On December 18th, we mark International Migrants Day. Today and everyday, GAATW Canada calls for solidarity with all migrants living and working in Canada.
In the last year, there has been yet more xenophobia, racism, and discrimination toward migrants in Canada, fueled by mis/disinformation that is intensified by economic hardship and policies that place profit over people.
Our federal government continues to reduce the number of temporary workers, permanent residents, and international students, supporting the myth of migrant responsibility for our housing shortages, strains on our healthcare system, and cost-of-living crisis. We know the reality is different: migrants are our friends, neighbours, and community members. They are not responsible for corporate greed driving up prices and limiting access to essential services.
When migrants are scapegoated for our frustrations, they are made vulnerable to mistreatment. Our research with migrant and racialized women in informal, precarious employment (e.g., on farms, in service industries, as caregivers) demonstrates that our immigration policies enable a broad spectrum of exploitation and abuse. Without access to more flexible visas and better labour protections, workers face verbal, physical, and sexual harassment and abuse, racial discrimination, underpayment, forced overtime, and more. With no meaningful mechanism of oversight or accountability for employers, coupled with a worsening public attitude toward migrants, these abuses go unchecked and people suffer.
Instead, Canada’s immigration policies should reflect the enormous contributions of migrants to our society.
To end the exploitation and abuse of migrants and ensure that migrants feel welcome and supported in Canada, GAATW Canada calls for:
- Permanent status on arrival for all migrant workers
- Effective inspection and control of recruitment agencies, immigration consultants, and workplaces that employ migrants
- Increased investment in social services and affordable housing, especially funding for grassroots organizations that work with migrants
- Social acceptance of migrants and public rejection of racism, hate speech, and misinformation about migration
- Meaningful consultation with migrants and civil society organizations in developing immigration policies
- A more nuanced, systems-based understanding of exploitation and human trafficking and the structural drivers of vulnerability that shape how policies, funding priorities, and services are designed and delivered.
GAATW Canada advocates for the human and labour rights of all migrants as a way of preventing violence and exploitation against them, including human trafficking. Together we can improve workplace conditions and create stronger communities where exploitation has no foothold.