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The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change (MWAC) is a grassroots organization based in Toronto Ontario. Their goal is to improve the working and living conditions of live-in caregivers, migrant and seasonal migrant workers, as well as refugees and undocumented workers living in Canada by organizing events and reaching out to policymakers directly. Made up of “self-organized migrants”, refugees and allies, the coalition also consists of Alliance for South Asian Aids Prevention, Asian Community Aids Services, Butterfly (Asian and Migrant Sex Workers Support), Caregiver Connections Education and Support Organization, Caregivers Action Centre and many more. The MWAC is also a part of the Migrant Rights Network, a network migrants, refugees and allies, which spans across Canada, whose aim is to fight racism and other injustices against migrant workers and refugees in Canada. The Migrant Workers Alliance for Change’s demands include: that migrant workers “not be tied to one employer, be required to live in their employer’s home, or be subject to further medical examination (Landing Status), access to Employment Insurance (EI), health care, settlement services, social services and workers’ compensation (Equal Access)” and “the right to fair appeal process, and right to full protection under the provincial Employment Standards Act and Regulations”.

Definition
A migrant worker or foreign worker is a person, who moves to another country through a government program in order to work. The reason for migrating is that the job situation in the country of origin is “scarce or unavailable” and the desire to improve living conditions.

Migrant Work in Canada
The majority of migrant workers coming to Canada are from Mexico, the Caribbean, the Philippines, Guatemala and Thailand. The migrant workers are required to receive a work permit through a government program such as the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program or the Live-in Caregiver Program.

Temporary Foreign Workers Program
The Non-Immigrant Employment Authorization Program, which allowed employers to hire from outside of Canada for specialized work, for a specified duration of time was introduced in 1973, and later renamed the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. In order to expand eligibility of workers, low-skill category of work was included in the program in 2002. Changes made in 2011 allows for workers to stay in Canada for a maximum of four years and are then required to leave the country for a minimum of four. The workers are required to stay with one employer during the duration of their employment in the country.

Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program
Established in 1966, the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program was first enacted in collaboration between Canada and Jamaica, due to a shortage of farm workers in Canada. Along with Jamaica and other Caribbean countries, the country now includes Mexico, allowing employers to hire workers from eligible countries. Employers are only entitled to hiring labourers for agricultural worker such as “fruits, vegetables and livestock”, and the majority work in Ontario. Workers are granted temporary visas for the duration of employment, which last up to a maximum of eight months. The workers hired must be at least 18 years of age and be citizens of one of the eligible countries.

Live-In Caregivers Program
Enacted in the 1980s, the Live-In Caregiver Program allowed workers to come into Canada as an in-house caregiver. The program required the caregiver, primarily women, to stay in the home of her employer, and work for a minimum of 24 months .. After the 24 months, the worker is eligible to apply for permanent residency. As of November 2018, no new applicants were permitted to apply to the program and only those who were already a part of the program or who had a permit qualified for hiring. Currently, workers are not permitted to bring their families with them upon first moving to Canada, however as of late 2019, several changes will be made to the program, including the ability for caregivers to bring their family with them when moving.

Controversies
Workers coming to Canada in the hopes of a better life are commonly faced with many challenges and restrictions. Under the Temporary Foreign Workers Program, labourers are limited to working only for one employer and are unable to work elsewhere or under any other employer during the duration of their visa and work contract. They are also required to pay a fee between $6,000 and $12,000 to be in the program. Despite paying into the Employment Insurance, due to the short duration of contract, workers under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Program are not able to take full advantage of the program .. Employers with SAWP have also been reported to have retained “passports, health cards, SIN cards and permits” as a way of keeping workers from leaving. Furthermore, during high season, workers labour sometimes up to 16 hours and “often lack sufficient breaks, health and safety training, and personal protective equipment”. Additionally, many workers in agriculture put their health at risk from “exposure to poor ventilation in the greenhouse, heavy lifting, repetitive and awkward postures, agrochemicals, unsafe farm equipment” and more. Unfortunately, many face problems in accessing health care due to barriers to language for example, and out of “fear of employer reprisal or repatriation if they are diagnosed with a debilitating illness or injury”.