Amnesty: Migrant work in Canada suffers abuse and discrimination

Amnesty: Migrant work in Canada suffers abuse and discrimination

Migrants in Canada are reportedly facing “shocking exploitation and discrimination” while working under Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). This emerges from a recent report by Amnesty International.

Problematic structure of the TFWP

By report, published on Thursday, Amnesty criticized the structure of the TFWP. This program allows employers to employ migrants primarily for low-paying work in various sectors such as agriculture, food processing, construction and catering.

Vulnerable workforce and “harmful regulations”

According to the human rights organization, workers are particularly vulnerable to abuse due to “harmful provisions” in the program. These include closed work permits that bind employees to a single employer who controls both their migration status and working conditions.

CNN has reached out to the Canadian government for comment on the report.

Experiences of migrants

For the report, Amnesty interviewed 44 migrants from 14 countries, most of whom come from what the organization calls the Global South. Many respondents reported unpaid wages and excessive working hours. Some workers said there were no rest days specified in their contracts.

In addition, numerous migrants reported discrimination in the workplace, often having to do the most difficult physical work. Some reported serious injuries or health problems due to unsafe working conditions.

Personal fates

A woman from Cameroon, Bénédicte, said she experienced psychological and sexual abuse at the hands of her employer while working on a two-year closed work visa on a farm. After she left the farm in July 2018, her employer canceled her work permit, which put Bénédicte in a irregular migration situation. “I didn’t expect to be a slave here,” she told Amnesty.

Another worker reported “severe forms of control” by his employer. Miguel, a Guatemalan migrant on a two-year visa under the TFWP, said he was threatened and monitored. According to him, his boss confiscated his passport and installed cameras in the accommodation where he lived and in the garage where he worked.

Calls for reforms

“The abuse experienced by migrant workers in Canada is extremely concerning, especially for a country that sees itself as a leader in protecting human rights,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, head of research, advocacy, policy and campaigns at Amnesty International.

Amnesty also reported that many workers live in inadequate housing conditions, while some reported having no drinking water in their accommodation. Ketty Nivyabandi, a representative for Amnesty International Canada, called on Canadian leaders to implement reforms to “bring the program in line with Canada’s human rights obligations – and ultimately respect the rights of workers.”