New permit, pilot program fail to benefit Niagara’s migrant workers, says advocate
Canada’s attempts to improve life for migrant workers may be falling flat in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The federal government recently launched an open work permit for vulnerable workers, which would allow migrant workers experiencing abuse to obtain employment elsewhere, and an Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, which offers a new avenue to permanent residency.
Kit Andres, from Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, was less than impressed upon closer inspection.
“My first reaction was hopeful,” Andres said, adding they initially took these developments as a sign the government is listening to its migrant workers.
But the longer they looked at the new programs, the more they realized neither would help most migrant workers in Niagara.
Andres, a NOTL resident who has been co-ordinating consultation sessions with migrant workers and government officials, said the application process is complex and still presents significant barriers.
“It’s an online process, which makes it inaccessible to most migrant workers, who don’t have access to the internet.”
They struggle to fully understand the application, he said.
The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change is working with a lawyer to fully grasp the requirements and process.
“I’m very grateful that we have that resource, but most people don’t.”
The most obvious issue with the open work permit for vulnerable workers, Andres said, is that it requires proof of abuse — physical, sexual, psychological or financial.
Then there’s the issue of safety. Where do these workers go in the meantime? Do they have to stay in the abusive environment?
If a migrant worker requires support from a liaison officer, there’s no office in Niagara. Andres said the worker would either have to find a way to Toronto or arrange for a liaison officer to visit.
“The workers do not feel represented by the liaison officers,” he said workers have reported.
As for the Agri-Food Immigration Pilot, Andres said it only applies to nonseasonal workers, on mushroom farms, chicken farms or at butcher shops, for example. It wouldn’t touch the hundreds of migrant workers who work with Niagara-on-the-Lake’s tender fruit every year.
“While these are steps in the right direction, the fact is that the majority of migrant agricultural workers (especially those employed seasonally) will not see any benefits.”
Andres said it’s not individual employers, but rather the temporary foreign work program and the country’s discriminatory immigration system that create vulnerability and conditions for abuse.
There are many farmers in Niagara who are doing it right, who are treating migrant workers like an extension of their family.
The Migrant Workers Alliance continues to work with other migrant worker groups across the country to vouch for equal rights and to consult with the federal government for fair permits.
Under the new pilot program, a maximum of 2,750 permanent residence spots will be awarded to agricultural migrant workers each year. A total of 16,500 people, including spouses and children, are expected to become permanent residents over its three-year duration.
“The pilot will enable workers with experience in the industry to transition to become Canadian citizens. Immigration options for agriculture sector workers are an important aspect of strategically addressing labour shortages and securing a strong future for Canada’s agriculture industry,” said Portia MacDonald-Dewhirst of the Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council.