14 August: recent United Nations report has condemned Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program for exposing migrant workers to severe abuse, describing it as a “breeding ground for contemporary slavery.” The report, authored by UN Special Rapporteur Tomoya Obokata, outlines numerous forms of exploitation, including wage theft, excessive work hours, physical abuse, and the confiscation of personal documents.
The UN’s findings reveal that workers often face underpayment, inadequate protective gear, and employers who prevent them from accessing healthcare. Women, in particular, report experiencing sexual harassment and exploitation. The report also criticizes the Canadian government for relying too heavily on employers to inform workers about their rights, despite the evident conflict of interest.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller has responded to the report by acknowledging the abuses but rejecting the term “contemporary slavery” as inflammatory. He emphasized the need for reforms to address these issues while ensuring that changes do not lead to higher food prices, given the program’s significant impact on the agricultural sector.
The number of temporary foreign workers in Canada has surged since 2018, with over 239,000 workers approved last year. Despite recent government efforts to increase fines and ban non-compliant employers, advocates argue that these measures are insufficient. Critics point out that fines and penalties have not effectively deterred abuse, and compliance checks alone do not address the root causes of exploitation.
In response, the Migrant Workers Centre in B.C. has highlighted persistent issues similar to those reported in 2022, noting that abuses such as excessive recruitment fees and wage theft continue to plague workers. The government’s recent actions, including increased fines and improved worker surveys, have been criticized for not adequately addressing the systemic problems highlighted in the UN report.
