What do migrants need to know about the new immigration levels plan?
PM Trudeau announced his government’s “targets” for immigration yesterday. Headlines around the world are cheering Canada’s decision to welcome 1.3 million new immigrants over the next three years.
But there is not much to celebrate for working class migrants.
Here’s what you need to know. If you have a question that is not answered below, please email us at info@migrantworkersalliance.or
- What is Immigration Level Plan?
The Immigration Level Plan is the annual targets set by Canada on the number of people that will be granted permanent resident status. It is divided into categories: economic, family and humanitarian.
- Does it include temporary residents (study permit, work permits, super visas)?
No. The Immigration Levels Plan is only for permanent residents.
- Is the Immigration Level Plan just for people in Canada?
No. The Immigration Level Plan is for permanent resident status that will be granted in 2022, 2023 and 2024 both from inside the country and outside the country.
- Is the Immigration Level Plan fixed?
No. Historically, the Immigration Level Plan has not been met. Sometimes there is more in one category than the other.
In 2021, for example, Canada created the Temporary Resident to Permanent Resident pathway. This was not part of the plan that was announced. So if we raise our voices with others like us, we can change anything.
This is just an announcement. The government must table these numbers again on November 1st of each year.
That means, if we organize and speak up, we can change this decision.
- I am an international student – what does this announcement mean for me?
Most international students apply for permanent resident status through the Canada Experience Class, or the Federal Skilled Workers Program, both of which are through the Express Entry system. The target for this has been reduced by half from previous years. This likely means that there will be fewer draws, and the CRS score required to qualify may go up.
If you are concerned about this decision, get in touch with us so we can work to change the rules. Click here to RSVP to our upcoming meeting of Migrant Student Workers.
- I am a migrant caregiver in the backlog – what does this mean for my application?
According to some reports there are over 16,000 caregiver applications in the backlog as of February 1, 2022. If you applied through the Live-In Caregiver Program or the Pilot Programs – you are included in the Pilot Program target of 10,250 – but this also includes programs for agricultural workers, refugees, and rural immigration. If you applied through the TR to PR program, you are included in the target of 40,000 (in 2022). The Interim Pathway applicants are also included in this number. The government has said that it will clear the backlog by the end of 2022. But it is unclear how that will happen considering the low target set for caregivers.
If you are a migrant caregiver concerned about this decision, Call, text, or WhatsApp us at 647-782-6633 to unite with others like you.
- I applied through the TR to PR program – what happens to me?
The government says it will process 40,000 TR to PR applications this year and another 32,000 next year. This means you may be waiting until the end of 2023 to get a decision.
If you are concerned about this, get in touch with us to take action.
> Migrant Care Workers (including healthcare): 647-782-6633
> Migrant Students: 647-858-2854
- I am a caregiver who wanted to apply through the HCCP Childcare stream but I could not because the program closed. What does this mean for me?
This announcement does not include any changes to the HCCP. That’s not fair! Many of us are waiting or cannot apply because of high requirements. Call, text, or Whatsapp us at 647-782-6633 to unite with others like you.
- I am a refugee or non-status person who worked in essential services during COVID-19, including in healthcare. Did the announcement include me?
While the Minister talked about essential workers in the media, the actual announcement does not include a clear target for essential workers.
We must organize and speak up! If you are a migrant in healthcare, call, text, or Whatsapp us at 647-782-6633 to unite with others like you.
- I am a refugee that has been waiting to have my application heard. Did the announcement include me?
There are only 24,500 spots available for refugee claimants but at the end of 2021, there were nearly 60,000 applicants in the backlog. But – Canada is not supposed to set targets for refugees. Everyone that has a valid claim should get PR.
- I am undocumented. Did the announcement include me?
The only pathway for non-status people is the Humanitarian and Compassionate application system but it has only 8,250 spots while there are over half a million non-status people in the country. Take action now, call on the federal government to ensure permanent resident status for all: https://migrantrights.ca/status-for-all/
Separated from your family? You can change that.
People across Canada will celebrate “Family Day” this month. But many migrants are either separated from our family for many years or are worried that we might be separated from them. Politicians keep making promises, but millions of migrants and families don’t have permanent resident status.
This February 21st, we will make sure that politicians cannot turn away. We at the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change will be sending every Member of Parliament (MP) a photo collage of hundreds of migrants with our families. We will be taking out ads in social media so that they have to look into your eyes and think about the laws they have made.
For this to work, you need to act. Already hundreds of migrants have sent us photos with their families, now its your turn! Send us a photo with you and your family to add to the photo letter.
By email: info@migrantworkersalliance.org
By WhatsApp: 647-858-2854
There’s no time to lose. We need your photo by February 14th so that we can get the photos to every MP by Family Day.
Here are some photos we have received already!
Here’s what the photo letter to MPs will look like
Release: Migrant care workers shut out again as federal immigration program closes in 17 days
Toronto – Just 17 days after it was reopened, the Home Child Care Provider Pilot Program (HCCP) closed today. The HCCP is the only pathway for migrant care workers taking care of children to get permanent residency in Canada. The program has an annual cap of 2,750 that keeps being reached faster and faster each year, shutting out migrant care workers who are unable to gather documents and complete requirements in the few days that the program opens. Care workers in Canada must now wait till January 1, 2023 to apply.
“The HCCP is the only federal pathway to permanent residence for temporary foreign workers taking care of children and it is designed in a way to exclude most migrant women. Many thousands can’t even apply because of unfair language and education requirements. Those that have applied have been waiting in a years-long backlog. We need a complete overhaul of Canada’s immigration system to ensure permanent resident status for all migrants,” says Jhoey Cruz, organizer with the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, and a former migrant care worker.
June Reyes, a migrant care worker in Eastern Ontario who has been in Canada for 2019 years, was waiting to apply but the program closed before she was able to. She says, “I was waiting for the program to re-open this year and had already gathered most of my documents to apply. What is going to happen to my kids? My daughter is 18 already, will I be able to bring her here to Canada? I’m a single mother and being alone working here is so difficult. The government is not helping us. Permanent immigration status for all is the only solution.”
BACKGROUND
- The program was closed via a one sentence update to the Government of Canada website: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/caregivers/child-care-home-support-worker.html
- See background on migrant care workers in COVID-19: https://migrantrights.ca/bcdrelease/
Media Contact: 647-782-6633 – Migrant Workers Alliance for Change
What do I need to know about the “new” HCCP / Childcare PR stream for Caregivers?
The Home Child Care Provider Pilot program (HCCP) re-opened on January 1, 2022, after being closed since April 30, 2021.
This is not a new program. The program has only 2,750 spots. Once IRCC receives 2,750 applications in a year, they stop accepting more applications.
You should apply as soon as possible if you haven’t already.
CLICK HERE TO SEE IF YOU QUALIFY AND HOW TO APPLY
You may be able to bring your family to join you if you qualify through the HCCP and are eligible for PR.
This program was created because migrant care workers like you organized. But the requirements are unfair. 2750 is not enough spots for everyone to apply. Not all of us can pass the CLB Level 5 English exam or have completed 1 year post-secondary education. Get involved. Call now to join with other migrant care workers like you to get permanent status for all.
What masks should my employer give me?
Your boss should be providing you respirator masks to better protect you against COVID-19. This type of mask protects you more than medical masks because it has a better filter and fits your face better. Look for these numbers on your mask: N95, N99, KN95 or, KF94.
Respirator masks look like this:
If your employer is not providing proper masks, sanitizer, or not helping you and your coworkers be safe at work or in your bunkhouse, contact us for support.
For more information on types of masks and mask use:
Types of masks and respirators
Advice for community settings
Do you get paid minimum wage? Check to see if your wage goes up today
Minimum wages increased in Ontario on October 1, 2024. You should see $17.20/hour in your next two weeks of pay. See the wages in other provinces below.
Check your pay stub to make sure you are getting paid the right amount for all the hours you work. If not, call us!
Migrant Care Workers: 416-897-4388
Migrant Student Workers: 647-858-2854
Migrant Fishery Workers: 506-251-7467
Migrant Farm Workers (ENG): 905-324-2840
Trabajador@s Agrícolas (ESP): 647-807-4722
Undocumented Workers: 647-782-6633
In 2019, Ontario Premier Ford cancelled a $15 minimum wage. The minimum wage only went up because workers like you demanded it!
But minimum wage is not enough to live on. Some workers aren’t even allowed to get the minimum wage. You and your co-workers deserve more! Call us to join with others to improve wages for yourself and others.
Updated since Dec 13, 2024
| Province | Minimum Hourly Wage | Since |
| Alberta | $15.00 | October 1, 2018 |
| British Columbia | $17.40 | June 1, 2024 |
| Manitoba | $15.80 | October 1, 2024 |
| New Brunswick | $15.30 | April 1, 2024 |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | $15.60 | April 1, 2024 |
| Northwest Territories | $16.70 | September 1, 2024 |
| Nova Scotia | $15.20 | April 1, 2024 |
| Nunavut | $19.00 | January 1, 2024 |
| Ontario | $17.20 | October 1, 2024 |
| Prince Edward Island | $16.00 | October 1, 2024 |
| Quebec | $15.75 | May 1, 2024 |
| Saskatchewan | $15.00 | October 1, 2024 |
| Yukon | $17.59 | April 1, 2024 |
New Parliament, Same Crisis: Tell your MP the Crisis is Now!
A new parliament starts in Ottawa this week. Yesterday, the federal government laid out its priorities for the next year including increasing immigration levels, reducing wait times, and family reunification. But they failed to mention how migrants like us are living and working in crisis right now without permanent residency.
From December 3-5, migrant groups from across the country will be organizing meetings, postering offices, holding rallies, caravans, and public outreach events at Member of Parliament offices. Our message is clear: We live here. Our crisis must be a priority. Click below to sign up for an action near you!
I want to join an action near me on Dec 3-5!
I want to join an action in Toronto on Dec 5!
Migrants are in crisis. In British Columbia, our fellow migrant farmworkers have been displaced due to flooding. Many are being temporarily housed in shelters, while others have yet to be evacuated. Because farmworkers are on employer-specific work permits, they are unable to find other work or access EI benefits. Their lives and livelihoods are at serious risk.
For us care workers, we know how it feels to be suddenly displaced without a place to live and unable to access work or benefits because of our closed work permits. We are tired of going through crises after crises! We demand full and permanent immigration status for all now! Join an action near you from December 3rd to the 5th: https://migrantrights.ca/decmpactions/
Submissions about Bill 27: Working for Workers Act
Ontario’s Conservative government introduced a new Bill (Bill 27 – Working for Workers Act) which is currently in Committee. The Bill introduces new protections for workers that fall far short of what is needed; as well as introduces potentially harmful changes. We joined with Workers Action Centre and Parkdale Community Legal Services to make the following submissions.