Ottawa says its Temporary Foreign Worker (TFW) “modernization” will protect people. Migrant workers say it hands bosses even more control over permits, pay, housing and health. The government is still collecting feedback—July 2025 is our window—so every group that writes in now can slow or stop the worst pieces before they’re locked in.
1. What exactly is ESDC proposing?
Issue Area | What ESDC calls it | What it really means |
---|---|---|
Work permits | Stream-Specific Work Permit | Workers stay tied to employers—only allowed to switch if the new boss already holds an unused two-year LMIA (Labour Market Impact Assessment). Seasonal workers must still go home between contracts. |
Housing | 12 “guidelines” | No hard numbers (room size, temperature, washroom ratios). Instead vague, unenforceable “guidelines”. Bosses can now deduct 5–30% of wages—up to $1,000/month—for the same bunkhouses. |
Wages & deductions | “Modernized pay model” | Still no living wage; instead, employers could claw back almost $1,000 via new deductions. |
Healthcare | Employer “encouragement” | No requirement for day-one public health coverage; bosses keep power to delay or block care. |
Transportation | Cost-sharing options | Vague rules about cost-sharing if workers switch employers; nothing on local transport to groceries or clinics. |
2. Why it’s harmful
These proposed changes fail to address the fundamental power imbalances that leave migrant workers vulnerable to exploitation:
- 93% of migrant workers say tied permits already stop them from defending their rights; the new permit changes nothing (sources: migrant worker advocacy organizations and surveys)
- Two-thirds rate their housing “poor or very bad”; deducting rent without standards simply legalizes overcrowding and heat-stroke conditions
- ESDC’s own scenario shows a worker could lose $1,307/month after the new deductions kick in
- A third of workers have had bosses block healthcare multiple times; “encouragement” isn’t enough when employers don’t allow workers to access care
3. Timeline & why your voice matters now
- July 2025: ESDC is receiving stakeholder comments (that’s us)
- Fall onwards: Officials draft final regulations
- Earliest hard date so far: National housing rules could take effect Jan 1 2027
- Everything else is still flexible—but only if migrant-justice groups flood the inbox before drafting is finished
4. Why organizational letters matter
Government counts everything. ESDC logs every e-mail it receives during a consultation, then circulates a “stakeholder summary” for the Minister and Cabinet when drafting regulations. A thick stack of letters from migrant-justice groups shifts that narrative from “industry supports, a few critics” to “broad civil-society opposition.”
Industry is already flooding the inbox. Agri-food lobbyists, agencies and big seafood processors are writing in to lock-in cheap, tied labour. If migrant-worker groups stay silent, officials will assume the plan is “balanced.”
A public paper trail helps future fights. Your letter becomes part of the public record. When we challenge the final rules or they are re-opened by the next government – we can point to today’s objections.
TAKE ACTION!
- ESDC is still collecting stakeholder feedback right now (July 2025)
- Migrant Rights Network has submitted a detailed response with input from over 500 migrant workers. Read it here.
- But it is crucial that many other migrant worker organizations speak up – use our template letter here to send an email to ESDC opposing these changes and calling for real justice. The more groups that speak up, the higher chances we have of slowing down or stopping these changes.
- If you are an individual, support our call for equality, not discrimination by signing this petition.