Migrant workers need permanent residency status, advocates say [Video]

Advocates for migrant workers are calling for Canada to overhaul its migrant worker program and expand permanent residency admissions. 

Speaking at a news conference Wednesday, workers and advocates said thousands of newcomers to Canada are currently being left at a power imbalance with their employers. 

“Without permanent resident status, migrants are left vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, and in some cases, even death,” Karen Cocq, with the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, said.

The call comes weeks before the federal government is scheduled to announce its planned permanent resident admissions for the next two years. Researchers expect the government to reduce how many people it admits each year — down from about 485,000 in 2024. 

But advocates say bringing in temporary workers without a chance to attain permanent status puts them in a precarious position. 

“No conversation about changes to immigration policy or levels should take place without ensuring that migrants …