Download the flyer: LMIA Restrictions.pdf
In a historic win for workers' rights, Quebec’s Superior Court has approved a lawsuit exposing Canada’s exploitative system of closed work permits. Temporary foreign workers, trapped under contracts with specific employers, are fighting back against conditions that trample on their most basic rights. Led by the Association for the Rights of Domestic and Agricultural Workers, the case alleges rampant violations of the Charter, including widespread abuse, underpayment, and harassment. This... Read more →
In response to the increase in workplace accidents involving foreign workers, the Quebec government has recently announced additional funding to improve their safety at work. This initiative aims to enhance preventive measures and provide increased support to these vulnerable workers. According to statistics, the number of foreign workers injured on the job is constantly increasing. In response, Quebec is seeking solutions to improve the working conditions of these temporary employees,... Read more →
Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP), essential for addressing labor shortages, has significant human rights shortcomings. A recent report by Le Devoir highlights the urgent need to reform this program to prioritize human rights. Working Conditions and Workers' Rights Temporary foreign workers (TFWs) often face poor working conditions, including excessive hours, low wages, and lack of healthcare access. Their precarious status makes them vulnerable to abuse and exploitation, with a... Read more →
Our annual Mayworks Festival celebrates our yearly victories for our various campaigns lead by our workers councils and committees across Quebec. This year we shared the cultural stage with the International Migrants Alliance and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines. We started the evening with presentations from our various workers' committees, such as the women's committee, the Tresor and Newrest former workers committee, the warehouse workers committee,... Read more →
In a recent interview, Jill Hanley, Vice President of the Montreal-based Immigrant Workers Centre, shed light on the challenges faced by migrant workers in Canada, particularly in light of the country's evolving policies regarding temporary foreign workers. As Canada prepares to implement new rules aimed at scaling back temporary foreign workers, Hanley underscores the importance of understanding the human impact of such decisions. Hanley's work brings her face-to-face with... Read more →
*Le français suit. In collaboration with Fernwood Publishing, Solidarity across borders and the Immigrant Worker Centre (IWC), the Social Justice Centre presents a book panel on “Essential Work, Disposable Workers” by Mostafa Henaway at the SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation on Feb 7 from 6-8 pm. Mostafa Henaway is a former graduate fellow of the Social Justice Centre, a researcher, and a long-time community organizer at the Immigrant Workers Centre in Montreal, where he has been... Read more →
In an exclusive study, researchers shed light on the challenging working conditions within the Montreal warehouses of Dollarama and Amazon. This report, conducted by the Interuniversity and Interdisciplinary Research Group on Employment, Poverty, and Social Protection (GIREPS), the Center for Immigrant Workers (CTTI), and the Association of Agency Workers (ATTAP), presents a disconcerting portrayal of the labor landscape in these major retail warehouses. You can read this coverage here: Dollarama... Read more →
Over recent years, the warehousing sector has experienced significant growth, and the trend was accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly thanks to the rise of e-commerce. Faced with this reality, the Groupe interuniversitaire et interdisciplinaire de recherche sur l'emploi, la pauvreté et la protection sociale (GIREPS), the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI) and the Temporary Agency Workers Association (TAWA-ATTAP) launched a research project in January 2022 to examine the employment,... Read more →
A group of foreign workers in Montreal, lured under false promises, now faces an uphill battle in obtaining work permits. Initially assured of a fast-tracked process by the federal Immigration Department, only seven out of a hundred applications were approved, prompting Ottawa to rescind its offer last week. Now, these workers are left in limbo, required to navigate a complex application process with uncertain outcomes. The Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI)... Read more →
The Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC) and a group of migrant workers will discuss the situation thatgave rise to a class action lawsuit that was filed this morning. The IWC and the workers aresuing a placement agency operating under the name Trésor and its client company Newrest, amultinational that provides catering services to major airlines at the Pierre Elliott TrudeauAirport. This lawsuit has been filed by the law firm Trudel Johnston... Read more →
By: Isaac Patroulis Lessig In January, the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) introduced new guidelines to shield migrant workers “who experience or witness workplace labor or civil rights violations” from deportation or a loss of work status. The protective measure marks a positive step towards the empowerment of migrant workers in the country and should be seen as a win for workers everywhere. Similar protections for immigrant workers... Read more →
Mission Statement We aim to create a framework of reflection and promotion of labour rights, as well as work towards improving working conditions for temporary placement agency workers regardless of their immigration status Objectives Outreach, raise consciousness, mobilize and help organize workers Identify, discuss and resolve problems at the workplace Educate about labour rights (workshops) Raise awareness about agency workers' situation among unions, employers and anyone having contact with them... Read more →
Download: Guide for Temporary Migrant Workers and Case Workers in Quebec The production of this material was financially supported by the Ministère de l’Enseignement supérieur (MES) through the Fonds des services aux collectivités program. The production also received support from the Canada Research Chairs Program and funding from Université du Québec à Chicoutimi.