1,279 migrant farm workers participated in a survey on family work permits.
98.3% of survey respondents said that the government of Canada should allow all migrants, including those in agriculture, to be together with their families and receive work permits.
93.45% believe seasonal workers (8 months or less contract) should be able to have family with them in Canada. There should be no exclusion for seasonal workers.
89.53% of survey respondents said that they would rent accommodations for their families.
Workers clearly know the options available to them and the potential difficulties they may face. 58% of respondents noted that finding housing would be difficult, and 55.16% noted difficulty with the high cost of rent. Just under 50% of respondents were also concerned about getting jobs for spouses and children. Over 40% were also concerned about access to healthcare, and access to schooling and cost of travel.
When asked Would you bring your family if you were not sure you could support them or afford it? An incredibly high 97.3% of the respondents said No.
This shows that workers will not choose to bring their families if there are any concerns about getting rental properties, or paying for their travel or housing. Even if a program was created, workers would make individual choices based on their circumstances before deciding to apply for work permits.
93.02% of survey respondents want permanent resident status on arrival because it’s the only way migrants can access essential services and protect themselves against abuse.
In short, migrant farmworkers are united in their call for family work permits and permanent resident status for all.
These submissions are jointly made by Migrant Workers Alliance for Change (MWAC), RATTMAQ: Réseau d’aide aux travailleuses et travailleurs migrants agricoles du Québec, Cooper Institute, Sanctuary Health and RAMA.
For further information, please contact info@migrantworkersalliance.org.
