In defense of LCP

In defense of LCP

By Mila Villaruz Echevarria
Pickering, Ontariio

We read articles criticizing Canada’s Live-In Caregiver Program.I do not deny that the program has problems and issues that we need to address, however to demand the Minister Volpe of Citizenship and Immigration of Canada (CIC) to”scrap” the program is unfair, unfair to those thousands of Filipinos who want a chance to come to Canada under the program.Cecila Diocson, the Chairperson of the National Alliance of Philippines Women in Canada (NAPWC) is pushing for the program to be scrapped. I want to ask her,had she taken a survey of live-in caregivers past and present, if this is what they want?Most people that I talk to say

“NO” they do not want the program to be scrapped. It needs improvements,yes, but not scrapped.In fact, with the worsening economic and political conditions in the Philippines, Canada’s Live-in caregiver Program is more popular now than ever. So popular in fact that the Canadian Embassy in Manila has so much backlog that it now takes two to three years before a caregiver can be scheduled for interview. Visa offices or Canadian embassies located in other countries interview caregiver applicants to Canada within two to four months from the date of application.Due to the horrendous waiting time for interview in Manila,a lot of Canadian employers lose interest in hiring the caregivers in Manila and some had their sponsorhips withdrawn. This is one issue that need to be brought to the Minister of CIC.Why caregiver applicants in the Philippines and consequently their Canadian employers are made to wait this long, two to three years? I have applied to sponsor another caregiver last year.She submitted her application to the Candian Embassy early this year.By the time the caregiver is interviewed in 2007,my youngest son will be 14.Then what?What’s her chance of passing that interview.

Compared to other countries who hire Filipinas as caregivers or domestic helpers,Canada’s LCP is so far still the best. First of all foreign caregivers to Canada has a chance to become Permanent Residents after they complete the 24 month requirement and eventually become Canadian citizens.Eventually these caregivers can bring their families here.Caregivers in Canada have rights and if those rights are violated they can report their employer to the autorities.Caregivers are not forced to stay with their current employers if they are not happy, they are free to go and look for another employer.Caregivers in Canada have access to our public health care system,tell me of other countries who would do that to their foreign domestic helpers and caregivers.In general Canadian employers are nicer,friendlier,more fair in treating their caregivers and nannies compared to employers in other countries. I will also state that Canada and it’s LCP is nicer,friendlier and more fair to foreign caregivers.I definitely do not agree that Canada’s LCP is racist.To whom?To Filipino women?If 95% of caregivers are Fipinas,then that’s not racism,in my opinion.If Filipinos applicants are not admitted to Canada because they are Fili-pinos,then that’s racism. In fact a lot of other ethnic groups are somewhat envious because their relatives are not qualified to apply under the LCP.

“Filipino women fulfill a need for cheap labour in this country by the taking the most dirty,difficult and dangerous work that Canadians do not want to do,” explains Diocson,as printed in the Philippine Reporter article. Is caregiving that dirty,difficult and dangerous? I’m a mother of three children.I ran a home a daycare, looked after other children and I changed their diapers,I prepared meals for them,played with them.In addition to providing care, did household duties.Isn’t that what a typical caregiver does? Don’t we all do that? Give some credit to what the foreign caregivers do.A lot of them happen to like what they do.The truth of the matter is,despite of their low salaries,if they know how to save,they actually save more money at the end of each month than their employers.It’s true! Employers in addition to paying the caregivers’ salary have a lot more expenses at the end of the month,there’s hardly any money left to save. On the other hand,a caregiver on the average nets $1,000. per month,that money is all hers.If she’s good in budgeting,she’s saving more money that her employer.

I, for one is not pushing for the Live-In Caregiver Program to be scrapped.I have relatives who are able to come to Canada through LCP and would have no other way to come.A few of them are now Permanent residents or Canadian citizens and are living the “Canadian Life.” To them,they are grateful to the LCP and to Canada.

The LCP is far from being perfect and it’s flawed becasue the caregivers are vulnerable from abuses from their employers. I recognize that and I agree that these abuses needed to be stopped and caregivers should be protected.Abuses,maltreatment cases exist In the program. However,most live-in caregivers have succesfully used the program to their advantage. After they become Permanent Residents some go back to schools,some sought regular jobs,some brought their families to Canada,some bought houses and are now enjoying the benefits of being Permanent Residents or Canadian Citizens.

The Live-In caregiver Program needs to be reviewed and improved.What I would like to see are changes to the LCP:

1) issue a three-year work permit that will allow the caregiver to change employers withour having to apply for a new work permit everytime they change employers;

2) the 24 month requirement should be changed to 12 month requirement, after showing proof that they have worked for 12 months as live-in caregivers,they may then proceed to apply for permanent resident status in which they can apply to bring their families to Canada

3) the live-in condition should be optional,to be agreed upon both by the employer and the employee. Cecilia Diocson of NAPWC is pushing for the caregivers to come as Independent Immigrants. My concern is if that is the case then a caregiver who is applying to come as Immigrant may have to fulfill other more difficult to meet requirements. With the present requirements of LCP,most Filipinos are able to meet those requirements.If CIC change the LCP from work permit to Immigrant status,I’m afraid that that also means higher standards for caregivers,perhaps a university degree, proof of financial stability,since they are bringing their families to Canada with them and English proficiency exam.One more thing,the application fee for a work permit is only $150Cdn which is more affordable.If they are applying as Independent Immigrants the application fee is $550Cdn per adult,add to that the landing fee of $975Cdn per adult.Needless to say those Filipinos who are financially strapped and cannot meet the higher financial requirements of an Immigrant application will lose their opportunity to come to Canada. Is that what we want?

Why don’t we ask the opinion of the live-in caregivers,past and present, “How many of you want the LCP scrapped? Why and why not? ” Speak up,write to your local Filipino newspapers and tell them about your experiences both bad and good, issues and concerns regarding this topic.There are those people who are pushing for the LCP to be scrapped,they might get what they want,is that what most of you want?