Canada’s Disposable Workforce

Addressing Abuses Against Migrant Workers

The federal government recently announced changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) as part of an effort to limit the number of temporary residents entering the country.  This change has been motivated by a belief that the influx of migrants ought to be controlled – often making false linkages between the housing crisis and a rise in immigration. These proposed changes are reactionary measures that neither address the rampant abuse of migrants in the Temporary Foreign Work Program (TFWP), nor provide relief for the housing crisis. While a reduction on the reliance of temporary forms of labour is a welcome development, any changes to the TFWP must first and foremost act on calls from migrant workers and activists to address the exploitative conditions of the program.

In this policy brief, Asvini Uthayakumaran delves into the oppressive labour conditions experienced by predominantly racialized temporary foreign workers (TFWs). These conditions are the result of two central features of the TFWP: (1) the denial of permanent immigration status and (2) the use of employer-tied/closed work permits. Both of these features work in tandem to deny migrant workers basic rights and keep them in the margins of Canadian society. In order for Canada to address the abuses against migrant workers and uphold its human rights obligations we recommend the federal government:

• Implement a broad regularization program that creates accessible, barrier-free pathways to permanent residency for all migrants including undocumented migrants which entitles them to a minimum standard of rights such as family reunification, choice of residence, ability to switch employers, and equal access to healthcare and education.
• Replace the use of employer-tied work permits with open work permits for all migrant workers regardless of nationality or occupation.
• Scrutinize, reject, and avoid false narratives that scapegoat migrants for the affordability crisis.