Struggle continues despite the rosy immigration announcements

Struggle continues despite the rosy immigration announcements

By Jesson Reyes

On October 30, Minister of Immigration Marco Mendocino announced the immigration plans for the next three years. The supposed increase in immigration numbers is misleading. Due to COVID 19 restrictions, immigration targets level for year 2020 were not met. The added 50,000 per year is put in place to make up for the shortfall of original 300,000 immigration target levels.

In a recent report by OMNI Filipino, immigration minister Mendocino was cited to be working out plans to expedite visas of international students and temporary migrant workers who are already in Canada.

Despite the rosy headlines, to date, there are no concrete or clear measures outlined addressing the immediate issues of international students and temporary foreign workers. These two groups including workers with no immigration status have been heavily impacted by the economic stand down. Already in a vulnerable situation due to restrictive immigration requirements, the pandemic has caused reduced working hours or layoffs for many international students and migrant workers impacting their slim chance to comply with permanent residency requirements.

The clock is ticking for international students who hold post graduate work permits to be able to secure employment that is considered “high skilled”. The PGWP is nonrenewable, putting many in limbo between going back home or remaining to stay after their permits expire. To date, migrant workers who are in low skilled stream STILL do not have any options to a pathway to permanent residency. The government of Canada does not have a comprehensive amnesty program for undocumented migrants’ workers.

During this pandemic, we need to be vigilant and continue to put the pressure on the Canadian government to listen to the demands for better labor standards, access to better health care for ALL and status for ALL.

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Jesson Reyes is the Executive Director of Migrants Resource Centre Canada