Foreign Temporary Workers Committee

Workplace Violence: A Guatemalan Worker Fights for His Status in Quebec

In January 2022, a Guatemalan temporary worker employed in a Quebec factory was physically assaulted by his employer. This incident not only exposed the abuses faced by foreign workers but also led to the worker losing his legal status due to the rigidity of closed work permits. He is now fighting to regain his status and calling for legislative reforms to protect temporary workers from such situations. Viviana Medina, a... Read more →

Quebec Court Greenlights Explosive Class Action Against Abusive Work Permits

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 →

Quebec strengthens measures to reduce accidents among foreign workers

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 →

Action Alert: Demand Permanent Residency for Undocumented Workers

The time is now to hold Prime Minister Trudeau accountable to his promise of regularization – granting permanent resident status for undocumented individuals. Despite assurances from the federal government earlier this Spring, Parliament is set to go on holiday as early as June 6, leaving us with unanswered questions and unfulfilled commitments. Undocumented workers across Canada continue to live in uncertainty and fear, facing daily challenges without the basic rights... Read more →

Ensuring Fair Treatment: The Reality of Foreign Worker Programs in Canada

In a nation priding itself on fairness and inclusivity, recent revelations regarding violations within Canada's temporary foreign worker programs have sparked concern. The federal government's crackdown on nearly 200 companies for infractions ranging from wage theft to workplace abuse underscores the urgent need for greater oversight and accountability. According to The Globe and Mail, last year, Ottawa imposed record fines totaling $2.7 million, reflecting a firm stance against exploitation in... Read more →

Mayworks Festival: Celebrating Worker Victories and Cultural Solidarity

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 →

Canada is scaling back temporary foreign workers. Critics say the program needs an overhaul

  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 →

Essential Work, Disposable Workers with Mostafa Henaway

*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 →

MOBILIZING FOR OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN WAREHOUSES

  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 →

Broken Promises and Exploitation of Foreign Workers in Canada

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 →

“We Lived in Fear”

The Immigrant Worker Centre (IWC) estimates that as many as 400 workers have been caught up in the alleged scheme. Benoît Scowen, an organizer with the IWC, says the six people who came forward Wednesday are only speaking publicly because they now have legal protections from the federal government. “Everyone else is in an incredibly vulnerable position,” said Scowen, who spent months gathering testimony from the workers. “One of the... Read more →

Migrant workers launch campaign and class action lawsuit

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 →

The IWC opposes the restrictive immigration policies in Quebec

On September 12, 2023, the Immigrant Workers Centre took part in the public hearings concerning immigration planning in Quebec for the period 2024-2027.  The IWC's intervention began with the testimony of Grace Meyanwi Anye, member of the Women's Committee, who presented the concrete impacts of restrictive migration policies on the lives of migrants. Then, three organizers shared the floor to criticize the orientations proposed by the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ).... Read more →

Guide for Temporary Migrant Workers and Case Workers in Quebec

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.