Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has been criticized by Amnesty International for creating conditions that lead to significant abuse and discrimination against migrant workers, according to a recent report.
The report highlights the consequences of the TFWP, which permits employers to hire migrant workers for low-wage positions in sectors such as agriculture, food processing, caregiving, construction, and hospitality. Under the program, workers’ visas are tied to a single employer who has control over their immigration status and working conditions.
Individuals currently employed or formerly employed under the TFWP shared with Amnesty International that they were subjected to excessively long hours without breaks, lower pay than promised, and tasks outside their agreed contracts. Many reported experiencing physical, sexual, and psychological abuse.
Unsafe working environments, lack of proper housing, limited access to healthcare, and workplace discrimination were common issues. Most workers found it nearly impossible to seek justice for the mistreatment they endured.
The treatment of migrant workers
Amnesty International’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns, Erika Guevara-Rosas, stated, “The treatment of migrant workers in Canada raises serious concerns, particularly for a country that positions itself as a defender of human rights. These workers play a crucial role in feeding the nation and caring for vulnerable populations, yet they are not afforded the dignity they deserve.”
Many migrant workers employed under the TFWP live in isolated areas, relying on their employers for housing, health insurance, and transportation for medical care. If workers become ill, injured, or deemed unfit for work, they risk immediate termination and deportation.
Reports collected by Amnesty International revealed unpaid wages, extreme working hours, and contracts that allowed no rest days. Workers described being subjected to racist slurs such as being called “donkey,” “Indian,” or “shitty Mexican” by employers and supervisors.
A Jamaican worker reported her supervisor telling her to “go back to the tree you came from.” Physical assaults by employers were also reported. Inadequate housing was a common issue, with some workers lacking access to safe drinking water.
Several workers sustained serious injuries or developed illnesses due to unsafe conditions. Some employers threatened deportation as retaliation, and in a few cases, workers were forcibly taken to airports.
Fears of Retaliation
Discrimination at work was also widespread, with many migrant workers assigned the most physically demanding tasks, often without the option to refuse. Women were particularly vulnerable to gender-based violence and discrimination.
Two Ivorian women working in a Canadian nursing home shared that they were required to cover recruitment fees from both their home country and Canada if they failed to meet specific conditions, such as avoiding pregnancy or completing their two-year contracts.
Fear of retaliation, including termination, non-renewal of contracts, or deportation, prevents many workers from reporting abuses. Those who do attempt to report face a complex and inaccessible enforcement system, compounded by language barriers and precarious immigration statuses.
Unlike other labour programs in Canada, TFWP visas restrict workers from changing employers. These visas are typically issued to individuals from lower-income countries, with the majority coming from racialized communities in regions like Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa.
In 2023, most TFWP workers came from Mexico, India, the Philippines, Guatemala, and Jamaica, making up nearly 70% of issued work permits.
“The system isn’t just plagued by a few bad employers. The design of the TFWP itself allows exploitation to thrive,” said Guevara-Rosas.
She added that systemic barriers make it nearly impossible for migrant workers to secure more stable immigration status, as Canada’s policies prioritize high-skilled workers for permanent residence.
Canada’s TFWP Visas are at the root of labour exploitation
Despite evidence of widespread abuse, government measures to address the problem have been limited, such as increasing workplace inspections. “Tied visas are at the root of labour exploitation.
Without replacing them with open work permits, no reform will fully address the issue or meet Canada’s human rights obligations. Migrant workers need the freedom to change jobs and employers, just like Canadian citizens,” Guevara-Rosas emphasized.
In 2024, the Canadian government introduced additional changes to reduce the number of migrants entering the country and shortened the duration of TFWP visas.
