Oct 12

“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 problems with the Temporary Foreign Worker Program is that the only real oversight mechanism requires workers to come forward. Read the full report

Related Posts

Organizations Call on Political Parties to Act Against Abusive Employer Appeals

As Quebec’s election campaign unfolds, twelve organizations defending workers injured or made ill by their jobs—including the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI)—are calling on the main political parties to take action. In a joint letter sent on September 2, 2026, the organizations denounce the increasing legal battles within Quebec’s workers’ compensation system. Employer appeals before the Tribunal rose from 2,343 in 1997–1998 to 29,688 in 2024—an increase of nearly 1,200%. Employer-initiated... Read more →

Mostafa Henaway Exposes Migrant Worker Exploitation and Calls for Collective Resistance

Around 50 people gathered Wednesday evening at Un livre à soi bookstore in Montreal to celebrate the release of the updated French edition of Travail essentiel, travailleurs jetables, a book by Mostafa Henaway, a community organizer at the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC). More than a book launch, the event offered an opportunity to confront an economic system that depends on migrant labour while denying migrant workers their rights and exposing... Read more →

Free Legal Information Clinic on Labour Law

On May 9, 2026, the Immigrant Workers Centre (IWC-CTI) was pleased to collaborate with Blouin Avocats for a presentation on pathways to permanent residence. The free workshop, led by lawyer Soraya Blouin at our Montreal office, gave approximately fifty participants an opportunity to learn more about the Québec Skilled Worker Selection Program (PSTQ) and the Québec Experience Program (PEQ). Additional Resources for Permanent Residence The IWC-CTI is a community organization... Read more →

Stop the Arbitrary Powers in Bill C12

In a significant political development, a Senate committee has recommended removing the broad immigration powers from the border bill C12, following mounting warnings from human rights organizations, lawyers, and refugee advocates. They clearly warned that the proposed legislation could violate human rights and lacks basic procedural fairness. This recommendation did not come out of nowhere. Parliamentary debate revealed that the bill grants the government sweeping authority to cancel or suspend... Read more →