On February 10, 2023, Minister Sean Fraser announced that the amount of work experience in Canada required for a caregiver to qualify for permanent residence is being reduced from 24 months to 12 months.
In addition, some spaces under the existing caregiver pathways have been reserved for caregivers who already have work experience in Canada from a previous work permit so that they are able to apply for permanent residence.
Register below to come to an information session on Thursday, April 20th, to find out how you will be affected and what to do to prepare.
Join us online on Thursday, April 27 at 8pm (Toronto time) for an open and anonymous meeting for undocumented migrants and supporters across the country. We will provide an update on regularization, answer all your questions, and share what needs to be done for us to win!
REGISTER RIGHT NOW to get the Zoom link or come back to this registration page on April 27th and join in. Simultaneous interpretation will be available in Spanish and English.
If you can’t attend at 12pm, there is also a vigil at the same location at 4:30pm organized by the Toronto Refugee Rights Day organizing committee.
Refugees and other migrants were already dying crossing via Roxham Road because the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA) and other immigration laws made it impossible to travel safely. Now, with STCA expanded, both the US and Canada have legislated a policy of turning away migrants. Any refugee crossing over will be able to be deported without due process within the first 14 days of arrival. This will force refugees to take even more dangerous routes and cause even more suffering and death. Prime Minister Trudeau says Canada welcomes migrants, even as he is slamming the door shut and putting migrants in danger.
El fin de semana pasado, migrantes y simpatizantes en todo Canadá tomaron acción para obtener el estatus de Residencia Permanente para Tod@s. Miembr@s de la Alianza de Trabajadores Migrantes por un Cambio (MWAC) se manifestaron en todas partes de Canadá.
En Toronto, l@s miembr@s encabezaron una marcha de más de 1,200 personas y casi 100 personas asistieron a la acción que organizamos en las Cataratas de Niágara. En Montreal, miembr@s de MWAC se unieron a un campamento nocturno; también miembr@s de MWAC organizaron, hablaron y se unieron a acciones en Vancouver y Sudbury.
En Ottawa, miembr@s de nuestra Alianza colocaron carteles el día 19 de marzo y en los días previos a la acción, también colocaron carteles en 8 oficinas del Miembr@s del Parlamento (MP) en Ontario.
El pasado viernes, miembros y algun@s organizador@s de la Alianza de Trabajadores Migrantes por un Cambio (MWAC) se presentaron en una rueda de prensa que convoco el Ministro de Inmigración Sean Fraser e insistieron en que necesitamos Residencia Permanente para Tod@s.
Mira este video de 50 segundos de nuestras acciones en todo el país.
La oficina del Ministro de Immigracion respondió diciendo: “A medida que avancemos en nuestro trabajo en otros programas, continuaremos escuchando a expertos, así como a l@s trabajador@s indocumentad@s”. ¡Pero lo que necesitamos es acción! y depende de nosotr@s asegurarnos de que el gobierno actúe
En el 2023, trabajadores estudiantes migrantes ganaron otra extensión de permisos de trabajo para graduados de posgrado (Más información en ingles), si no hubiéramos ganado esta extensión cientos de miles de estudiantes migrantes hubieran sido deportados. Migrantes que trabajan en el cuido de personas ganaron una reducción del tiempo de experiencia a la mitad para aplicar para Residencia Permanente: ahora solo necesitan 12 meses de experiencia en lugar de 24 meses (Más información en ingles) para solicitar Residencia Permanente.
Cuando luchamos, y luchamos inteligentemente, ganamos. y lo que ganemos depende de cuánto poder tengamos. Hoy, usted es uno de los 264 miembr@s portadores de tarjetas de la Alianza de Trabajadores Migrantes por un Cambio. Imagínese lo que podemos hacer cuando seamos 2.000 o 20.000.
Nuestra lucha en este momento es por la dignidad y derechos en el trabajo, la escuela, la vivienda y la atención médica; y sólo habremos ganado cuando ganemos el Estatus de Residente Permanente para Tod@s . Esto significa cosas diferentes para miembr@s en diferentes sectores:
Trabajador@s agrícolas: Estamos luchando por protecciones más fuertes de salud y seguridad en las granjas, invernaderos y viviendas dignas. Estamos recopilando fotos y videos para compartir nuestras historias y luchas en las redes sociales para educar a l@s canadienses. Los trabajadores agrícolas que decidieron quedarse y su permiso de trabajo esta vencido se estan centrando principalmente en la regularización para que tod@s podamos estar protegid@s y junto a nuestras familias. Envía un mensaje de texto al WhatsApp: 647-807-4722.
Trabajador@s en la industria de Mariscos: Estamos pidiendo a los migrantes en la industria de marisco que llenen esta encuesta para saber sobre sus prioridades y así para que junt@s podamos lanzar una campaña y solucionar los problemas que nos aquejan ¡Si trabajas en la industria del marisco llena esta encuesta ahora! WhatsApp 506-251-7467
Trabajador@s de la salud que están indocumentad@s: La regularización es nuestra lucha para obtener el estatus de residente permanente para las personas indocumentadas. Las personas indocumentadas somos l@s que no tenemos permisos válidos de estudio o trabajo; y/o que se enfrentan deportación. La mayor parte de nuestro trabajo en este momento se centra en esta campaña.
Cuidador@s de personas: Estamos luchando para poner fin a la lista de espera; y eliminar los requisitos de cuota, educación e idioma para cuidador@s de personas y niñ@s. Pronto lanzaremos una encuesta para saber más sobre los problemas a los que se está enfrentado en su día a día y luchar juntos en la búsqueda de soluciones a estos problemas. Mientras tanto, nuestra próxima reunión de miembros en línea es el 28 de marzo a las 8 p.m., hora de Toronto.
Equidad para estudiantes migrantes: Nos estamos uniendo con personas en nuestros campus, lugares de trabajo y comunidades en una campaña para ganar derechos y estatus para tod@s l@s estudiantes internacionales actuales y anteriores. Estamos reuniendo el apoyo de organizaciones para una agenda con demandas y pronto lanzaremos una encuesta: En ingles MigrantWorkersAlliance.org/FairnessAgenda.
¡Unid@s somos más fuertes! Diana, Kit, Jhoey, Luisa, Sarom and Niger (MWAC Equipo de Organizador@s)
Are you a migrant care worker in Canada? We want to know what your current struggle is. We are gathering information to determine what care worker issues to voice out to the government.
Migrant Workers Alliance for Change (Formerly Caregivers Action Centre) is an organization that is led by current and former migrant care workers like you and other migrants workers in farms, healthcare, fisheries and migrant students. We will use this information to learn how to better support migrant care workers in their demands . Personal details you share is private and confidential and will not be shared to the government or employers.
This survey is only complete when you click “submit” at the bottom of the page. Please share this survey with your friends and other care workers. Call, text, or Whatsapp us if you have any questions at 416- 897-4388!
If you’ve already filled out the membership registration form, you’re just one step away from becoming an official member of Migrant Workers Alliance For Change!
Sign up here to participate in the online membership orientation on Thursday, October 19 at 7pm Toronto | 4pm Vancouver | 5pm Edmonton | 8pm Atlantic.
In 2021, 2022 and again in 2023, our collective organizing resulted in the federal government allowing Post Graduate Work Permit (PGWP) holders to extend our permits. Yet again, it is not clear who will be able to apply for the 2023 renewal. At the same time, these are temporary one-time measures, and many of us are in crisis because we cannot get our permanent resident status. Express Entry draws are inconsistent and points needed for Canadian Experience Class are too high. We deserve permanent solutions.
Enter your information below to get updates on the PGWP program as it is announced, and to send a letter to Immigration Minister Sean Fraser asking him to fix Express Entry.
Open Letter from Migrant Students
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Immigration Minister Sean Fraser, we are calling on you to ensure permanent resident status for migrant student workers like me. Many of us have expired or expiring permits for reasons beyond our control. We live here, we work here, we have formed homes and communities here, and we deserve to stay.
Too many have been left out from the 2022 post graduate work permit (PGWP) extension policy, even though we faced some of the worst moments of the pandemic, including the highest unemployment rate in Canadian history. We call on you to enact immediate solutions such as: * Make the Post Graduate Work Permit permanently renewable; * Ensure Canadian Experience Class (CEC) specific draws to address the aftermath of the 9 month suspension of draws; * Fix Express Entry by valuing work in all NOC/TEER levels, including TEER 4 and 5, ensuring fair CRS calculations and predictable, transparent draws; * No exclusions: PR status for all regardless of age, immigration status, work, language and education requirements.
We deserve equal rights and dignity, and that means permanent resident status for all of us.
Thank you for your urgent attention to this matter.
On March 18 and 19, current and former international students are organizing and joining actions for permanent resident Status for All and fairness. There are actions in 7 cities across the country, sign up below and join the one in Toronto!
Migrant Student Workers (current, graduated and undocumented international students) are now the largest group of temporary migrants in the country. We are uniting as migrants for our rights, for justice and dignity. Let’s unite to #MakeItFair!
ENSURE STATUS FOR ALL MIGRANT STUDENT WORKERS
Fix Express Entry: Fair CRS calculations, predictable draws, no one left out
Value all work in immigration selection: In any NOC/TEER, work done on the study permit, in co-op
No exclusions: PR status for all regardless of age, immigration status, work, language and education requirements
FIX PERMITS
Permanently end the 20 hour work rule for study permit holders
Make PGWP renewable, and include private college students
Allow co-op work authorization without extra permits
Permit protections for vulnerable and destitute migrant student workers
No industry of work restrictions
LOWER TUITION, ENSURE GOOD JOBS & ALL SERVICES
Fair tuition: No differential treatment, caps on tuition increases, stop the fees
Ensure access to employment and decent work; end wage theft and labour exploitation.
Ensure full access to all services including healthcare, housing, jobs, scholarships, and in-school support
1.7 million people in Canada are denied equal rights because they are shut out from permanent resident status. An estimated 500,000 neighbours, coworkers, classmates, and friends do not have any immigration status at all and can’t access essential services like healthcare.
Migrant Workers Alliance for Change member Jess is one of them. She is asking for your support to help with expensive medical bills while she continues the fight to win permanent resident status for all. Will you stand with her and thousands of other migrants and refugees?
TAKE ACTION: Donate above, then join the cross-Canada day of action to win regularization for all undocumented migrants: migrantrights.ca/march18-19
My name is Jess and I’m a member of Migrant Workers Alliance for Change from a rural agricultural area in Jamaica. I grew up in a big family where I learned how to farm and feed my loved ones. I love to cook and have seen how food can bring people together.
But life is rough in Jamaica with very few opportunities to get ahead and provide for your family. I have two sons – 15 and 6 years old – and I want to give them a better life. So in 2021 I came to Canada on the seasonal farm work program. I was told it was the best chance to have a decent life and to support my family. But for me the opportunity to work in Canada quickly turned into a nightmare and that’s why I’m asking for your help now.
After I escaped an abusive employer in 2021, Canada denied my open work permit for vulnerable workers application and caused me to lose status. I was recently diagnosed with painful cysts that make life unbearable. I need surgery to have them removed, but Canada denies me health care because I don’t have status. The surgery will cost at least $7,000 without insurance. My post-surgery prescriptions will cost between $300-$500.
On top of that, I currently don’t have anywhere to live and that makes it difficult to take care of my health and find a job. I’m asking for $3000 so that I can cover first and last month’s rent and have a secure place to continue building my dream and fighting for equal rights for all migrants.
My dream is to have a stable place to live so that I can start a cleaning service business and continue supporting my family, while also working toward culinary school and re-uniting with my two sons.
I can’t do this without you, please contribute what you can, share the fundraiser with your friends, and sign the petition at statusforall.ca. United we are stronger!
