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If you believe in justice, fairness and #StatusforAll, please sign and share.
Right now, we have an opportunity to create a genuinely inclusive future with equal rights, dignity and self-determination for all in a just recovery from COVID-19.
Open Letter: Full Immigration Status for All
We, the undersigned, join the Migrant Rights Network in calling for full and permanent immigration status for all, without exclusions.
COVID-19 has exposed deep inequalities in our society. The fault lines are gendered and racialized: the worst impacts are being felt by women and in Indigenous, Black and Brown communities. Those most impacted have received the least support. Meanwhile, large corporations that have already accumulated immense profits receive massive bailouts.
Migrants, refugees and undocumented people have lost work and wages during the crisis but many have been shut out of emergency income supports. Those already without wages have been abandoned. They cannot pay rent, have faced starvation, lost life savings and are sacrificing essential health care.
Others have been forced to keep working in dangerous conditions. Migrant workers on farms, in greenhouses and meat and food processing plants have been hit with massive COVID-19 outbreaks. Three migrant farm workers have already died: Juan López Chaparro, Bonifacio Eugenio Romero and Rogelio Muñoz Santos. Migrant domestic workers remain trapped in the homes of their employers, facing greater surveillance, abuse and violence. Migrant students, working in low-wage jobs in warehouses and as delivery drivers, have had their tuition fees hiked to subsidize Canadian universities and colleges.
Now, as businesses reopen, those without work have little choice but to accept unsafe jobs. But conditions are the same as before — low wages and minimal labour protections. Hard-fought gains in access to healthcare remain precarious and limited. Rent hasn’t been paid and evictions are on the horizon. With mounting debt, many are facing greater exploitation but have no way to defend themselves.
An unjust immigration system is responsible. At least one in twenty-three people (over 1.6 million people) are without permanent resident status. Migrants are punished for for leaving bad employers, doing sex work, or getting sick. Access to services varies by immigration permit and is virtually non-existent for those who have been forced out of status. Lack of permanent resident status makes it difficult, and often impossible, for migrants to speak up for their rights or access services, including those they may be eligible for, because of a well-founded fear of reprisals, termination, eviction and deportation. Migrants, refugees, and undocumented people want to take care of their families and be active members of their communities. But federal immigration rules tip the scales against them.
We call for a single-tier immigration system, where everyone in the country has the same rights. All migrants, refugees and undocumented people in the country must be regularized and given full immigration status now without exception. All migrants arriving in the future must do so with full and permanent immigration status.
Full immigration status for all is necessary for global justice. COVID-19 has ravaged communities around the world, deepening economic and political crises that are being exploited by governments. Yet, Canada has closed its borders to refugees and families remain separated. Canada must support migrants and refugees here, reunite families, and ensure that no one is forced to leave their homes.
There is a global anti-racist resurgence that is sweeping the country. Violence against, and exclusion of Black communities in particular is being challenged head on. Temporary and precarious migration is racism – it excludes racialized communities from equal rights and protections. Full immigration status for all is necessary for racial justice.
Many migrants are engaged in essential work, ensuring that families and communities are cared for. Yet the majority of this work is low-waged, and the majority of those who do it are racialized and women migrants. This work is necessary not just during a public health crisis, but to transition our economies away from the impending climate catastrophe. Bad employers use immigration status as a tool to divide and pit workers against each other – citizens against non-citizens – to keep wages low and profits high. Full immigration status for all is an essential step towards eliminating inequalities in the workplace and necessary for a transition to a just and sustainable economy of care.
We are all essential. We all deserve full immigration status.
Recovery from COVID-19 calls for a rethinking of the ways in which our communities and our economy is organized. Prime Minister Trudeau: Full Immigration Status for All is just, fair, necessary and urgent. The time is now.
Organizations
350 organizations with over 8 million members have signed
Join in: add your organization
350.org
350Vancouver
Aamjiwnaang & Sarnia Against Pipelines (ASAP)
ACORN Canada
Action Canada for Sexual Health and Rights
Action Santé Travesti.e.s et Transsexuel.le.s du Québec
Afghan Association of Ontario Canada
African Caribbean Black Caucus for Health Equity, Alberta
AFRICAN STAGES ASSOCIATION OF BC
African Women Acting AWA
Afro-Canadian Positive Network of BC Society
AGIR
AIDS ACTION NOW!
AIDS Committee of Ottawa
Albanian Canadian Association Kosova
Alberta Federation of Labour
All Welcome Here/BIPOC of PEC
Alliance for Healthier Communities
Alternatives
ANKORS AIDS Network Outreach & Support Society
Apatrides anonymes
Association des travailleuses et travailleurs d’agences de placement ATTAP
Association for the Rights of Household and Farm Workers (ARHW)
Association of Kenyans in Alberta
Association of Mexicans in Calgary
Association québécoise des organismes de coopération internationale (AQOCI)
B.C. Civil Liberties Association (BCCLA)
Bathurst St. United Church
BC Employment Standards Coalition
BC Federation of Labour
BC Government and Service Employees’ Union
Black Legal Action Centre
Black Lives Matter – Toronto
Blue Green Canada
Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support Network), Toronto
Calgary Anti-Racist Action
Campaign 2000
Campaign for Adequate Welfare and DisabiliyBenefits
Canadian Alliance for Sex Work Law Reform
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment
Canadian Centre for Language & Cultural Studies, Inc.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture
Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture
Canadian Centre on Statelessness
Canadian Civil Liberties Association
Canadian Federation of Students
Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network / Réseau juridique canadien VIH/sida
Canadian Immigrant Settlement Sector Alliance – Alliance canadienne du sector de l’establissement des immigrants
Canadian Union of Pubic Employees, Local 2424
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE)
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 1281
Caregiver Connections Education and Support Organization, Toronto
Caregivers Action Centre, Toronto
Carrefour d’Action Interculturelle
Carrefour d’éducation populaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles
Carrefour d’éducation populaire de Pointe-Saint-Charles
Carrefour d’éducation à la solidarité internationale – Québec (CÉSIQ)
CAYR Community Connections
Centre de femmes, Femmes du monde à Côte-des-Neiges
Centre des femmes de Laval
Centre des femmes solidaires et engagées
Centre for Gender and Sexual Health Equity (CGSHE)
Centre justice et foi
Centre on Drug Policy Evaluation
Chelsea Green Neighbourhood Association
Chinese & Southeast Asian Legal Clinic
Chinese Canadian National Council – Toronto
Christian Peacemaker Teams Canada
Citizens for Public Justice
Clean Air Partnership
Climate Action Network Canada
Climate Justice Edmonton
Climate Justice Montreal
Climate Justice Ottawa
Climate Justice Toronto
Climate Justice Victoria
ClimateFast
Coalition Against Bigotry-Pacific
Coalition of Black Trade Unionists
Coalition of Child Care Advocates of BC
Coalition solidarité santé
COBP
Collaborative Network to End Exploitation, Toronto
Collectif Ensemble avec les personnes migrantes contre le racisme
Collective RedLEGAL
Comité d’Action de Parc-Extension
Comité pour les droits humains en Amérique latine CDHAL
Committee for Non Status Guineans
Communist Party of Canada (Marxist-Leninist)
Community Action Initiative
Community Legal Assistance Society
Community Legal Clinic Brant Haldimand Norfolk
Concordia Student Union
Conseil régional FTQ Montréal métropolitain
Continuing Education Students’ Association of Ryerson
Cooper Institute and the Prince Edward Island Action Team for Migrant Workers’ Rights
COPE SEPB – Canadian Office & Professional Employees Union-Syndicat canadien des employees et employes professionnels et de bureau
Council of Canadians, Le Conseil Des Canadiens
Council of Canadians, Peterborough and Kawarthas chapter
Courage
CQSU-AFPC-Qc
Creating Healthy and Sustainable Environments (CHASE)
CUPE 2626
CUPE 3261
CUPE 3904
CUPE 3904
CUPE 3907
Cupe 474
CUPE 6364
CUPE Local 3902
Davenport Perth Neighbourhood and Community Health Centre
Decent Work and Health Network
Dignidad Migrante Society (DIGNIDAD)
Diocese of Hamilton
Disability Justice Network of Ontario (DJNO)
Downtown Legal Services
DroitsTravailleursMigrants
Durham Region Labour Council
Durham Region Migrant Solidarity Network
Edmonton & District Labour Council
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario
Environmental Defence Canada
Ernestine’s Women’s Shelter
Faculty for Palestine (F4P)
FCJ Refugee Centre, Toronto
Fight for $15 and Fairness, Ontario
Fight for 15 & Fairness Manitoba
Filipino Parents Association
Food Secure Canada
FoodShare Toronto
Front d’action populaire en réaménagement urbain (FRAPRU)
Fuerza Migrante, Vancouver, BC
GABRIELA Ontario
GHANAIAN-CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF BC
Gillian’s Place
Global Peace Alliance
Graduate Student Society at Simon Fraser University
Green 13
Green Majority
Greenpeace Canada
Guelph Community Acupuncture
Haba Soccer Academy
Halifax Workers Action Centre
Hamilton and District Labour Council
Hamilton Community Legal Clinic
HAMSMaRT (Hamilton Social Medicine Response Team)
HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO)
HIV/AIDS Resources and Community Health
Hoodstock
IAMAW
IfNotNow Toronto
Immigrant Workers Centre, Montreal
ImmigrantsCAN Canada Immigration Services
Income Security Advocacy Centre, Toronto
Indigenous Climate Action
Injured Workers Community Legal Clinic
Inter Pares
Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development
Islamic Social Services Association
John Humphrey Centre for Peace and Human Rights
Justice For All Canada
KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
Kwentong Bayan Collective
Le Québec c’est nous aussi
Leadnow
Leap Montreal – Saut Montréal
LetsStopAIDS
Ligue des droits et libertés
London and District Labour Council
Loretto Sisters Canada
MADE IN EXILE
Maggie’s Toronto Sex Workers Action Project
Maison d’amitié
Manitoba Association of Newcomer Serving Organizations
Manitoba Federation of Labour (MFL)
Maritime -Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network PEI Committee
Migrant Farmworkers Project
migrant memory project/ trace press
Migrant Students United – MWAC
Migrant Students United – MUN Chapter
Migrant Workers Alliance for Change
Migrant Workers Solidarity Network – Manitoba
Migrante Alberta
Migrante BC
Migrante Canada
Migrante Manitoba
Migrante Ontario
Migrants Resource Centre, Canada
Mining Injustice Solidarity Network
MiningWatch Canada
Montreal in Action
Mount Dennis Community Association
Mouvement contre le viol et l’inceste
Mouvement d’éducation populaire et d’action communautaire du Québec
MoveUP
Moyo Health and Community Services
My Sea to Sky
National Farmers Union
National Union of Public and General Employees
New Brunswick Federation of Labour
Niagara Community Garden Network
Niagara Community Legal Clinic
Niagara Folk Arts Multicultural Centre
Niagara Region Anti-Racism Association
Niagara Regional Labour Council
Niagara Regional Labour Council
No One Is Illegal – Toronto
No One Is Illegal – Halifax
Nobel Women’s Initiative
Noor Cultural Centre
North Peel & Dufferin Community Legal Services
Northern Territories Federation of Labour
Northumberland Community Legal Centre
Not Going Back (members of Climate Strike Canada and Our Time)
Nova Scotia Federation of Labour
OCASI – Ontario Council of Agencies Serving Immigrants
Occupational Health Centre
Office of the National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop
OHIP For All, Toronto
Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP)
Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA)
Ontario Federation of Labour
Ontario Nurses’ Association
Ontario Public Service Employees Union Region 5
Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation
OPSEU
OPSEU Indigenous Circle
OPSEU Rainbow Alliance arc en ciel
OPSEU RAINBOW ALLIANCE/ARC-EN-CIEL
Ottawa Coalition to End Violence Against Women (OCTEVAW)
Our Time Vancouver
Our Time Vancouver
Oxfam Canada
PACE Society
Pacific AIDS Network
Pacific Association of First Nations Women
Parkdale Community Legal Services, Toronto
Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre
PEI Advisory Council on the Status of Women
PEI Chapter of the Council of Canadians
PEI Federation of Labour
People’s Health Movement Canada – Mouvement populaire pour la santé au Canada
Peterborough AIDS Resource Network
PINAY Quebec
Pivot Legal Society
Planned Parenthood NL Sexual Health Centre
POPIR-Comité logement
Quebec Public Interest Research Group – Concordia (QPIRG Concordia)
Radical Access Mapping Project
Radical Action with Migrants in Agriculture (RAMA), Okanagan region
RadLaw McGill
Rainbow Faith and Freedom.
Rainbow Refugee
Ralph Thornton Community Centre
Refugee Health Coalition
Refugee Protection Initiative
Regina Public Interest Research Group (RPIRG)
Retail Action Network
Rising Tide Toronto
Romero House
S4 Collective, Toronto
SafeSpace London
SAIMY’S Art
Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network
Sanctuary Health, Vancouver
Sargent farms
Saskatchewan Association of Immigrant Settlement and Integration Agencies (SAISIA)
Saskatchewan Federation of Labour
Secteur Vivre ensemble du Centre justice et foi
SeedChange
SEIU Local 2
Service jésuite des réfugiés Canada
Services juridiques communautaires de Pointe-Saint-Charles et Petite-Bourgogne
Sex Professionals of Canada
Shift Action for Pension Wealth and Planet Health
Showing up for Racial Justice – Toronto
Sierra Club BC
Single Mothers’ Alliance BC
Sky Theatre Group
Social Justice & Advocacy Committee, Anglican Diocese of Toronto
Solidarité Nord-Sud des Bois-Francs
Solidarity Across Borders, Montreal
Solidarity K’jipuktuk/Halifax
South Asian Legal Clinic of Ontario
South Asian Network for Secularism and Democracy (SANSAD)
South Asian Women’s Centre
South Asian Women’s Rights Organization
South House Sexual and Gender Resource Centre
South Riverdale Community Health Centre
South Riverdale Community Health Centre
Southridge Community Church
Spring Magazine
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Kingston
St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church Kingston
Stella, l’amie de Maimie
Sudbury Community Legal Clinic
Sudbury Palestinian Solidarity Working Group
Sudbury Workers Education and Advocacy Centre
SumOfUs
Syndicat des employés·es étudiants·es de l’UQAM (SÉTUE)
Table des Organismes communautaires Montréalais de lutte contre le sida
The 519
The Canadian Center for Victims of Torture ( CCVT)
The Caring for Social Justice Collective/le Collectif Soignons la justice sociale
The City of Human Rights Education
The Leap
The Local Community Food Centre
The Neighbourhood Organization
The Obstetric Justice Project
The Socialist Project
The Windsor-Essex Bilingual Legal Clinic
Together Against Racism and with Migrants Collective, Sherbrooke
Toronto & York Region Labour Council
Toronto Environmental Alliance
Toronto Local, Canadian Union of Postal Workers
Toronto350.org
Touch Youth Empowerment
Trade Justice Network
TUAC – SECTION LOCALE 501
Unifor, Canada
United Church of Canada
United Jewish People’s Order
United Steelworkers
University of Toronto Environmental Action
Vancouver and District Labour Council
Vancouver Committee for Domestic Workers and Caregivers Rights
Vancouver Island Counselling Centre for Immigrants and Refugees (VICCIR)
Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter
Warehouse Workers Centre Peel
Waterloo Region Community Legal Services
WellFort Community Health Services
Wenlido WEST
West Coast Environmental Law Association
West Coast LEAF
West Kootenay EcoSociety
Wilderness Committee
Willowdale Community Legal Services
Women’s Health in Women’s Hands CHC
Women’s Legal Education and Action Fund Inc (LEAF)
Women’s Network PEI
Women’s Shelters Canada
Workers Action Centre, Toronto
Working Women Community Centre
YouthCO HIV & Hep C Society
Yukon Federation of Labour
YWCA Canada