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Sign the petition organized by Migrant Workers Alliance for Change and send a message to Prime Minister Trudeau, calling on the federal government to open a pathway for all migrants, including refugees and undocumented people, to obtain permanent residency without unfair work and language requirements.
Ottawa (03 Nov. 2021) — Migrant workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic are calling on the federal government to remove barriers to accessing permanent status. Refugees and undocumented people are not eligible to apply to the health care stream of the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident program, which is set to end this week, despite thousands of empty spots.
Excluded from pathway to permanent status
The federal government announced the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident pathway program for health care workers in the spring of 2021. In response to a great deal of pressure from workers and advocates, the government finally acknowledged the need to give these workers a pathway to permanent status.
The streams for international graduates and essential workers filled up quickly. The health care stream is not yet filled, but the application process excludes refugee and undocumented workers because of their status. The program is supposed to close on November 6. It designated 20,000 spaces for health care workers, but only 5,466 have applied as of October 21, according to CBC News.
Migrant workers have been speaking out and sharing their stories about working on the front lines of the pandemic and calling for changes to the immigration rules that are restricting their access to permanent residency (Toronto Star).
Take action: write to the Prime Minister
Front-line workers and migrant rights advocates are calling on Prime Minister Trudeau to extend the program to refugees and undocumented people.
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is echoing the call and encouraging members and allies to sign the petition organized by Migrant Workers Alliance for Change. With the online tool, you can send a message to Prime Minister Trudeau, calling on the federal government to open a pathway for all migrants, including refugees and undocumented people, to obtain permanent residency without unfair work and language requirements.
Migrant workers deserve respect
As with so many issues, the pandemic has shone a light on the injustices facing migrant workers. They experience poor working conditions, barriers to accessing services, and racism and other forms of discrimination—all this faced by migrant workers, despite the essential work they do.
Our communities rely on migrant workers to put food on our tables and care for our most vulnerable. This prompted renewed calls, during the pandemic, for full and permanent immigration status.
These workers have been among the front-line heroes celebrated during the pandemic. This recognition is well-deserved, but we can’t stop there. These workers deserve fair pay, decent working conditions, and access to permanent status.
Investing in care
In addition, we need our governments to invest in universal, public care systems and the workers who provide care.
The Canadian Labour Congress has urged the new federal cabinet to make strengthening our care systems a top priority. In a letter to Prime Minister Trudeau, CLC President Bea Bruske emphasizes that the care sectors are dominated by low-wage and often precarious workers—predominantly women—and that racialized, immigrant, and migrant women are disproportionately represented.
We need public investment in our care sectors to ensure good jobs and meet communities’ care needs, as well as permanent status for these front-line workers. We cannot ignore the lessons learned during this pandemic.