all Care Workers are asking for,” says Evelyn Mondonedo of PINAY Quebec in Montreal. “Care Workers deserve landed status, open work permits, family unity and an end to exclusionary laws.”

The report documents the experiences of workers like Maiko who face unpaid wages. “According to the contract, I work 37.5 hrs per week at $11.40 an hour (back in 2016). But I worked 50 hrs and got no pay for the extra 12.5 hours. I get $1, 275/per month (net).” She worked 12.5 hours per week without pay. That amounts to $815 per month in unpaid wages and overtime premium pay (and $9,781 per year). Our research indicates that most workers are being underpaid at a similar level because of immigration and labour rules.

“Thousands of Care Workers have come to Canada in the last few decades, we have families here, and we vote, all of us are watching closely to see how political parties respond to this looming crisis,” adds Aimee Beboso of Migrante Ottawa. “But more than the political parties, we are hoping for courageous support from everyday people who will join us for justice and fairness for everyone.”

QUOTES FROM THE REPORT

“There are lots of moments of no sleep because we are missing our family; tears because of homesickness. Being separated from your family as a Caregiver adds to the burden that cause depression and guilty feelings of taking care of other people.”

– Martha, Migrant Care Worker

“I’m worried about getting my [permanent residency] application accepted. The government’s caps on new streams makes it harder. And then we have to pass the new language and education tests; I’m worried. I am here since April 2015 and I am still completing my 24 months of work. I have been separated from my family for 10 years already.“

– Maribeth is responsible for 14 family members in the Philippines

“Why do they not give us permanent residency when we come? There is obviously a huge need for workers to care for the elderly. They bring us over to do this important work. But then they delay and delay. By not giving us [permanent residency], they tell employers that we are not worthy. That’s why so many employers do not follow the law and pay us properly.”

– Rosalie, Migrant Care Worker

“It is so hard transferring from one client to another due to the death of my client. I care for people with high medical needs. It is expected that some of them get weaker and die naturally but then I end up being jobless. The immigration department must have some exemption or way of transferring us from one employer to another that doesn’t make us wait for so long and have to start over again and again I am worried that I won’t get my [permanent residency]and my family here.”

– Lisa, a mother of 3 who has been separated from her family for 5 years.

“I work for another family as part-time. They were mostly abusive when it comes to work hours (they made me work more than I am supposed to do). If I’m not done on time because of more work, they added hours but didn’t pay. They will not let me go home. But if I finished work early, they will complain and said I didn’t do my job properly even if I know it’s spotless.”

– Alicia

THE COALITION OF CARE WORKERS ARE DEMANDING:

(1) Federal Care Worker Program

The program is broken and needs fundamental reform. The government should create a new Federal Workers Program for Care Workers that provides landed status upon entry for Care Workers and our families. Care Workers should be able to seek employment in Canada through the national job bank. Employers seeking caregivers can use the job bank to find caregiver employees. This would take away the need for third-party recruiters / job agencies and the thousands of dollars they charge us to get a job.

(2) No one left behind!

Care Workers – like us – who are already in Canada also need fairness, security, and a smooth path to permanent status with our families:

  • Care Workers should able to apply for Permanent Residency (PR) after 1 year of work (or 1,950 hours): Currently we have to work 2 years while 1 year is the standard for most other permanent immigration programs in Canada;
  • All Care Workers must get open work permits, and be able to renew work permits without Labour Market Impact Assessment: Care Workers currently can only work for the employer listed on our permits, which makes it extremely difficult to leave bad bosses or, in the case of elder care, when employers pass away;
  • The new educational requirements should be removed: Care Workers are required to have completed 1-year of Canadian post-secondary equivalent education to apply for PR but we are not allowed to or able to study while working;
  • The English language test prior to PR should be removed: New English language requirements were introduced in the pilot program but no free English classes exist;
  • The new caps that allow only 2,750 PR applications each year in each caregiving stream should be removed: There are over 5,500 Care Workers coming to Canada in the childcare stream each year, the discretionary caps on PR applications means that at least half of us will not be able to apply even after completing all the requirements;
  • Clear the permanent residency backlog: Thousands of Care Workers have been waiting for up to 10 years to reunite with their families because no one’s looking at their application – that’s not fair;
  • Spouses and children should be allowed to join us  with open work and study permits of their own: This is the norm for many other temporary immigration programs and it results in improved health and stronger families rather than years of forced separation;
  • Remove the second medical that is required when applying for permanent residency. This change was sneaked in the pilot project and adds unnecessary financial barriers and delays;
  • Section 38(1)(c) of the IRPA (“Medical Inadmissibility” rules) should repealed because it denies PR to an entire family if even one member of the family has a disability.

Tell Agricultural Ministers: Migrant Workers Deserve Respect & Status

Right now Provincial and Federal Agricultural Ministers are meeting in Vancouver to discuss the future of migrant agricultural labour in Canada. Employers have been urging them to think about the labour shortage – but we have to insist that migrant workers are human beings and deserve respect and dignity! Fill in your information here, and we will email all the Agricultural Ministers letting them know that you are watching.

Send an Email to the Agricultural Ministers!

657 people have already signed this petition.

 

 

Les travailleurs agricoles migrants exclus des consultations gouvernementales secrètes: demande d’obtention d’un statut permanent à l’arrivé

Les consultations sont facilitées par le lobbyiste bien connu des employeurs agricoles Hill & Knowlton Canada

CANADA – Les organisations de travailleurs agricoles migrants du Canada sont indignées par les consultations à huis clos sur les changements dans le volet agricole du Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires qui ont exclu les travailleurs et qui refusent de se concentrer sur les préoccupations des travailleurs. Le gouvernement fédéral a entamé des réunions sur invitation seulement avec les groupes de pression des grandes entreprises à la fin du mois de mai. Les groupes de travailleurs migrants ont été invités tardivement ou pas du tout, malgré les demandes répétées à faire partie des discussions.

« Il serait impensable que le gouvernement fédéral élabore des règlements susceptibles d’influer sur les enjeux concernant les femmes et n’invite pas les femmes à la table, mais il se sent à l’aise d’exclure les travailleurs agricoles migrants et leurs défenseurs des règles et politiques qui influent profondément sur leurs vies. C’est incroyable », affirme Joey Calugay du Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrants au Québec. « Les travailleurs migrants méritent une place à la table, et ils veulent le droit à un statut permanent à l’arrivée. »

Les travailleurs migrants du secteur primaire de l’agriculture sont limités à travailler uniquement pour l’employeur indiqué sur leur permis de travail. Ils sont en grande partie autorisés à vivre uniquement dans des logements contrôlés par l’employeur. Dans certaines provinces, ils sont exclus ou soumis à des restrictions en matière de négociation collective et sont souvent exemptés du salaire minimum, des heures supplémentaires et d’autres normes fondamentales d’emploi. Les employeurs sont autorisés à licencier et renvoyer chez eux les travailleurs agricoles migrants s’ils sont blessés ou tombent malades. Les travailleurs paient la plupart des impôts, mais ils n’obtiennent souvent pas l’accès total à l’assurance-emploi, au RPC ou à d’autres droits. C’est pourquoi les organisations de travailleurs agricoles migrants à travers le Canada sont unifiées en demandant le statut de résident permanent à l’arrivée, ainsi que les pleins droits du travail et l’accès aux droits sociaux.

« Le déséquilibre des pouvoirs entre les travailleurs agricoles migrants et les employeurs est bien documenté, et toute réforme significative doit commencer par des conversations avec les travailleurs migrants ainsi que leurs organisations à un moment et à un endroit où les travailleurs peuvent participer, dans une langue avec laquelle ils sont à l’aise, puis avec des garanties qu’il n’y aura pas de représailles de la part des employeurs », ajoute Diwa Marcelino, de Migrante du Manitoba.

Ces consultations, qui incluent des décideurs fédéraux et provinciaux, sont facilitées par Hill and Knowlton Strategies, un cabinet de lobbying qui représente les intérêts des employeurs agricoles partout au Canada. Ceci est un conflit d’intérêts flagrant. En 2017, Hill and Knowlton a exercé 53 pressions auprès d’Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada, souvent au nom de différents employeurs et groupes organisations de lobbying d’employeurs.

« Il n’y a pas de travailleurs migrants dans les salles pour ces conversations, ce sont principalement des employeurs et cela est facilité par leurs propres lobbyistes. Comment des changements significatifs qui reflètent les besoins des travailleurs migrants peuvent-ils venir de ce processus? », Demande Syed Hussan de Migrant Workers Alliance for Change de l’Ontario. « Nous demandons au Ministre Hajdu et au Ministre Hussen d’intervenir et de relancer ce processus, cette fois-ci avec l’implication des travailleurs migrants, et de veiller à ce que nous discutions du statut permanent à l’atterrissage comme solution. »

« Les travailleurs migrants cultivent de la nourriture et nourrissent des familles, leurs vies méritent le respect, puis leur travail mérite notre admiration et notre soutien, ce qui doit inclure leur participation aux décisions qui ont une incidence sur leurs vies », a déclaré Byron Cruz de Sanctuary Health à Vancouver, C.-B. « Le problème fondamental du Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires est le manque de droits d’immigrations et du travail, et la première étape pour le corriger est l’accès au statut de résident permanent à l’arrivée ».

DISPONIBLE POUR COMMENTER

  • Joey Calugay, Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrants, Québec, 514-947-3662
  • Syed Hussan, Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada, Toronto, 416-453-3632
  • Byron Cruz, Sanctuary Health, Colombie-Britannique, 604-315-7725
  • Andrew Stevens, Migrant Work Saskatchewan & University of Regina, 306-552-9330
  • Diwa Marcelino, Migrante Manitoba, 204-218-7100
  • Robyn Bunn, RAMA, Kelowna, Colombie-Britannique, 250-215-1033

Migrant Agricultural Workers Shut Out from Secretive Government Consultations: Call for Permanent Status on Arrival

Consultations are being facilitated by well-known agricultural employer lobbyist Hill & Knowlton Canada

CANADA – Migrant agricultural worker organizations across Canada are outraged at closed door consultations on changes to the agricultural stream of the temporary foreign worker program which have shut out workers, and which refuse to focus on worker concerns. The federal government began invitation-only meetings with big business lobby groups in late May. Migrant worker groups have either been invited late or not at all, despite repeated requests to be part of the discussions.

“The power imbalance between migrant agricultural workers and employers is well documented, and any meaningful reforms must begin with conversations with migrant workers and their organizations at a time and place where workers can participate, in a language they are comfortable in, and with guarantees that there won’t be employer reprisals,” says Diwa Marcelino of Migrante from Manitoba.

Migrant workers in the primary agriculture stream are restricted to working only for the employer listed on their work permit. They are in large part allowed to only live in employer-controlled housing. In some provinces they are excluded from, or face restrictions on collective bargaining, and are often exempted from minimum wage, overtime hours, and other basic employment standards. Employers are allowed to fire and send migrant agricultural workers home if they are injured or fall sick. Workers pay most taxes but often can’t get full access to EI, CPP or other entitlements. This is why migrant agricultural worker organizations across Canada are unified in calling for permanent residency status on arrival, as well as full labour rights and access to social entitlements.  

“It would be unthinkable for the the federal government to craft regulations that might affect women’s issues and not invite women to the table, but they feel comfortable excluding migrant agricultural workers and their advocates from rules and policies that deeply impact their lives. It’s unbelievable,” says Joey Calugay of the Immigrant Workers Centre in Quebec. “Migrant workers deserve a seat at the table, and they want the right to permanent status upon landing.”

These consultations, which include federal and provincial policy makers, are being facilitated by Hill and Knowlton Strategies, a lobbying firm that has represented the interests of agricultural employers throughout Canada. This is a gross conflict of interest. In 2017, Hill and Knowlton lobbied Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 53 times, often on behalf of different employer and employer lobby organizations.

“There are no migrant workers in the rooms for these conversations, it’s mostly employers and it’s being facilitated by their own lobbyists. How can any meaningful changes that reflect the needs of migrant workers come from this process?” asks Syed Hussan of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change from Ontario. “We are calling on Minister Hajdu and Minister Hussen to step in and restart this process, this time with migrant worker involvement, and ensure that we are discussing permanent status on landing as a solution.”

“Migrant workers grow food, and feed families, their lives deserve respect and their work deserves our admiration and support which must include their involvement in decisions that impact their lives,” said Byron Cruz from Sanctuary Health in Vancouver, BC. “The fundamental problem with the temporary foreign worker program is the lack of immigration and labour rights, and the first step to correcting it is access to permanent residency status on arrival.”

AVAILABLE FOR COMMENT

  • Joey Calugay, Immigration Workers Centre, Quebec, 514-947-3662
  • Syed Hussan, Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada, Toronto, 416-453-3632
  • Byron Cruz, Sanctuary Health, British Columbia, 604-315-7725
  • Andrew Stevens, Migrant Work Saskatchewan & University of Regina, 306-552-9330
  • Diwa Marcelino, Migrante Manitoba, 204-218-7100
  • Robyn Bunn, RAMA, Kelowna, British Columbia, 250-215-1033

Disability, HIV and AIDS, Immigrant Rights Groups Disappointed in Medical Inadmissibility Announcement, Call for Full Repeal of Misguided Law

Toronto, April 16, 2018 – Organizations representing key groups of immigrants excluded from Canada due to medical inadmissibility are very disappointed in today’s announcement by Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen for not repealing Section 38(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. This section denies permanent residency to an entire family if a member of the family is sick or has a disability and deemed to pose an “excessive demand” on health and social services.

Today’s modest gains are the result of many years of affected people and our organizations calling for an end to these discriminatory laws. Our advocacy resulted in a review by the federal Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration in 2017, which ultimately echoed our recommendation for a full repeal. Instead of taking this principled position, the Immigration Minister Hussen today announced only minor tweaks to the existing, and deeply flawed, regime.

Minnister Hussen’s announcement continues to uphold discriminatory medical inadmissibility laws. Today’s changes that promise to increase the cost threshold and amend the definition of social services, if properly implemented, may ensure that many future immigrants living with HIV and some people with disabilities may no longer be excluded. However, the underlying issue remains: people with disabilities continue to be considered as burdens on Canadian society. Today’s announcement  also fails to address retroactive cases, such that all of the applicants currently in Canada who are separated from family members with disabilities remain in limbo. It is important to note that the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration, which recommended the repeal of the law in late 2017, noted that “savings [from this law] are not known and were not provided to the Committee.” The Government of Canada, while explicitly agreeing with the Standing Committee’s recommendation to repeal this legislation, has failed to bring its policies in line with inclusivity for persons with disabilities and with Canada’s domestic and international human rights obligations.

For comments:

Anna Malla, Coordinator, Caregivers Action Centre, 647-782-6633
James Hicks, National Coordinator, Council of Canadians With Disabilities, 343-291-1118
John Rae, 1st Vice Chair, Council of Canadians With Disabilities, 416-941-1547
Joshua Terry, Communications and Campaigns Officer, Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, 416 595-1666 ext. 236
Natalie Drolet, Executive Director, Migrant Workers Centre, 604.669.4482, ext 104.

Visit Your MP: End Medical Inadmissibility Now

As a result of organizing by people with Disabilities and their families, and with your support, in 2017, the Standing Committee for Citizenship and Immigration (CIMM) issued a report to Parliament recommending the repeal of the medical inadmissibility regime. The Minister of Immigration, the Honourable Minister Ahmed Hussen, has himself agreed that this policy must be changed. He will be announcing these changes on April 12th. 

Lets make sure that he follows the Committee’s recommendation and repeals the law rather than tweaking it. 

Members of Parliament need to hear from residents in their riding urging them to repeal Section 38(1)(c) of IRPA. It’s your turn to act.

Here’s what to do:

  1. Find the contact of your local MP: http://www.ourcommons.ca/parliamentarians/en/constituencies/FindMP
  2. Email them as soon as possible requesting a meeting.
  3. Follow up with a phone call requesting a meeting.
  4. If you have a meeting confirmed, please let us know at info@migrantrights.ca
  5. At the appointed time, go to the meeting. Make sure to read this memo in advance and leave a copy with the MP
  6. Take a picture with the MP and send it to us at info@migrantrights.ca so we can remind them that they committed to acting on this issue.

Download this TOOLKIT

It includes sample emails to request a meeting, phone scripts, agendas for a meeting and what to say. Please get in touch if you have more questions.

Here’s a backgrounder to share with your MP and for you to be apprised of the facts.

Please download, read, and print.

 

Media Release: Migrant Rights Organizers Insist on Immediate Repeal of Discriminatory Law After Federal Parliamentary Recommendation

Toronto — Caregiver and migrant rights organizations are calling on Federal Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen to immediately repeal Section 38(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act following a report by the Parliamentary Citizenship and Immigration Committee’s report which called for the repeal. The report also proposed interim measures, but migrant rights organizations insist that interim measures would uphold a fundamentally discriminatory system. More than a thousand people and organizations have signed an Open Letter in support of these demands.

“Denying permanent residency to entire families was never fair or just, thousands of people have suffered under this law already and hundreds of families are waiting to be reunited, there is no time for delay, it is time to repeal Section 38(1)(c)” says Anna Malla of the Caregivers Action Centre. “Caregivers and Disabled people cannot wait for interim measures, the Liberal government must do the right thing, end medical inadmissibility immediately as an interim step to permanent status on arrival.”

The Parliamentary Committee’s report titled, Building an Inclusive Canada: Bringing the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in Step with Modern Values was released following consultations in November. Migrant rights and disability justice groups insist that Disablism was never acceptable, and ending discriminatory laws is not a ‘modern value’.

Section 38(1)(c) reads, “A foreign national is inadmissible on health grounds if their health condition is expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services,” in effect denying an entire family permanent status if any member of the family is sick or disabled. This discriminatory system has been in place since 2002, and an average of 1,000 people, and their families are rejected each year.

BACKGROUND
https://migrantrights.ca/en/613-2/

Signez cette lettre ouverte : Il faut mettre fin à la discrimination contre les personnes handicapées

Mise à jour du 15 novembre – nous avons présenté la lettre appuyée par 47 organisations et plus de 900 noms individuels au comité parlementaire! Continuez de signer cette page car chaque signature est un courriel envoyé aux députés et un rappel que nous sommes vigilants! 

Josarie Danieles est séparée de sa fille Precious Ann depuis sept ans. Sept années pénibles d’anniversaires et de vacances en famille ratées. Sept années à communiquer en touchant un écran au lieu de serrer sa fille dans ses bras.

Josarie est venue au Canada comme aide familiale. Elle a rempli toutes les conditions et aurait dû obtenir le statut de résidente permanente. Mais on le lui refuse parce qu’Immigration Canada croit que sa fille représenterait un « fardeau excessif » pour le système de soins de santé.

Un comité parlementaire fédéral examine la question en ce moment même. Ajoutez votre nom dès maintenant et demandez aux membres du comité de mettre fin aux lois discriminatoires. Chaque fois qu’un nom s’ajoute, la lettre ci-dessous est envoyée par courriel aux députés concernés. 

Les articles discriminatoires 38(1)(a) et 38(1)(c) de la Loi sur l’immigration doivent être immédiatement abrogés. C’est une première étape. Les handicaps ne sont que l’un des motifs en vertu desquels des centaines de milliers de personnes sont obligées de travailler, d’étudier ou de vivre au Canada temporairement ou se voient refuser la résidence permanente. Nous devons revoir entièrement le système d’immigration de manière à accorder la résidence permanente à tous les migrants maintenant et, pour ceux qui arriveront plus tard, dès leur arrivée.

Le temps presse. Faisons-en sorte que Josarie célèbre le prochain anniversaire de naissance de Precious avec elle. Lisez la lettre ci-dessous et signez-la.

Signez cette lettre : Nos vies ne sont PAS un « fardeau excessif »

Il faut retirer l’incapacitisme des règles canadiennes en immigration dès maintenant

L’honorable Ahmed Hussen, c.p., député
Ministre de l’Immigration, des Réfugiés et de la Citoyenneté

Les membres du Comité permanent de la citoyenneté et de l’immigration

À titre de membres et supporters de personnes ayant un handicap, de sourds, de fous, de consommateurs ou survivants psychiatrisés et de communautés qualifiées d’handicapées, nous demandons au gouvernement fédéral de retirer immédiatement la clause relative au « fardeau excessif » et les règlements incapacitistes de la Loi sur l‘immigration et la protection des réfugiés, et d’assurer un traitement équitable aux travailleurs migrants et aux membres de leurs familles qui en subissent les effets.

Même si le premier ministre Justin Trudeau affirme que « nous ne pourrons pas nous arrêter tant et aussi longtemps que les personnes ayant un handicap ne profiteront pas des mêmes opportunités que tout le monde », l’article 38(1)(c) de la Loi sur l’immigration et la protection des réfugiés exclut du Canada les personnes handicapées, y compris les personnes vivant avec le VIH et certaines personnes trans. L’article 38(1)(c) permet de rejeter un demandeur en fournissant la base de ce rejet si le demandeur ou un membre de sa famille pourrait risquer « vraisemblablement … d’entraîner un fardeau excessif pour les services sociaux ou de santé ».

La clause du « fardeau excessif » empêche les personnes ayant un handicap d’immigrer au Canada et permet de refuser la citoyenneté aux personnes qui sont devenues handicapées pendant qu’elles travaillaient au Canada dans le cadre d’un programme fédéral de travail temporaire.

La clause du « fardeau excessif » exclut les migrants et immigrants qui vivent et travaillent au Canada depuis de nombreuses années si eux-mêmes ou une de leurs personnes à charge sont handicapés.

La clause du « fardeau excessif » projette une image uniquement négative des personnes handicapées, en soutenant qu’elles drainent trop de ressources. Cette vision nie les contributions valables qu’apportent les personnes handicapées à la société.

La clause du « fardeau excessif » accroît la vulnérabilité et l’exploitation des travailleurs migrants à faibles salaires qui tombent malades ou se blessent à cause des conditions de travail misérables qu’on leur impose au Canada. On leur refuse le statut de résident permanent parce qu’ils sont blessés ou malades.

Les travailleurs migrants qui sont venus au Canada dans le cadre de programmes fédéraux comme le Programme d’aides familiales (PAF), le Programme des travailleurs agricoles saisonniers (PTAS) ou le Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires (PTET) ne peuvent pas changer de lieu de travail sous peine de perdre leur permis de travail, ce qui veut dire qu’ils ne peuvent pas facilement refuser de faire un travail dangereux et qu’ils doivent risquer de tomber malades ou de se blesser.

Les aides familiales (ce sont en majorité des femmes) sont le seul groupe de travailleuses migrantes à faible salaire qui pourraient obtenir la résidence permanente après une période de travail au Canada. Mais si elles tombent malades ou se blessent pendant la période d’admissibilité, elles peuvent être exclues en vertu de la clause du « fardeau excessif ». Au début, les aides familiales ont obtenu des protections contre cette règle avec la loi « Juana Tejada » en 2010, mais ces garanties ont été annulées en 2014. En outre, la clause du « fardeau excessif » interdit aux aides familiales dont les enfants ou les partenaires sont malades ou handicapés de devenir résidentes permanentes. Le PAF discrimine aussi contre les aides familiales handicapées en exigeant un examen médical avant l’obtention du permis.

La Charte garantit l’égalité devant la loi et le droit à la protection égale et au bénéfice égal de la loi sans discrimination, y compris pour des motifs basés sur un handicap. L’article 38 (1)(c) contrevient spécifiquement à la Charte.

Le Comité permanent de la citoyenneté de la Chambre des communes tient présentement des auditions sur l’inadmissibilité médicale (« fardeau excessif »).

Nous exigeons que le gouvernement canadien :

  1. Retire immédiatement la clause du « fardeau excessif » de l’article 38(1)(c) de la Loi sur l’immigration et la protection des réfugiés.
  2. Accorde immédiatement la résidence permanente à toute personne à qui elle a été refusée pour des motifs de handicap au cours des dix dernières années.

Enfin, nous exigeons que le gouvernement canadien élimine toutes les politiques et tous les règlements incapacitistes et assure un statut d’immigration permanent à tous, y compris la résidence permanente à l’arrivée pour les travailleurs migrants.

 

Tell Trudeau: Repeal laws that deny immigration status on the basis of disability

  • (if applicable)

“Wait and see is not an option, end the discrimination now” insist migrant Caregivers and disability justice advocates

Toronto, November 20, 2017 – As the Federal government prepares to host consultations in Ottawa, migrant caregivers and disability justice advocates spoke out in Toronto today calling for an immediate end to disability discrimination in Canada’s immigration law. More than a thousand people and organizations have signed an Open Letter in support of these demands.

The parliamentary Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration is examining Section 38(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (IRPA) today. Section 38(1)(c) reads “A foreign national is inadmissible on health grounds if their health condition is expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services,” in effect denying an entire family permanent status if ​any ​member ​of ​the ​family ​is sick or disabled. This discriminatory system has been in place since 2002, and an average of 1,000 people, and their families are rejected each year.

“We can’t wait any longer, we need an immediate repeal of the discriminatory medical inadmissibility regime, Permanent Residency for all those denied based on this Section in the last ten years, and Permanent Residency upon arrival for all migrant workers” says Caregivers Action Centre member Amalia Loyzaga, mother of three and a recent widow. Ms Loyzaga has been separated from her family for the past ten years because her Permanent Residency is being challenged based solely on her daughter’s autism diagnosis. She is also one of 25,000 Caregivers caught in a backlog.

“I cannot comprehend how inhuman, discriminatory and unjust immigration law is set out for people with disabilities, and why action is still being delayed” adds Loyzaga.

“Section 38 (1)(c) violates basic rights to equality for disabled people, tears apart families, diminishes the invaluable contributions made by disabled people and stigmatizes us,” says prominent disability activist and scholar Dr. Loree Erickson, who has been in Canada for the past 14 years and was recently denied permanent residency.

“I ​felt ​like ​I ​am ​dying ​when ​I ​was ​denied. ​I ​don’t ​know ​what ​to ​do ​and ​where ​to ​go. ​I felt ​so ​hopeless. ​I ​wanted ​to ​scream. My family has been waiting for years, and we can’t wait any longer, we need to be reunited now” adds Josarie Danieles. Ms. Danieles is a member of the Caregivers Action Centre and has been publicly calling for overhaul of the medical inadmissibility regime since 2016.

Ms Danieles has been in Canada since 2010, and completed her requirements for permanent residency in 2014. Her permanent residency application is being challenged because her daughter Precious has been deemed to be an ‘excessive burden to the Canadian health system’.

Caregiver Mercedes Benitez, whose case was in the news recently and is scheduled to speak to Parliament later today, was granted Permanent Residency based on Humanitarian and compassionate grounds last week.

“Getting my file approved means that I won the lottery. But although now I’m approved, I wonder, what about those other cases? So many others are still suffering. Excessive demand should be eliminated because there should not be any more mothers who cry every night or children who are being discriminated based on their disability or health condition.”

The denial of permanent resident status based on disability is just one symptom of a system that fails to protect those who come from other countries to care for children, the sick, and the elderly. “For caregivers, the medical inadmissibility rule magnifies the hardships imposed by what is already a two-tier system where some immigrants come with temporary status and limited rights, while others come as permanent residents. There needs to be one system of rights, and full immigration status on arrival” adds Fay Faraday, a labour and human rights lawyer who has worked with migrant workers for over two decades.

Directly affected migrant mothers, disabled people and advocates are also concerned with the lack of truly democratic consultation in Parliament.

“While all of us applied to participate in these so-called public consultations, only one of us was invited to speak, but we are here speaking today, to say we cannot wait, end discrimination now,” adds Loyzaga.

Source
www.caregiversactioncentre.org

Migrant caregivers and their supporters are calling on the the Federal Government to:

  1. Immediately grant permanent residency to Josarie Danieles, Amalia Loyzaga and their families, as well as other migrants who have been denied permanent residency on disability grounds over the past ten years.
  2. Eliminate Section 38(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, which allows for discriminating against people with disabilities.
  3. Grant permanent residency status to migrant workers currently in Canada, including undocumented workers, with specific provisions to allow their families to join them.
  4. Ensure that all migrant workers are allowed to come to Canada with their families, and with permanent residency status, which is the norm for applicants in the Canadian Express Entry system.
  5. Ensure all migrant workers have access to all public services, basic rights and the ability to change jobs through open work permits.

Sign this open letter: End Discrimination Against Disabled People

2131 people have already signed this petition.

Tell Trudeau: Repeal laws that deny immigration status on the basis of disability

  • (if applicable)

As a result of our organizing, a Parliamentary committee has recommended that the unjust ‘excessive demand’ section of the law be repealed. Add your name above to urge Prime Minister Trudeau to do the right thing and follow this recommendation.  

This is a first step. Disability is just one of the grounds under which hundreds of thousand of people are either forced to work, study or live in Canada temporarily or are denied permanent residency. We need fundamental immigration overhaul and that means full permanent residency status for all migrants now, and on arrival for those coming in the future.

The clock is ticking. The government has until April 18 to respond to the committee’s recommendation. When you add your name above, an email will be send in your name to the government with this letter below.

Remove Disablism from Canadian Immigration Rules Now

The Honourable Justin Trudeau
Prime Minister of Canada

The Honourable Ahmed Hussen
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

As members and supporters of disabled, Deaf, mad, psychiatric consumer/survivor, and disability-labeled communities, we call on the Federal Government to immediately remove the “excessive demand” clause and other disablist regulations from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, as recommended by the Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration and to ensure the fair treatment of migrant workers and their family members who have been impacted by them.

While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claims “we cannot rest until persons with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else,” section 38(1)(c) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act excludes disabled people, including people living with HIV, and some trans people, from Canada. Section 38(1)(c) allows for an applicant to be rejected by providing the basis to reject an  applicant if they or their  family member “might reasonably be expected to cause excessive demand on health or social services.”

The “excessive demand” clause prevents  disabled people from immigrating to Canada, and denies citizenship to people who have become disabled while working in Canada as part of federal temporary work schemes.

The “excessive demand” clause shuts out migrants and immigrants who have lived and worked in Canada for many years if they or one of their dependents are disabled.

The “excessive demand” clause constructs disabled people only in negative terms – solely as a drain on resources. It erases the valuable contributions of disabled people to their communities.

The “excessive demand” clause increases the vulnerability and exploitation of low-waged migrant workers who become sick or injured because of sub-standard work conditions in Canada, These workers are then denied permanent status based on their injuries.

Migrant workers who have come to Canada through federal schemes such as the Caregiver or the Live-In Caregiver Program (CP), Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP), or Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP)  cannot change workplaces without losing their work permits, which means they cannot easily refuse dangerous or unsafe work, forcing them to risk illness or serious injury.

Caregivers are the only group of low-waged migrant workers with a Federal pathway to permanent residency after a period of working in Canada. However, if they become ill or injured during the qualification period, they can be excluded under the “excessive demand clause”. Caregivers won protections against this initially under the Juana Tejada law in 2010, but these were reneged in 2014. The “excessive demand” clause also means that caregivers with sick or disabled children or partners cannot become permanent residents. The CP also discriminates against caregivers with disabilities by requiring a medical exam before getting permit.

The Charter guarantees equality before and under the law and the right to the equal protection and equal benefit of the law without discrimination, including on the basis of disability. Section 38 (1)(c) specifically violates the Charter.

The House of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Citizenship recently finished hearings on Medical Inadmissibility (“excessive demand”).

We demand that the Canadian Government immediately:

  1. Remove the “excessive demand” clause Section 38(1)(c) from the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act.
  2. Immediately grant permanent residency to everyone who was denied permanent residency on disability grounds.

Ultimately, we demand that the Canadian government eliminate all disablist policies and regulations and ensure permanent immigration status for all, including permanent residency on arrival for migrant workers.

This open letter has been initiated and initially signed on by:

  • Anne K. Abbott, Disabled Artist, Author and Activist
  • Abdelkader Belaouni, Office Coordinator, Immigrant Worker Center
  • Mikiki Burino, Artist, HIV/Community Health Activist
  • Dr. Loree Erickson, Disability Activist, Seeking Permanent Residency, in Canada for 14 Years
  • Mel Gayle, Artist and Educator
  • Dr. Brenda A. LeFrançois, Professor, Memorial University of Newfoundland
  • Dr. Rachel da silva Gorman, Associate Professor, Critical Disability Studies, York University
  • Josarie Danieles, Caregivers, Mother
  • Laurence Parent, Disability Activist, PhD Candidate, Concordia University
  • Leah Piepzna-Samarasinha, Writer, education, disability justice organizer
  • Trish Salah, Assistant Professor of Gender Studies, Queen’s University
  • Maggie Rahr, Journalist and Mother of (Brilliant) Autistic Son
  • Rosaria Sharp, Settlement Worker
  • Don Weitz, Antipsychiatry and Social Justice Activist
  • A.J. Withers, Disability Activist, Author, Aileen D. Ross Fellow, Joseph A. Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholar
  • Caregivers Action Centre
  • Migrant Workers Alliance for Change

Organizational endorsers

  • Anakbayan Canada
  • Asian Community Aids Services
  • Association for the Rights of Household Workers (ARHW)
  • Bathurst Street United Church
  • BC Federation of Labour
  • Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network)
  • Canadian Autistics United
  • Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network
  • Canadian Union of Public Employees – CUPE
  • CCESO
  • Council of Canadians with Disabilities / Conseil des Canadiens avec déficiences (CCD)
  • Chinese Canadian National Council Toronto Chapter
  • Committee for Domestic Workers’ and Caregivers’ Rights
  • Council of Canadians
  • Council of Canadians, Peterborough and Kawarthas chapter
  • Council of Canadians, South Niagara Chapter
  • COUNTERfit
  • Centre for Immigrant and Community Services (CICS) – Immigrant Resource Centre
  • Disability Positive
  • Downsview Community Legal Services
  • Edmonton Small Press Association (ESPA)
  • Emergency Support Committee for Refugees – Hamilton
  • Farmworkers Union of Alberta
  • FCJ REFUGEE CENTRE
  • Fuerza Puwersa
  • GABRIELA Ontario
  • Hamilton Community Legal Clinic
  • Health Providers Against Poverty
  • IAVGO Community Legal Clinic
  • Immigrant Workers Centre – Montreal
  • Income Security Advocacy Centre
  • Injured Workers’ Consultants Community Legal Clinic
  • Inter Pares
  • Justice for Migrant Workers
  • Latin American Solidarity Network
  • Migrant Mothers Project
  • Migrant Worker Solidarity Network, Manitoba
  • Migrante Alberta
  • Niagara North Community Legal Assistance
  • OHIP for ALL
  • Ontario Coalition Against Poverty
  • OCASI – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants
  • Ontario Network of Injured Workers Groups
  • PINAY Quebec
  • Parkdale Community Aids Services
  • Radical Action with Migrants in Agriculture
  • SALCO
  • South Riverdale Commuity Health Centre
  • Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape
  • UFCW Canada
  • UNIFOR Canada
  • Urban Alliance on Race Relations
  • West Coast Domestic Workers’ Association
  • Workers Action Centre

 

Immigrant Rights Groups Lay Out Agenda for Incoming Ministers

hussenhadjuCanada — Immigrant rights groups across Canada are laying out a pressing agenda for incoming Immigration Minister Ahmed Hussen and Employment Minister Patty Hajdu, calling for a transformative turn towards ensuring permanency and mobility for all immigrants. Over 1.2 million people in Canada, the vast majority of immigrants, are on precarious and temporary immigration permits. Many are restricted to a single workplace, and therefore unable to assert their rights. Tapping into this under-utilized economic potential and ensuring that Canada meets its human rights obligations requires opening up work permits, and granting permanent residence both on arrival to incoming migrant workers and to undocumented immigrants and other precarious status migrants already in the country.

“The largest part of the immigration system is undocumented and temporary status migrants, and their precarious status directly impacts employment and the economy. That’s where the Ministers must turn their attention,” says Syed Hussan of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change in Ontario. “We need an overhaul of the system, and not tinkering, and that begins with immediate steps to ensure permanent status for undocumented families and migrant workers in the country.”

Due to ineffective immigration and employment law, all low-wage Temporary Foreign Workers in Canada are stuck working for a single employer. It is difficult, if not impossible, for workers to change jobs even if the job is dangerous, making them sick, or if they are facing abuse.

“Creating an open work permit program for temporary foreign workers should be the first order of business for the incoming Ministers,” says Anna Malla of Caregivers’ Action Centre. “Doing so will ensure that all immigrants in Canada have the same basic mobility rights, and would be a major step in the right direction towards real change.”

Undocumented and temporary status immigrants in Canada who have proven work experiences and community ties in the country, many of whom do not have access to permanent residency, will be forced to eventually leave Canada. This is a massive drain on Canada’s economy as trained and experienced immigrants are pushed out in a revolving door immigration system.

“Permanent status for immigrants already in the country would immediately boost the economy, integrating skilled and established individuals and families who already work to take care of our communities,” added Josie Baker from Cooper Institute in Prince Edward Island. “Permanent status for undocumented and temporary status immigrants is the smart and effective move.”

The Coalition for Migrant Workers Rights Canada (CMWRC) is the representative body of migrant workers in Canada, with membership is six provinces.

Temporary and undocumented immigrants in Canada
Category Numbers^
Undocumented immigrants 500,000
Temporary Foreign Workers* 73,069
International Mobility Program Permit Holders in 2015 176,502
International Students in 2015 353,262
Work permits for humanitarian purposes in 2015* 16,672
Work permit holders who are PR applicants in 2015* 41,813
Work permit holders for study related purposes in 2015* 56,391
In-country refugee claimants in 2015* 16,109
TOTAL 1,233,818
* These numbers are just for entries in 2015. However, many individuals are in the country for multiple more years at a time. So the total number of people present could be much higher. Data for 2016 has not been updated.
^ All numbers, except those on undocumented residents compiled from Immigration Refugee and Citizenship Data: http://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/052642bb-3fd9-4828-b608-c81dff7e539c?_ga=1.261505422.2084657334.1468989248
Undocumented immigrants in Canada were estimated to be 500,000 by the RCMP in its 2007 environmental scan: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2012/grc-rcmp/PS61-22-2007-eng.pdf

 

MEDIA CONTACTS

  • Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
  • Pour le français/Québec: Francisco Mootoo, Association des travailleuses et travailleurs étrangers temporaires — (514) 793-2672
  • Alberta – Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908
  • Atlantic Canada – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-894-4573
  • British Columbia – Vancouver – Natalie Drolet – West Coast Domestic Workers Association –1-604-669-6452
  • Prairies – Manitoba – Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-710

 

We won! 4-and-4 repealed! Lets win status for all.

meme-4-and-4Since 2009, migrant worker groups along with you have organized against the 4-and-4 rule, as part of a broader campaign for open work permits and permanent status on landing.

SHARE ON FACEBOOK | SIGN OUR PETITION

The 4-and-4 rule required migrant workers to leave after four years of cumulative employment and banned them from returning for four years. Over 15 cities organized protest and actions in March 2015 as a lead up to the imposition of the 4-and-4 rule which uprooted tens of thousands of migrant workers, and caused mass deportations. Nearly 4,000 people signed petitions. Since October 2015, the Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC) has campaigned for the overturn of this rule and permanent status on landing.

While this is an important step, we need more than repealing and tinkering. We need a total overhaul of the system which begins with ensuring permanent status on landing for migrant workers now and a regularization program for workers who stayed and became undocumented.

In yesterday’s announcement, the Federal Government promised to expand ‘pathways to citizenship’. The Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC) believes that ‘pathways’ are a euphemism for maintaining unjust temporariness for low-waged and racialized workers. A pathway is a two stage process, where migrant workers must first complete a temporary sentence of abuse and injustice before a few are selected to compete for permanent status. Low-waged and racialized people deemed to be doing ‘low-skilled’ work deserve permanent status on landing, just as much as those deemed to be doing ‘high skilled’ work.

Migrant workers from across Canada called for a repeal of the 4-and-4 rule and most importantly permanent status on landing in the recent review of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program in Ottawa.  

RELEASE: Notorious 4-and-4 rule repealed; migrant workers need permanent status, not tinkering

Feel free to use pictures and background: http://no4and4campaign.tumblr.com/

Canada,  December 14, 2016 – Since April 2011, migrant worker groups have organized against the 4-and-4 rule, as part of a broader campaign for open work permits and permanent status on landing. The 4-and-4 rule required migrant workers to leave after four years of cumulative employment and banned them from returning for four years. Over 15 cities organized protest and actions in March 2015 as a lead up to the imposition of the 4-and-4 rule which uprooted tens of thousands of migrant workers, and caused mass deportations. Nearly 4,000 people signed petitions. Since October 2015, the Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC) has campaigned for the overturn of this rule. On December 13th, the notorious 4-and-4 rule was repealed.

“This repeal is a first step which came about because migrant workers and their allies organized against an unjust rule that resulted in thousands of deportations and migrants becoming undocumented,” says Syed Hussan of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change. “We need permanent status for migrant workers who stayed here undocumented and for those that were uprooted and forced out, for this change to be really meaningful.”

“There were more than thirty of us who reached our 4 year limit and we fought an uphill battle to stay in Quebec and apply for permanent status,” explains Francisco Mootoo of the Temporary Foreign Workers Association. “Many other migrant workers impacted were unable to do so, and it’s essential that all migrant workers get permanent residence upon arrival.”

“Dozens of our members have been forced to become undocumented or leave Canada because of this badly planned, and badly executed law that seems to have been designed by the previous government simply to show that they were being hard on migrant workers,” adds Anna Malla of the Caregivers’ Action Centre. “Repealing and tinkering is not enough. We need a total overhaul of the system which begins with ensuring permanent status on landing for migrant workers now and a regularization program for workers who have become undocumented.”

In yesterday’s announcement, the Federal Government promised to expand ‘pathways to citizenship’. The Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC) believes that ‘pathways’ are a euphemism for maintaining unjust temporariness for low-waged and racialized workers. A pathway is a two stage process, where migrant workers must first complete a temporary sentence of abuse and injustice before a few are selected to compete for permanent status. Low-waged and racialized people deemed to be doing ‘low-skilled’ work deserve permanent status on landing, just as much as those deemed to be doing ‘high skilled’ work.

Migrant workers from across Canada called for a repeal of the 4-and-4 rule and most importantly for permanent status on landing in the recent review of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program in Ottawa.  

National Media Contacts

  • Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
  • Pour le français/Québec: Francisco Mootoo, Association des travailleuses et travailleurs étrangers temporaires: (514) 793-2672
  • Atlantic Canada – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705
  • British Columbia – Vancouver – Natalie Drolet, 604-669-6452, West Coast Domestic Workers’ Association
  • Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign –1-647-834-4932
  • Prairies – Manitoba – Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-710

Les travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s insistent pour un statut permanent et le respect des lois et normes du travail ainsi que le respect des droits humains en réponse à la révision sur les travailleurs étrangers

Canada, 19 septembre 2016 – La reconnaissance de la nécessité de réformes du Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires du gouvernement fédéral aujourd’hui est le résultat de plusieurs années de lutte où les travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s ont fait valoir leurs droits et ont lutté contre la violation de leurs droits humains et du respect des lois et normes du travail. Des membres de la Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s Canada, l’organe représentatif des travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s au Canada, interpellent le ministre McCallum et la ministre Mihychuk afin de légiférer rapidement pour un statut de résidence permanente pour les travailleurs et travailleuses agricoles saisonniers, les aidantes et aidants naturels et les travailleurs et travailleuses étrangers temporaires dans les catégories à bas salaire. CMWRC demande comme mesure provisoire des permis de travail ouvert, la fin des restrictions de l’ère Harper, y compris la règle 4 et 4, et l’enregistrement des recruteurs.

« Pendant trop longtemps, nous avons été traités comme les rouages d’une machine, incapable de changer d’emploi, et le débat a porté sur les profits au lieu d’être sur les gens », a dit Francisco Mottoo, un travailleur étranger temporaire du Québec membre de l’Association des travailleuses et travailleurs étrangers temporaires qui a parlé en mai devant le Comité permanent étudiant la révision du programme. « Mais nous sommes des êtres humains, nous avons des familles, nous avons des sentiments, et nous sommes privés de nos droits les plus élémentaires. La question fondamentale n’est pas combien de travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s et dans quelles industries, mais quels sont les droits que nous avons. Nous méritons un statut d’immigration permanent dès l’arrivée. Nous méritons d’être avec nos familles, nous méritons le bonheur. »

Tous les travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s qui ont été entendu par le comité permanent sont membres d’organismes affiliés à la Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s Canada. Les travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s ont identifié la nécessité d’un statut permanent dès l’arrivée, des permis de travail ouverts, des réglementations pour les recruteurs, des enquêtes du travail qui sont proactive, et la fin des permis de travail cumulatifs qui sont recommandés dans le rapport d’HUMA aujourd’hui. Les travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s demandent également de revoir l’admissibilité des aides familiales aux soins de santé et le rapatriement des travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s pour des problèmes de santé, demandes qui ne sont pas abordées dans le rapport. La CMWRC espère que toutes ses recommandations seront rapidement mises en œuvre.

Le rapport est publié alors que des travailleurs et des travailleuses agricoles de Justice for Migrant Workers ont entrepris une marche de plus de 1500 kilomètres de Windsor à Ottawa pour souligner les 50 ans de la création du Programme des travailleurs agricoles saisonniers.

« Le rapport d’aujourd’hui est vague et ses recommandations ne sont pas spécifiques. Nous avons besoin de changements réels. Ils parlent de l’élargissement du programme PTAS, mais cela ne peut se produire sans statut permanent », a dit Gabriel Allahdua, un travailleur agricole, qui est à Guelph aujourd’hui. « Depuis un demi-siècle, nous venons au Canada pour l’agriculture, pour le nettoyage, pour l’emballage et pour la restauration. Il n’y a rien de temporaire dans notre situation et nous méritons un statut permanent. »

Le comité HUMA a recommandé un chemin vers la résidence permanente pour les travailleurs étrangers et les travailleuses étrangères temporaires, mais les travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s insistent qu’un « chemin » ne suffit pas.

« Notre travail n’est jamais temporaire. Le travail que nous faisons est permanent. Les aides familiales ont un soi-disant d’accès à une voie menant à la résidence permanente, mais ce n’est pas une voie. C’est un champ de mines qui nous expose à l’exploitation. Nous méritons tous et toutes, les travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s, la résidence permanente à l’arrivée, non pas une situation temporaire à long terme », a expliqué Teta Bayan, aide familiale du Caregivers Action Centre qui n’a pas pu s’exprimer devant le comité. « Nous avons également besoin de la fin du programme des aides familiaux actuel mis en place par le gouvernement précédent qui nous a enlevé notre droit à la résidence permanente. »

###

Transcriptions et enregistrements audio de travailleurs et travailleuses migrant-e-s s’adressant au parlement : https://migrantrights.ca/en/migrant-workers-address-parliament/ 

Observations présentées par diverses organisations demandant la résidence permanente immigration comme statut : https://migrantrights.ca/en/everyone-agrees-policy-recommendations-call-for-permanent-residency-status/

 

  • Pour le français/Québec : Francisco Mootoo, Association des travailleuses et travailleurs étrangers temporaires – (514) 793-2672

 

  • Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
  • Alberta – Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908
  • Atlantic Canada – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705
  • British Columbia – Vancouver – Mildred German – Migrante BC –1-604-879-5850
  • Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign –1-647-834-4932
  • Prairies – Manitoba – Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-710

Migrant Workers call for permanent status and labour and human rights in wake of Temporary Foreign Worker Review

Canada, September 19, 2016 – The Federal government’s acknowledgement of the need for reforms of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program today is a result of years of migrant workers advocating for themselves and fighting against against denial of their human and labour rights. Migrant workers members of Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC), the representative body for migrant workers in Canada, are calling on Minister McCallum and Minister Mihychuk to now swiftly introduce legislation for permanent immigration status for Seasonal Agricultural Workers, Caregivers and Temporary Foreign Workers in low-waged categories. As an interim measure, CMWRC is calling for open work permits, the licensing of recruiters, and an end to Harper era restrictions, including the 4 and 4 rule.

“For too long we have been treated like cogs in the machine, unable to change jobs, and the debate has been about profits over people,” says Francisco Moottoo, a temporary foreign worker from Quebec and member of Association des travailleuses et travailleurs étrangers temporaires, who spoke to the Standing Committee in May. “But we are human beings, we have families and we have feelings, and we are being denied the most basic of rights. The fundamental question is not how many migrant workers and in what industries, but what rights do we have. We deserve permanent immigration status on landing, we deserve to be able to change our jobs, we deserve to be with our families, we deserve happiness.”

All the migrant workers that participated in this review are members of organizations that make up the CMWRC. Migrant workers identified the need for permanent status on landing, open work permits, recruiter regulation, proactive labour investigations, and an end to the cumulative work permit, which are recommended in the report today. Migrant workers also called for review of medical inadmissibility of Caregivers and repatriation of migrant workers for health concerns, which have not been addressed. CMWRC hopes that all its recommendations are swiftly implemented.

The report comes as agricultural worker members of Justice for Migrant Workers are marching over 1,500 kilometres from Windsor to Ottawa to mark the 50 years since the creation of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program.

“Today’s report is vague and its recommendations are not specific, we need real changes. They are talking about expanding the SAWP program but that can’t happen without permanent status” says Farmworker Gabriel Allahdua who is in Guelph today. “We have been coming to Canada, and growing, harvesting, cleaning, packing and serving food for half a century, there is nothing temporary about us. We deserve permanent status.”

The committee has recommended a path to permanent residency for Temporary Foreign Workers, but migrant workers insist that a ‘path’ is not enough.

“Our job is never temporary, the work we do is permanent. Caregivers have a so-called path to permanent residency, but it’s not a path, it’s a minefield and it’s exposing us to exploitation, all of us migrant workers deserve permanent residence on arrival not long-term temporariness,” says Caregiver Teta Bayan from the Caregivers Action Centre who was forced to miss her turn to speak to the review. “We also need an end to the current Caregiver program introduced by the previous government which took away our right to permanent residency.”

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  • Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
  • Pour le français/Quebec: Francisco Mootoo, Association des travailleuses et travailleurs étrangers temporaires: (514) 793-2672
  • Alberta – Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908
  • Atlantic Canada – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705
  • British Columbia – Vancouver – Mildred German – Migrante BC –1-604-879-5850
  • Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign –1-647-834-4932
  • Prairies – Manitoba – Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-710

Transcripts and audio recordings of migrant worker addressing Parliament: http://migrantrights.ca/en/migrant-workers-address-parliament/

Submissions by diverse organizations calling for permanent resident immigration status:https://migrantrights.ca/en/everyone-agrees-policy-recommendations-call-for-permanent-residency-status/

Migrant workers shut out of secretive closed door immigration consultations

 

Canada, July 6, 2016 — Migrant worker organizations are ringing alarm bells about closed-door meetings on immigration policy across the country that do not include migrant workers’ concerns. These invitation-only ‘Townhalls’ began last week, while an online consultation form was launched on a government website without much notice Tuesday. Over 50 national organizations have joined the Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada, the representative body of migrant workers, in calling for open meetings with migrant workers at a time and place where they can participate, and comprehensive immigration reform to ensure permanent resident status for low-waged, racialized workers.

“Migrant workers are critical to Canada’s economy. However, they are denied basic rights and are unable to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Permanent immigration status for migrant workers is the most pressing change needed in immigration policy in Canada today” says Josie Baker from the Cooper Institute in Prince Edward Island and a member of the Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada. “I had to call MPs in my area to find out about the meeting. I was told that one was happening in my town right away. They hadn’t told anyone about it, and migrant workers aren’t invited. Where is the transparency?”

A review of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Caregiver Program was just completed by a parliamentary committee but the final recommendations will not be released until the Fall. Migrant workers are one of the only groups of immigrants that can’t come to Canada with permanent resident status, a change that must be made through the Ministry of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship.

“First and foremost, we need to change immigration law to ensure that migrant workers have permanent resident immigration rights like everyone else. These immigration consultations should be a time to ensure real conversation and transparency where Parliamentarians listen to migrant workers where they are and move towards comprehensive reforms, not backroom conversations with a few insiders,” says Marco Luciano from Migrante Canada, based in Edmonton.

Migrant workers recently spoke to Parliamentarians at the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities. Audio and transcripts can be found here. Dozens of national organizations have called for permanent immigration status for migrant workers, see some of them here. Migrant worker organizations across the country are available to comment.

Media Contacts

  • Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
  • Alberta – Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908
  • Atlantic Canada – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-894-4573
  • British Columbia – Vancouver – Natalie Drolet – West Coast Domestic Workers Association –1-604-669-6452
  • British Columbia – Okanagan – Elise Hjalmarson — RAMA – 250-212-2620.
  • Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign –1-647-834-4932

Migrant Workers address Parliament

Click their names to read the transcript or scroll below to hear audio. Click here to read submissions from diverse organizations supporting migrant worker demands.

• Gabriel Allahdua, Agricultural worker, Justicia for Migrant Workers
• Gina Bahiwal, Agricultural worker, Justicia for Migrant Workers / others
• Ericson Santos De Leon, Caregiver, Migrante
• Francisco Mootoo, Migrant worker, Temporary Foreign Workers Association, Quebec
• Teta Bayan, Member, Caregivers Action Centre
• Pinky Paglingayen, Caregiver
• Claudia Colocho, Migrant worker, United Food and Commercial Workers
AND
• Marcia Lindo-Barrett the cousin of Sheldon Mckenzie, Farmworker who died as a result of workplace injuries

Everyone agrees. Diverse groups call for permanent residency status for migrant workers

From May 11 to June 1, 2016, the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities invited written submissions on the future of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program. Across the board, most written submissions called for permanent residency status on arrival for all migrant workers. Here are a few of them.

Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada / Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, and endorsed by 16 organizations.

All migrant workers must be able to immigrate to Canada as permanent residents immediately, independently and permanently without depending or relying on the sponsorship or good will of their employers or third party agencies. This program should include migrant workers already in Canada, those that have worked here and left and those arriving in the future. Migrant workers who have been granted permanent residency should get comprehensive settlement services that will ensure their success. Download full submissions here.

Canadian Council for Refugees

The federal government should guarantee the right to all admitted as migrant workers, whatever the category, to apply for permanent residence at the same time as they apply for the work permit. This would move us away from treating newcomers as disposable, as we have been doing by using precarious, temporary labour to fill long-term positions. Download full submissions here.

Inter Pares

Current and future migrant workers should be presented with the option of acquiring permanent residency in Canada immediately, independently and permanently without depending or relying on the sponsorship or good will of their employers or third party agencies. Download full submissions here.

United Food and Commercial Workers

Canada should view the prosperity of migrant workers as an investment in Canada. We should actively support their settlement and nurture their attachment to Canada. Our primary recommendation is that workers have the option to enter Canada as permanent residents. Download full submissions here.

Migrant Worker Solidarity Network

Migrant workers, including Seasonal Agricultural Workers, should be given permanent resident status. Download full submissions here.

Caregivers Action Centre 

The only real and permanent solution is granting these workers permanent resident immigration status on landing – this is our key recommendation. Permanent immigration status on landing does not entail a closure of the temporary foreign workers program or a mass expansion of it. Rather we propose a third way: inclusion and access for low-waged racialized women in care work to Canada with full rights and benefits that can only be secured by permanent resident status. Download full submissions here.

Migrant Worker Rights Canada

Ensure access upon arrival permanent legal status for all migrant workers, and in parallel access to permanent RESIDENT status (associated with public services and access to citizenship), allowing re‐entry in Canada. Download full submissions here.

West Coast Domestic Workers Alliance

All Temporary Foreign Workers should be granted permanent residency immediately upon entry in Canada. Pathways to permanent residency should be provided to all TFWs currently working in Canada. Reinstate guaranteed pathways to permanent residency for caregivers. Download full submissions here.

OCASI – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants

Give migrant workers who are here the opportunity to apply for permanent residence, and allow future workers a way become permanent residents. Download full submissions here.

Community Legal Assistance Society

Above all, migrant workers need secure immigration status upon arrival in Canada in order to have equal and meaningful access to legal protections in employment, housing, and human rights. Download full submissions here.

Tell the Review: It’s time for StatusNow

Actions across Canada call for permanent resident status and open work permits for vulnerable workers

May 27, 2016 – Canada — Migrant advocates are calling for immediate permanent resident immigration status for Seasonal Agricultural Workers, Caregivers and Temporary Foreign Workers as a parliamentary committee reviews the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. Migrant workers take care of our children, grow our food and build our economy, but remain precarious and vulnerable. These hard working community members are unable to change jobs, assert their rights and are separated from their children and parents by restricting policies.

Media events across Canada

Charlottetown, PEI: May 30, 12pm, Province House – 902-315-2705
Edmonton, AB: May 30, 9:30am, Alberta Legislature – 780-966-5908
Kelowna, BC: May 28, 11am, Kelowna Farmers Market – 250-212-2620
Montreal, QC: Available by phone – (514) 793-2672
Toronto, ON: May 30, 1pm, Southeast corner of Bloor & Spadina – 416-453-3632
Vancouver, BC: May 31, 11:30am, 550 W 6th Avenue – 604-669-6452

Background

The federal government is reviewing the Temporary Foreign Workers Program over six, three hour sessions in a parliamentary committee. Migrant workers have largely been excluded from this process. Only four migrant workers have spoken to the Parliamentarians, and one Caregiver leader was turned away on May 18th. CMWRC is calling for a comprehensive multi-Ministry consultation with migrant workers at a time and place they can attend following the current review.

Download backgrounder here.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
Pour le français/Quebec: Francisco Mootoo, Association des travailleuses et travailleurs étrangers temporaires: (514) 793-2672
Alberta – Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908
Atlantic Canada – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705
British Columbia – Vancouver – Natalie Drolet – West Coast Domestic Workers Association –1-604-669-6452
British Columbia – Okanagan – Elise Hjalmarson — RAMA – 250-212-2620.
Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign –1-647-834-4932
Prairies – Manitoba – Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-710

Migrant workers testify on Parliament Hill today, call for permanent immigration status, open work permits, and real reforms

Ottawa, May 16, 2016 – Four migrant workers will testify at the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA) today between 4:30pm and 6:30pm calling for permanent immigration status, open work permits and comprehensive reforms. Migrant worker leaders from across Canada are joining them to call for permanent immigration status on landing. The Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada which is helping to coordinate these testimonies continues to insist that more needs to be done to ensure migrant worker participation in laws that primarily affect their lives. The hearing can be watched – audio only – as of 3:30pm by clicking here.

Gina Bahiwal, has been a Temporary Foreign Worker in Ontario and BC since 2008 and has worked at a warehouse, Holiday Inn and Mcdonalds. She will testify to HUMA today.

“I think migrant workers should all get permanent status upon arrival because we came here to Canada to work, and our work is skilled work. If you come to Canada and your work is called high-skilled, you get permanent immigration status, why don’t we? In addition, those workers who are being abused on closed work permits, can’t find another job because their work permit is tied to a job. Many workers, vulnerable workers, who worked in Canada for four years are being told to go home, but they have no life to go back to.”

Gabriel Alahuda is a Seasonal Agricultural Worker in Ontario. He will testify to HUMA today.

“A migrant farmworker, named Sheldon Mc Kenzie, died in 2005 in a work related accident – a fact that is news across Canada today. What safety net is available for the young family he’ve left behind after 13 years of service on the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program? These questions must be answered. Migrant workers spend years working in a developed country like Canada, where we consistently make our contributions, like all working citizens, only to be denied the benefits which only citizens can access and enjoy. We need rights, we need permanent residency and need it now.”

Francisco Mootoo a temporary foreign worker from Mauritius. He arrived in Quebec in 2012. He will testify to HUMA this week.

“We were lucky, but we had to fight for our right to stay, knowing full well that we have done everything required of us as working people contributing to Canada’s economy here in Quebec.  These immigration policies have to change for the better, reflecting a program that does not seek to exploit the desperation of hardworking people who merely wish to make this country their home. In that light, we fully support the demands of the Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada and hope that the HUMA committee seriously listens to our collective voice when reviewing the TFWP.”

Ericson Santos De Leon, Caregiver from Montreal, Quebec who will testify to the committee

“My agency charged me $4,300 placement fee. They said that I had to pay such a high fee because it was harder to place male caregivers. When I got here, I found out that the agency that hired me paid a friend to pretend to be my employer for my papers. For three months, I was stranded. After three months, I was getting desperate so I went to the agency and asked, what was going on? I’ve been waiting for so long. They made me work under the table for a family for a year. After a year, I told them I would report them to the authorities. I said, “you’ve been abusing me. I have a family to support.” They got scared and finally fixed my papers so I was legally employed. What they did was very wrong. They took advantage of me because they know that I wanted to come to Canada.”

Hessed Torres, Temporary Foreign Worker from Vancouver, British Columbia

“As a live-in caregiver, I experienced working between 12-16 hours a days despite my contract stating that I would work 8 hours a day. I also worked beyond the job duties that were stated in my contract. I felt that I needed to stay with my employer despite my working conditions being unjust because I didn’t have mobility to work for a different employer that would treat me fairly. When I asserted my rights, I was terminated. I was left jobless and homeless. I’m very fortunate to be part of MIGRANTE BC because they gave me shelter, a home, a community, and helped to empower me to assert my rights and to talk about my experience as a migrant worker.”

Dhon Mojica, Migrant Worker from Alberta

“Temporary foreign workers like myself are people, we are workers were not rags that can be thrown away when you don’t need us anymore, We were invited to come and many made money off us, we deserve the right to stay in Canada.”

Source
Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada
www.migrantrights.ca

Backgrounder

Please see: https://migrantrights.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/MigrantWorkers_Backgrounder.pdf

MEDIA CONTACTS

  • Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
  • Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign – 1-647-834-4932
  • Pour le français/Quebec: Lucio Castracani – Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrant-e-s, (514) 885-4014
  • Alberta – Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908
  • British Columbia – Vancouver – Natalie Drolet – West Coast Domestic Workers Association – 1-604-669-6452
  • Atlantic Canada – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705
  • Prairies – Manitoba – Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-710

Ease EI and Work Permit Rules to Help Alberta Fire Evacuees Get Back to Work

National Migrant Worker Rights Coalition calls for Open Work Permits and Permanent Resident Status

Canada – The Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC) is calling for removal of restrictions of hours required for Employment Insurance so that ALL Fort McMurray worker evacuees can have immediate income. CMWRC is also calling on the federal government to issue open work permits or temporary residents permits for temporary foreign workers (TFW) evacuees so that they can get back on their feet and get back to work. A review is currently taking place for EI in Parliament and a review of the TFW program starts on Wednesday, May 11th. CMWRC is calling for open work permits, and permanent resident status for migrant workers in the TFW review. A petition has also been started by CMWRC.

“Many of the 80,000 people who were evacuated now have no income due to no fault of their own, and many may be denied Employment Insurance,” explains Migrante Canada organizer and CMWRC member Marco Luciano based in Edmonton. “Getting Employment Insurance into the hands of all workers – Canadian and migrant – is essential to giving people the support they need.”

Under current laws, workers in Fort McMurray need to have worked 630 hours in the previous 52 weeks to qualify for EI. If they do, they would receive a base rate of 55% of their weekly salary. Many workers will be excluded because they have not accrued this many hours.

“Migrant workers face an additional burden however, which requires immediate action. Under the current broken system, migrant workers can only work for one employer at the one location that is listed on their permits. They are effectively tied to a single workplace, and now likely that workplace has been destroyed by fire” added Luciano. “These migrant workers need open work permits or temporary resident permits immediately so that they can start looking for work and get back on their feet. They have taken huge loans to come work in Canada, they have families to feed just like everyone else, and they need their hands untied so they can get back to work.”

“The tragedy in Alberta highlights the need to address the inconsistencies that exist for migrant workers that should be dealt with in the upcoming review of the TFW process,” says Syed Hussan, from the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change in Toronto. “All migrant workers need permanent resident immigration status, open work permits and an end to Harper era laws.”

The Filipino Workers Network is raising funds for the foreign worker evacuees at https://fundrazr.com/b180X9.

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Backgrounder on TFWP and asks by CMWRC: https://migrantrights.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/MigrantWorkers_Backgrounder.pdf

Source
www.migrantrights.ca

###

Media Contacts

  • Alberta – Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908
  • Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
  • Pour le français/Quebec: Lucio Castracani – Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrant-e-s, (514) 885-4014
  • Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign – 1-647-834-4932
  • British Columbia – Vancouver – Natalie Drolet – West Coast Domestic Workers Association – 1-604-669-6452
  • Atlantic Canada – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705
  • Prairies – Manitoba – Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-710

Online Forum: Turning the Tide – Ending Migrant Worker Exploitation

1pm EST, Thursday, May 5, 2016
On your telephone or your computer
Space is limited, please RSVP below!

For the last ten years, we’ve seen a rise in laws that deny migrant workers basic rights and simultaneously an increase in anti-immigrant sentiment that blames migrant workers for job loss and low-wages. Now, with a new government in Ottawa, we need to work together to turn the tide. We need to ensure permanent immigration status and full rights for all workers.

Join the Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada on May 5, 2016 to learn about:

– The upcoming parliamentary review of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program
– Possible changes to the Caregiver Program
– Harvesting Freedom campaign marking 50 years of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program.

This is not a webinar. It will be a brief presentation, followed by a discussion on:

– Building a shared set of demands
– Local actions across the country for migrant worker rights
– Supporting migrant workers in your communities

We will be sharing a toolkit with participants on how to take collective action.

The Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC) is the representative body of migrant worker groups in the country with members in six regions. CMWRC is calling for permanent immigration status for migrant workers, including status on landing for incoming workers, open work permits and full access to labour rights and social entitlements. Learn more, and sign the petition.

RSVP for May 5th Meeting

  • Please provide as much detail as possible.

Organisations des droits des migrantEs partagent une lettre ouverte sur la révision des travailleuses et travailleurs étrangers

 

L’honorable MaryAnn Mihychuk, C.P, députée
Ministre de l’Emploi, du Développement de la main-d’œuvre et du Travail

L’honorable John McCallum, C.P., député
Ministre de l’Immigration, des Réfugiés et de la Citoyenneté

21 mars, 2016

Cher et chère ministre :

La Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs du Canada (CDTTMC), l’organe représentatif des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs dans le pays, répond aux rapports d’une révision de travailleurs étrangers temporaires et travailleuses étrangères temporaires en redélivrant nos appels pour mettre fin à la pratique discriminatoire consistant à lier les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs à des employeurs spécifiques ainsi qu’à faire la transition vers le statut d’immigration permanente à l’arrivée pour tous les travailleurs migrants et toutes les travailleuses migrantes.

Avec une adhésion dans six provinces, la CDTTMC est une coalition de groupes de travailleurs et travailleuses d’un océan à l’autre, visant à améliorer les conditions de travail pour tous les travailleurs et toutes les travailleuses. La CDTTMC croit que la révision du Programme de travailleurs étrangers temporaires doit se traduire par des conditions de vie et de travail améliorées pour les aides familiaux, les travailleurs agricoles saisonniers ou travailleuses agricoles saisonnières ainsi que d’autres travailleurs étrangers temporaires ou travailleuses étrangères temporaires.

Encouragée par les commentaires de la ministre Mihychuk d’assurer la résidence permanente pour les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs, la CDTTMC expose les prochains principes pour aider le gouvernement à concevoir sa révision du Programme de travailleurs étrangers temporaires. Ces principes sont endossés par XX organisations.

Principes pour une révision du Programme de travailleurs étrangers temporaires

Droits humains ainsi que dignité pour les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs doit guider le processus

  • La révision doit fixer comme ses objectifs la garantie des droits de résidence permanente, de réunification familiale, de droits sociaux complets ainsi que de protections au travail pour les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs.
  • Les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs cultivent notre nourriture, prennent soins des enfants, malades et personnes âgées, puis réalisent le travail éreintant de bâtir notre économie. La révision devrait célébrer et honorer les contributions des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs.
  • Toute révision doit rejeter le traitement de travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs comme des marchandises pour faire face aux pénuries de main-d’œuvre ou la caractérisation des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs comme externes à la main-d’œuvre Canadienne et ayant donc une incidence sur les possibilités d’emploi pour les travailleurs et travailleuses citoyenNEs ou résidentEs permanentEs.

Es voix des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs doivent être au centre

  • Les représentantEs de travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs doivent avoir leur mot à dire dans le développement de la structure, la portée et l’échéancier de la révision.
  • Les audiences devraient avoir lieu à travers le pays, à des moments et à des endroits où les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs sont en mesure d’assister et de parler librement dans leur propre langue ainsi qu’avec une protection contre des représailles d’un employeur ou d’être cibléE par le renforcement des politiques d’immigration.

La revision devrait être compréhensif

  • Tous les aspects du Programme de travailleurs étrangers temporaires, incluant le Programme de travailleurs agricoles saisonniers, le Programme des aides familiaux résidants ainsi que les travailleurs étrangers temporaires ou travailleuses étrangères temporaires à bas salaires et salaire élevés doivent être pris en compte dans un cadre fondé sur des données probantes.
  • La révision devrait inclure les voix et les intérêts des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs qui ont été forcéEs de devenir sans papiers à la suite de lois de l’immigration et du travail restrictives.
  • Les voix et les intérêts des travailleurs et travailleuses migrant
  • The voices and interests of migrant workers who have returned home, particularly those as a result of sickness and injury should be included.

La révision devrait être située dans le contexte d’immigration historique et actuelle

  • Les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs viennent au Canada depuis au moins 1880 lorsque des « travailleurs et travailleuses invitéEs » ChinoisES ont été amenéEs au Canada pour bâtir le chemin de fer entre la Colombie-Britannique et l’Est du Canada. 2016 est le 50e anniversaire du Programme de travailleurs agricoles saisonniers. La révision doit viser à corriger des siècles d’exclusions dans les itérations précédentes du Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires.
  • Les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs sont des immigrantEs racialiséEs et à bas salaire. Alors que de nombreux et nombreuses réfugiéEs, résidentEs permanentEs, époux/épouses, parents et grand-parents sont en mesure de venir au Canada avec le statut d’immigration de résidence permanente, les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs ne le sont pas. La révision doit coordonner étroitement avec les politiques d’immigration fédérales pour développer un système d’immigration à pallier unique qui assure la réunification familiale ainsi que le statut permanent pour tous et toutes.

Merci pour votre amiable attention sur cette question.

Sincèrement,

Membres de la Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs du Canada

 

Tell Trudeau: Repeal laws that deny immigration status on the basis of disability

  • (if applicable)

Lettre par les membres de la Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs du Canada

*« Migrant Workers Alliance for Change » inclut:

  • Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (Toronto)
  • Asian Community Aids Services (Ontario)
  • Caregivers Action Centre (Ontario)
  • Fuerza Puwersa (Guelph)
  • Industrial Accident Victims’ Group of Ontario
  • Justicia for Migrant Workers (Ontario, Colombie-Britannique, Mexique)
  • Legal Assistance of Windsor
  • Migrante Ontario
  • No One Is Illegal – Toronto
  • Parkdale Community Legal Services
  • Social Planning Toronto
  • UNIFOR (Canada)
  • South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
  • United Food and Commercial Workers (Canada)
  • Workers United (Canada)
  • Workers’ Action Centre (Toronto).

Actuellement endossé par (veuillez compléter le formulaire ci-dessus et ajouter votre nom!)

  • AIDS Committee of Durham Region, Ontario
  • Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre
  • British Columbia Federation of Labour Health and Safety Centre, British Columbia
  • BC Government & Service Employees’ Union
  • Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network), Ontario
  • Community Legal Assistance Society, British Columbia
  • Caregiver Connections Education and Support Organization (CCESO)
  • Council of Canadians, Canada
  • Council of Canadians, Prince Edward Island
  • Couples for Christ Migrants Program
  • Filipino-Canadian CommUnity of NB Inc.
  • Injured Workers’ Consultants Community Legal Clinic, Ontario
  • Inter Pares
  • Justice Across Borders Hamilton, Ontario
  • Kawartha Ploughshares
  • Mexicanxs Unidxs Por Regularizacion Mur
  • Migrant Worker Health Project, Ontario
  • Migrant Workers Dignity Association, British Columbia
  • Migrante Canada – Manitoba chapter
  • Migrante BC
  • MoveUP, British Columbia
  • Niagara Migrant Workers Interest Group, Ontario
  • Ontario Federation of Labour
  • Philippine Advancement Through Arts and Culture (PATAC)
  • PINAY Quebec
  • PEI Food Security Network
  • People’s Health Movement Canada/Mouvement populaire pour la santé au Canada
  • Refugees Welcome Fredericton, New Brunswick
  • Reproductive Justice NB, New Brunswick
  • Students Against Migrant Exploitation Brock Chapter, Ontario
  • Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape
  • UNIFOR Local 468
  • UNIFOR Local 707
  • Waterloo Region Migrant Workers Interest Group, Ontario
  • West Coast LEAF, British Columbia
  • Windsor Workers’ Education Centre, Ontario

Migrant Rights Organizations Release Open Letter on Temporary Foreign Workers Review

March 21, 2016, International Day for the Elimination of Racism — Today, 25 member organizations of the Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada in six provinces, are jointly releasing an open letter on the upcoming Temporary Foreign Workers Review. The letter, also endorsed by dozens of national, provincial and local human rights, labour and immigration rights organizations, calls on  Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour, MaryAnn Mihychuk and Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship John McCallum to ensure permanent resident status on arrival for migrant workers. Our Open Letter outlines a review process that must centre migrant worker human rights and dignity, leads to comprehensive reforms for Seasonal Agricultural Workers, Caregivers and Temporary Foreign Workers, and corrects historical exclusions faced by migrant workers. Please read the open letter below and add your organization’s name to endorse. 

Open Letter

The Honourable MaryAnn Mihychuk, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour

The Honourable John McCallum, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Dear Ministers:

The Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC), the representative body of migrant workers in the country, is responding to reports of a Temporary Foreign Workers Review by re-issuing our calls for an end to the discriminatory practice of tying migrant workers to specific employers and transition towards permanent immigration status upon arrival for all migrant workers.

With membership in six provinces, the CMWRC is a coalition of migrant worker groups from coast to coast to coast, aimed at improving work conditions for all workers. CMWRC believes that the review of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program must result in improved living and working conditions for Caregivers, Seasonal Agricultural Workers and other Temporary Foreign Workers.

Heartened by Minister Mihychuk’s comments about ensuring permanent residency status for migrant workers, CMWRC is outlining the following principles to assist the government to design its review of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program. These principles are endorsed by the listed organizations. 

Principles for a Review of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program

Human rights and dignity of migrant workers must guide the process

  • The review must set as its goal the ensuring of permanent residency rights, family reunification, full social entitlements and labour protections for migrant workers.
  • Migrant workers grow our food; take care of children, sick and the elderly and do the backbreaking work of building our economy. The review should celebrate and honour migrant worker contributions.
  • Any review must reject treating migrant workers like commodities to deal with labour shortages or characterizing of migrant workers as external to the Canadian labour force and therefore impacting job opportunities of citizen or permanent resident workers.

Migrant worker voices must be at the centre

  • Migrant worker representatives must have a direct say in the development of the structure, scope and timelines of the review.
  • Hearings should take place across the country, at times and locations that migrant workers are able to attend and speak freely in their own languages, and with protection from employer reprisals or being targeted by immigration enforcement.

The review should be comprehensive

  • All aspects of the temporary foreign workers program, including Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program, the Live In Caregiver / Caregiver Program and low-waged and high-waged Temporary Foreign Workers must be considered in an evidence based framework.
  • The review should include the voices and interests of migrant workers that have been forced to become undocumented as a result of restrictive immigration and labour laws.
  • The voices and interests of migrant workers who have left Canada, particularly those as a result of sickness and injury should be included.

The review should be placed in historic and current immigration context

  • Migrant workers have been coming to Canada since at least 1880 when Chinese ‘guest workers’ were brought into Canada to build a railroad between British Columbia and Eastern Canada. 2016 is the 50th anniversary of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program. The review must aim at rectifying centuries of exclusions in previous iterations of the temporary foreign worker program.
  • Migrant workers are low-waged and racialized immigrants. While many refugees, permanent residents, spouses, parents and grandparents are able to come to Canada with permanent resident immigration status, migrant workers are not. The review must coordinate closely with federal immigration policies to develop a single tier immigration system that ensures family reunification and permanent status for all.  

Thank you for your kind attention to the matter.

Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada and supporting organizations.

Tell Trudeau: Repeal laws that deny immigration status on the basis of disability

  • (if applicable)

Letter by Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada Members

 *Migrant Workers Alliance for Change includes:

  • Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (Toronto)
  • Asian Community Aids Services (Ontario)
  • Caregivers Action Centre (Ontario)
  • Fuerza Puwersa (Guelph)
  • Industrial Accident Victims’ Group of Ontario
  • Justicia for Migrant Workers (Ontario, BC, Mexico)
  • Legal Assistance of Windsor
  • Migrante Ontario
  • No One Is Illegal – Toronto
  • Parkdale Community Legal Services
  • Social Planning Toronto
  • UNIFOR (Canada)
  • South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
  • United Food and Commercial Workers (Canada)
  • Workers United (Canada)
  • Workers’ Action Centre (Toronto).

Currently endorsed by (please fill out the form above and add your name!)

  • AIDS Committee of Durham Region, Ontario
  • Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre
  • British Columbia Federation of Labour Health and Safety Centre, British Columbia
  • BC Government & Service Employees’ Union
  • Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network), Ontario
  • Community Legal Assistance Society, British Columbia
  • Caregiver Connections Education and Support Organization (CCESO)
  • Comité pour les droits humains en Amérique latine
  • Council of Canadians
  • Council of Canadians, Ottawa chapter
  • Council of Canadians, Montreal chapter
  • Council of Canadians, Peterborough and Kawarthas
  • Council of Canadians, Prince Edward Island
  • Council of Canadians, Saint John Chapter
  • Council of Canadians, South Niagara Chapter
  • Couples for Christ Migrants Program
  • CUPE Canada
  • Emergency Support Committee for Refugees
  • Filipino-Canadian CommUnity of NB Inc.
  • Injured Workers’ Consultants Community Legal Clinic, Ontario
  • Inter Pares
  • Justice Across Borders Hamilton, Ontario
  • Kawartha Ploughshares
  • Mexicanxs Unidxs Por Regularizacion Mur
  • Migrant Worker Health Project, Ontario
  • Migrant Workers Dignity Association, British Columbia
  • Migrante Canada – Manitoba chapter
  • Migrante BC
  • MoveUP, British Columbia
  • Niagara Migrant Workers Interest Group, Ontario
  • North Park Presbyterian Church
  • Ontario Federation of Labour
  • Philippine Advancement Through Arts and Culture (PATAC)
  • PINAY Quebec
  • PEI Food Security Network
  • People’s Health Movement Canada/Mouvement populaire pour la santé au Canada
  • Refugees Welcome Fredericton, New Brunswick
  • Reproductive Justice NB, New Brunswick
  • Students Against Migrant Exploitation Brock Chapter, Ontario
  • Toronto Rape Crisis Centre/Multicultural Women Against Rape
  • UNIFOR Local 468
  • UNIFOR Local 707
  • Waterloo Regional Labour Council
  • Waterloo Region Migrant Workers Interest Group, Ontario
  • West Coast LEAF, British Columbia
  • Windsor Workers’ Education Centre, Ontario

National Migrant Worker Rights Coalition Calls for Comprehensive Changes in Foreign Worker Program Review

Canada, February 24, 2016 — The Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC), the representative body of migrant workers in the country is calling for an end to the discriminatory practice of tying migrant workers to specific employers and transition towards permanent immigration status upon arrival for all migrant workers. With membership in six provinces, the CMWRC is a coalition of organizations representing Canadian born and migrant worker groups from coast to coast to coast, aimed at improving work conditions for all workers. CMWRC believes that the review of the program must result in improved living and working conditions for Caregivers, Seasonal Agricultural Workers and other low-wage Temporary Foreign Workers that make up the Temporary Foreign Workers Program.`

“Under the previous government, we saw a $1,000 processing fees imposed on employers which was sometimes downloaded to the workers themselves; a restriction of four years for workers to stay here; and many exclusions on migrant worker permits which made it so that workers couldn’t leave bad jobs,” says Marco Luciano from Migrante Canada which represents migrant workers in Alberta. “Any review of the Foreign Worker Program should end these exclusions and move towards open work permits and ensure permanent status on landing.”

Under current laws, work sites with over 10 workers are subject to progressive “caps” on the percentage of migrant workers in their total workforce each year, from 30%, to 20%, to 10% in July 2016. Migrant workers as a result are forced out of jobs they have held for years. No new permits are being issued in food, retail and accommodation sector regions with unemployment greater than 6%, this has effectively locked workers already here in to their jobs greatly increasing the chances of exploitation.

“Atlantic Canada has a seasonal economy, and seasonal industry has come to depend on migrant workers to keep things running,” says Josie Baker of the Cooper Institute who works with migrant workers in Prince Edward Island. “We need to re-build our rural communities, but we have to face the reality that thousands of our neighbours are captive workers tied to a single employer, unable to re-unite with their families. We need to ensure that migrant workers have the same rights as everyone else.”

“Migrant workers are still being talked about as if they were an endless commodity Canada can bring in and send away whenever they feel like. There is no mention about the human and labor rights abuses this program gave way to, and the only issue that seems to be a problem is whether Canada has enough of this “product” or not,” says Enrique Illanes from the Immigrant Workers Centre that supports migrant workers in Quebec. “We need to shift the discussion to how to reformulate a program that leaves many workers unprotected and exposed, as well as ensuring labor and human rights for all workers in Canada.”

“For the last 50 years, the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program (SAWP) has brought tens of thousands of migrant workers from the Caribbean and Mexico annually to work in fields across Canada. These workers who risk life and limb in often unsafe work conditions to put food on the table,” says Chris Ramsaroop of Justicia for Migrant Workers that supports agricultural workers in Ontario. “This government has the opportunity to end half a century of injustice, and ensure permanent immigration status on landing for agricultural workers.”

“Migrant caregivers take care of children, the sick and the elderly, they safeguard our future and do critical work that benefits Canadian families and the Canadian economy. Their right to apply for permanent residence was taken away by the previous government and replaced by a quota that restricts their ability to stay. Tied work permits make it nearly impossible for Caregivers to switch jobs if they are in exploitative employment situations,” says Natalie Drolet of the West Coast Domestic Workers Association which serves Caregivers in British Columbia. “Caregivers should be able to switch jobs like other workers in Canada, and have open work permits immediately, as well as permanent immigration status on landing.”

“Here in Manitoba, we have seen that strong regulatory protections against recruiters, and providing decent healthcare and labour protections results in better work for everyone,” says Diwa Marcelino with Migrante in Winnipeg, Manitoba. “Now it is time for the Federal Government to keep its end of the bargain, and extend Federal protections.”

###

Source
Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada
www.migrantrights.ca

Migrant worker rights groups are available for comment across Canada

  • Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
  • Pour le français/Quebec: Enrique Llanes – Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrant-e-s, (514) 546-9382 – attetquebec@gmail.com
  • Agricultural Workers / Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign – 1-647-834-4932
  • Caregivers / British Columbia – Vancouver – Natalie Drolet – West Coast Domestic Workers Association – 1-604-669-6452
  • Alberta – Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908
  • Atlantic Canada – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705
  • Prairies – Manitoba – Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-7100

Coalition nationale pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes appelle à des changements compréhensifs dans la révision du Programme de travailleurs étrangers.

Canada, 24 février 2016 – La Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes du Canada (CDTTMC), l’organe représentatif des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes du pays demandent de mettre fin à la pratique discriminatoire de lier des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes à des employeurs spécifiques et à faire la transition vers le statut d’immigration permanent à l’arrivée pour tous les travailleurs migrants et toutes les travailleuses migrantes. Avec une adhésion dans six provinces, la CDTTMC est une coalition d’organisations représentant des groupes de travailleurs et travailleuses Canadiennes nées et migrantes d’un océan à un autre, visant à améliorer les conditions de travail pour tous les travailleurs et toutes les travailleuses. La CDTTMC croit que la révision du programme doit se traduire par une amélioration des conditions de vie et des conditions de travail pour les Travailleurs agricoles saisonniers ainsi que d’autres travailleurs étrangers temporaires et travailleurs étrangères temporaires à bas salaires tels que les travailleurs et travailleuses domestiques qui relèvent du Programme de travailleurs étrangers temporaires.

« Sous le gouvernement précédent, nous avons vu des frais de traitement de 1,000$ imposés aux employeurs qui étaient parfois surimposé aux travailleurs ou travailleuses même; une limite de quatre années aux travailleurs et travailleuses pour rester ici; ainsi que plusieurs exclusions aux permis des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes qui fait en sorte que les travailleurs et travailleuses ne peuvent pas quitter de mauvais emplois », dit Marco Luciano de Migrante Canada qui représente les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes en Alberta. « Tout révision du Programme de travailleurs étrangers temporaires devrait mettre fin à ces exclusions et devrait progresser vers des permis de travail ouverts ainsi que d’assurer un statut de résidence permanente à l’arrivée ».

Sous les lois actuelles, les lieux de travail avec plus de 10 travailleurs et travailleuses sont assujettis à des « caps » progressif sur le pourcentage de travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes dans leur main d’œuvre totale chaque année, de 30%, à 20%, à 10% en juillet 2016. Les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes sont par conséquent forcées de quitter des emplois qu’ils et elles ont occupées pendant plusieurs années. Aucuns nouveaux emplois ne sont pas émis dans les secteurs alimentaires, de vente au détail ou d’hébergement de régions avec un taux de chômage plus élevé que 6%. Ceci a efficacement confiné les travailleurs et travailleuses déjà ici dans leurs emplois, ce qui augmente considérablement les chances d’exploitations.

« La Canada Atlantique à une économie saisonnière et une industrie saisonnière qui est venu à dépendre des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes pour que tout fonctionne », dit Josie Baker de Cooper Institute qui travaille avec les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes à l’Île-du-Prince-Édouard. « Nous devons reconstruire nos communautés rurales, mais nous devons faire face à la réalité que des milliers de nos voisines sont des travailleurs captifs et travailleuses captives qui sont attachées à un seul employeur, incapable de se réunir à leurs familles. Nous devons assurer que les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes aient le même droit que tous et toutes les autres ».

« Les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes sont encore adressées comme s’iles étaient une commodité infinie que le Canada peut amener et renvoyer n’importe quand. Il n’y a aucune mention des abus des droits humains et des droits du travail auxquels ce programme a donné lieu et la seule question qui semble être une problématique est si le Canada a assez de ce « produit » ou non », dit Enrique Llanes du Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrantes qui appuie les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes au Québec. « Nous avons besoin de déplacer la discussion vers comment reformuler le Programme qui laisse plusieurs travailleurs et travailleuses non-protégées ainsi qu’exposées et pour assurer les droits du travail ainsi que les droits humains pour tous les travailleurs et toutes les travailleuses au Canada ».

« Pour les dernières 50 années, le Programme des travailleurs agricoles saisonniers (PTAS) a amené une dizaine de milliers de travailleurs et travailleuses des Caraïbes ainsi que du Mexique annuellement pour travailler sur des champs à travers le Canada. Ces travailleurs et travailleuses qui risque sa vie et ses corps dans des conditions de travail, souvent non-sécuritaires, pour mettre de la nourriture sur leur table », dit Chris Ramsaroop de Justicia for Migrant Workers qui appuie les travailleurs et travailleuses agricoles en Ontario. « Ce gouvernement a l’opportunité de mettre fin à un demi-siècle d’injustice et pour assurer le statut d’immigration permanent à l’arrivée pour les travailleurs et travailleuses agricoles ».

« Les travailleurs et travailleuses domestiques migrantes prennent soin des enfants, des malades ainsi que des personnes âgées puis ils et elles garantissent notre futur, mais ils ont été enlevées et remplacées par un quota et nous avons vu qu’il est encore plus difficile de prendre soin de notre passé », dit Natalie Drolet de la West Coast Domestic Workers Association qui aide les travailleurs et travailleuses domestique en Colombie-Britannique. « Les travailleurs et travailleuses domestiques devraient être en mesure de changer d’employeur, d’avoir des permis de travail ouvert immédiatement ainsi que d’avoir le statut d’immigration permanent à l’arrivée ».

« Ici, au Manitoba, nous avons vu que de fortes régulations protectrices contre les recruteurs ainsi que d’offrir des soins de santé décents et des protections au milieu de travail résulte en de meilleures conditions pour tous et toutes », dit Diwa Marcelino avec Migrant Manitoba et le Migrant Worker Solidarity Network à Manitoba. « Maintenant, il est temps que le gouvernement fédéral maintienne sa part de l’entente et étend les protections fédérales ».

Source
Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes du Canada
www.migrantrights.ca

Les groups de travailleurs et travailleuses migrantes disponibles pour commenter à travers le Canada

  • Pour le français/Québec: Enrique Llanes – Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrantEs, (514) 546-9382 – attetquebec@gmail.com
  • Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632
  • Travailleurs et travailleuses agricoles / Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign – 1-647-834-4932
  • Travailleurs et travailleuses domestiques / Colombie-Britannique – Vancouver – Natalie Drolet – West Coast Domestic Workers Association –1-604-669-6452
  • Alberta – Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908
  • Canada Atlantique – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705

Les voix des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantES doivent être au centre pour réviser le Programme des travailleurs étrangers

Permis de travail ouvert, réunification familiale et statut d’immigration permanent à l’arrivée pour les travailleurs agricoles saisonniers et travailleuses agricoles saisonnières, travailleurs et travailleuses domestiques ainsi que les travailleurs étrangers temporaires et travailleuses étrangères temporaires demeurent des priorités.

Canada – La Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs (CDTTMC), l’alliance représentative des groupes de travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs à travers le pays, répond à la déclaration de la ministre Mihychuk dans les médias traditionnels au courant au sujet de la révision à venir du Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires en appelant à davantage de détails, incluant des délais, la participation de travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs ainsi qu’une portée de la révision. Les militantEs des droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs ont demandé à la mobilité, la voix et l’égalité pour les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs, incluant des permis de travail ouvert; une fin aux régulations discriminatoires de l’étude d’impact sur le marché du travail (EIMT) comme la règle 4 ans maximum dans le Programme des travailleurs étrangers temporaires ; ainsi que le statut d’immigration permanent à l’arrivée.

« En tant que pays, nous devons honorer et célébrer les travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs à bas salaires et racialiséEs pour nourrir nos familles; prendre soin de nos enfants, des malades et des personnes agéEs; ainsi que pour faire le travail éreintant pour bâtir notre économie » dit Syed Hussan de la CDTTMC.

« Les voix des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs doivent être au centre de la révision pour démontrer aux CanadienNEs l’importance critique des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs ainsi que le besoin d’assurer qu’ils et elles aient leurs pleins droits et le statut d’immigration permanent comme tous et toutes les autres qui travaillent ici ».

Les groupes de travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs sont disponibles pour commenter à travers le Canada

Pour le français
Enrique Llanes – Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrantEs, (514) 546-9382 – attetquebec@gmail.com

Pour les impacts sur les travailleurs et travailleuses agricoles
Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Campagne Harvesting Freedom – 1-647-834-4932

Pour les impacts sur les travailleurs et travailleuses domestiques
Vancouver – Natalie Drolet – West Coast Domestic Workers Association – 1-604-669-6452

Pour les impacts sur les travailleurs étrangers temporaires et travailleuses étrangères temporaires en Alberta
Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908

Pour les impacts dans le Canada atlantique
Charlottetown – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705

Pour les impacts dans les Prairies
Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-7100

Pour plus sur la Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs (CDTTMC) et l’Ontario
Toronto – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632

###

Source
La Coalition pour les droits des travailleurs et travailleuses migrantEs (CDTTMC)
www.migrantrights.ca

Migrant Worker Voices Must be Central to Review of Foreign Worker Program

Open work permits, family reunification and permanent immigration status on landing for Seasonal Agricultural Workers, Caregivers and Temporary Foreign Workers remain priorities.

Canada, February 18, 2016 – The Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada (CMWRC), the representative alliance of migrant worker groups across the country, is responding to Minister Mihychuk’s statements in the mainstream media about forthcoming review of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program by calling for further details, including timelines, migrant worker involvement and scope of the review. Migrant worker advocates have been calling for Mobility, Voice and Equality for Migrant Workers, including open work permits; an end to discriminatory Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA) regulations like the 4 in and 4 out rule; and permanent immigration status on landing.

“As a country, we need to honour and celebrate low-waged, and racialized migrant workers for feeding our families; taking care of children, the sick and the elderly; and doing backbreaking work to build our economy,” says Syed Hussan of the CMWRC. “Migrant worker voices must be central to the review to show Canadians the critical importance of migrant workers, and the need to ensure that they have full rights, and permanent immigration status just like everyone else who works here.”

Migrant worker rights groups are available for comment across Canada

Pour le français
Enrique Llanes – Centre des travailleurs et travailleuses immigrant-e-s, (514) 546-9382 – attetquebec@gmail.com

For impact on Agricultural Workers
Ontario – Chris Ramsaroop – Justicia for Migrant Workers / Harvesting Freedom Campaign – 1-647-834-4932

For impacts on Caregivers
Vancouver – Natalie Drolet – West Coast Domestic Workers Association – 1-604-669-6452

For impacts in Alberta
Edmonton – Marco Luciano – Migrante Canada – 1-780-966-5908

For impacts in Atlantic Canada
Charlottetown – Josie Baker – Cooper Institute- 1-902-315-2705

For impacts in Prairies
Manitoba – Diwa Marcelino – Migrante Canada – 204-218-7100

For more on Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights Canada and Ontario
Toronto – Syed Hussan – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change – 1-416-453-3632

International Migrants Day: Let us MOVE together for Justice

migration-is-beautifulThe whole world celebrates International Migrants Day today. 25 years ago, on December 18, 1990, the United Nations General Assembly signed and adopted the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

Today, exactly 25 years later Canada, an active recruiter of migrant workers, has still not signed this covenant. As of 2013, there were over 176, 613 temporary foreign workers; 284, 050 international mobility program workers, and hundreds of thousands of migrants on other work permits living and working here precariously. On this day, and every day, we call upon the new Federal government to address the core issues that migrant workers face. It is time for Mobility, Voice and Equality for Migrant Workers.

Sign the Petition! Let’s work together to ensure justice

We are the Coalition for Migrant Workers Rights – Canada (CMWRC), a historic coalition of organizations representing Canadian born and migrant worker groups from coast to coast to coast. We are calling on the Federal government to end the discriminatory practice of tying migrant workers to specific employers and transition towards permanent immigration status upon arrival for migrant workers.

We are calling on groups and organizations to unite together to ensure decent work, and permanent immigration status on landing for migrant workers as it is the only way to ensure decent work and decent lives for all, and stop the rush towards fewer rights and protections. If your organization supports our demands, get in touch with us.

Migrant workers, many of them deemed low-skilled, in the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP) come at the request of specific employers, and are attached to them for the duration of their stay in Canada. They cannot easily change jobs or remain in the country if they are unemployed. Most migrant workers are denied permanent residency and are pushed out by a revolving door immigration system.

The use of labour brokers or recruitment agencies has led to the proliferation of operators who exploit migrant worker for their profit. Brokers are largely unregulated, and charge exorbitant fees for placement in jobs that sometimes don’t even exist.

Federal immigration laws that create temporariness are exacerbated by provincial labour and social entitlement laws that shut migrant workers out from basic protections. As a result, migrant workers live in constant precarity.

This shift towards increased temporary worker programs over the last decade is part of a much longer historical trend towards temporariness. 2016 will be the 50th year of the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program and over 40 years since the current form of the Caregivers program came into force. This temporariness has created  a massive divide between citizens with rights, and the rest, temporary and non-status, largely racialized and low-waged workers. CMWRC

We also know that the struggles for migrant worker rights in Canada cannot be separated from the struggle against displacement. Migration, in its current form, is still very much a product of underdevelopment. Poverty, unemployment, political conflict and general displacement of peoples including displacement due to environmental factors. Thus, justice for migrants includes ensuring an end to wars and war profiteering, economic free trade agreements, and ecological and environmental degradation that Canadian corporations are complicit in abroad. It requires recognition and honoring of Indigenous self-determination here at home.

This December 18th, let us commit to moving as one to make our dreams of justice a reality.

Coalition for Migrant Workers Rights Canada International Migrants’ Day statement, December 18, 2015
MoVE is a Campaign for Mobility, Voice and Equality for Migrant Workers

“We are people, not rags”

For too long, we have only heard about migrant workers. But it’s time to hear from them. Migrant worker leaders like Dhon Mojica. Dhon Mojica, was in the temporary foreign worker program. While his application for permanent residency was recently approved, his life and status were in limbo for a long time. He moved from one precarious job to another in search of stability. Many of his friends and co-workers were not as lucky. Most of them were sent back to the Philippines. Dhon should have arrived in Canada with permanent immigration status. That’s only fair.

Use these tools to amplify Dhon’s message.

+ Forward this email : http://eepurl.com/bE8ElX
+ Share this Facebook image: http://on.fb.me/1HI6VBs
+ Share on Twitter image: http://bit.ly/1NKEOIz
151110_CMWRC_Meme3

And we are live!

151025_CMWRC_Meme_Shared Link3

After over a year of conversation, phone calls, in-person meetings and organizing together on the No 4 and 4 Campaign – today we launched over social media with the following:

+ Brand new site: www.migrantrights.ca
+ Email that can be forwarded: http://eepurl.com/bDUL0L
+ Facebook image that can be shared: http://on.fb.me/1MgsgmE
+ Twitter image that can be shared: http://bit.ly/1k79bgb
Together, let’s make sure we win an end to tied work permits, and we get permanent status on landing for migrant workers. The time for change is now.

Canada wide migrant worker coalition calls on Trudeau to MoVE for Real Change.

Newly launched Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights – Canada calls for end to discrimination against migrant workers.

Canada – Migrant worker groups from across Canada are launching a historic coalition to call on Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government to end the discriminatory practice of tying migrant workers to specific employers and transition towards permanent immigration status upon arrival for migrant workers. The Coalition for Migrant Workers Rights – Canada (CMWRC), is a coalition of organizations representing Canadian born and migrant worker groups from coast to coast to coast, aimed at improving work conditions for all workers. CMWRC is launching MoVE – a campaign for Mobility, Voice and Equality for Migrant Workers to call on Prime Minister Trudeau to keep his campaign promises to undo the harm done by the Harper government and to move towards a single-tier immigration system based on permanency and family reunification to ensure decent work for all.

Low-waged Temporary Foreign Workers, Caregivers and Seasonal Agricultural Workers come to Canada on work permits that restrict them to working for the specific employer listed on their permit. Changing employers is extremely difficult which allows bad bosses to lower salaries and work conditions. This creates pressure to reduce salaries and erode work conditions for all workers. A first step to ending this downward cycle is to untie the permits so workers have the ‘mobility’ to leave employers who exploit them. Next steps must move to reorient the system to secure, permanent immigration that protects ‘voice’ and ‘equality’ for workers.

WHAT: Launch of MoVE Campaign by Coalition for Migrant Worker Rights – Canada

WHERE and WHEN:

  • Charlottetown – 200 Richmond Street, 11am, Oct 28, 2015.
  • Edmonton – 14931 107 Avenue, 3:30pm, Oct 28, 2015.
  • Montreal – I.W.C, 4755 Van Horne, 10am, Oct 28, 2015.
  • Toronto – Suite 223, 720 Spadina, 11am, Oct 28, 2015.
  • Vancouver – 550 W 6th Avenue #100, 9am, Oct 28, 2015.

MoVE Demands

  • Regulatory changes to make it easier for migrant workers to move between jobs thereby improving working and living conditions for Canadian born and migrant workers. Specifically:
    • Transition from tied work permits to open work permits
    • Remove limits on work permits and restrictions on Labour Market Impact Assessments (LMIA) including a 4-year time limit on workers ability to stay.
  • Permanent resident immigration status upon arrival for migrant workers.

WHO: Founding members of CMWRC:

  • Cooper Institute (PEI)
  • Migrant Workers Alliance for Change*
  • Migrante Canada
  • Radical Action with Migrants in Agriculture (Okanagan Valley)
  • Temporary Foreign Workers Association in Quebec
  • Temporary Foreign Workers Coalition in Alberta
  • Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregiver Rights (Vancouver)

*Migrant Workers Alliance for Change includes Alliance for South Asian AIDS Prevention (Toronto), Asian Community Aids Services (Ontario), Caregivers Action Centre (Ontario), Fuerza Puwersa (Guelph), Industrial Accident Victims’ Group of Ontario, Justicia for Migrant Workers (Ontario), Legal Assistance of Windsor, Migrante Ontario, No One Is Illegal – Toronto, Parkdale Community Legal Services, Social Planning Toronto, UNIFOR (Canada), South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario, United Food and Commercial Workers (Canada), Workers United and the Workers’ Action Centre (Toronto).

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Media Contacts:

Toronto – Syed Hussan, Coordinator, Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, 416 453 3632
Charlottetown – Josie Baker, Cooper Institute, 902-894-4573
Edmonton –Dhon Mojica, Migrante Canada, 780-716-3809
Montreal – ATTET Quebec <attetquebec@gmail.com>
Vancouver – Julie Diesta for Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregivers Rights (CDWCR), 778-881-8345, Natalie Drolet for West Coast Domestic Workers Association (WCDWA), 604-445-0661, Jane Ordinario for Migrante BC, 604-961-7794