2017-10-31
Don Davies, M.P.
PETITION TO THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA
Whereas:
Budget 2017 by the Government of Canada does nothing to reduce the vulnerability of temporary foreign workers, contrary to recommendations in the September 2016 Temporary Foreign Worker Program Report by the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities (HUMA);
A large majority of temporary foreign workers continue to be issued closed work permits, tying the worker to one employer, creating large power imbalances and room for abuse;
Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) continues to limit pathways to permanent residency for low-skilled workers by applying high barriers in Canada`s Express Entry immigration program, creating a culture of labour exploitation and social isolation; and
There is a lack of effective enforcement regarding rules and regulations for employers and recruiters in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, forcing workers to report abuses under the risk of losing their employment or being deported.
We, the undersigned, residents of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to immediately implement the recommendations laid out by HUMA in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program Report with special attention to: recommendations (14 & 15) regarding the removal of employer-specific work permits, recommendations (16-19) regarding increased pathways to permanent residency for all Temporary Foreign Workers, and recommendations (20 & 21) regarding increased, and more effective, monitoring of employers and recruiters.
General relevance - all sectors
(Im)migrants workers
Federal and National relevance
English