Amnesty International Criticizes Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Scheme for Systemic Abuses

Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) has come under fire from Amnesty International for failing to effectively address systemic abuses that have plagued the initiative for decades, Al Jazeera reports.

In a comprehensive 71-page report released on Thursday, the organization details a disturbing array of violations impacting thousands of foreign laborers, characterizing the TFWP as an “inherently exploitative” system.

The report highlights various forms of abuse linked to the TFWP, including wage theft, excessive working hours, and instances of racist abuse and violence. A significant factor contributing to these violations is the “closed” nature of the work permits issued to laborers, which ties them to specific employers and leaves them vulnerable to exploitation. Fear of retaliation often silences workers, preventing them from reporting abuses.

Since its inception in the 1970s, Canada’s foreign worker programs have faced mounting scrutiny as both former and current laborers recount their poor treatment. Notably, in 2022, workers from Jamaica issued a letter comparing their experiences on Ontario farms to “systematic slavery.” In a similar vein, a United Nations special rapporteur expressed concern that TFWP structures render migrant workers susceptible to “contemporary forms of slavery,” as they cannot report mistreatment without the risk of deportation.

Every year, tens of thousands of foreign workers immigrate to Canada through the TFWP, which the government promotes as a means to address labor market shortages. These workers primarily find employment in low-wage sectors, including agriculture—where they labor on farms and in food processing plants—and as in-home caregivers. A recent study revealed that in 2021, temporary foreign workers represented 18 percent of the workforce in Canada’s agricultural sector and 10 percent in accommodation and food services.

The report from Amnesty International also emphasizes that, despite many migrant workers having resided in Canada for years or even decades, they encounter limited opportunities for permanent residency. The organization argues that the TFWP is inherently discriminatory, disproportionately affecting racialized “low-skilled” workers based on their race, gender, class, and national origin.