Imagine leaving behind your family, your home, and everything familiar to chase a dream of a better life in a foreign land. Yet, upon arrival, instead of opportunity, you encounter oppression, abuse, and exploitation. This tragic scenario is a lived reality for many migrant workers in Canada under the country’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP). While Canada is often celebrated as a global beacon for human rights, a newly published Amnesty International report reveals that the nation is failing to protect one of its most vulnerable worker groups.
Released on Thursday, the Amnesty report paints a disturbing picture of the conditions faced by migrant workers in industries like agriculture, food processing, construction, and hospitality—sectors critical to Canada’s economy. Instead of the protection and rights promised by the TFWP, these workers experience routine abuse, undercut by a system that exploits their labor while leaving them without real recourse. The report highlights several “harmful provisions” of the TFWP, with the most glaring being the closed work permit system. This policy traps workers with a single employer, giving the employer overwhelming control over not just their job but also their immigration status, which can lead to abuse, intimidation, and exploitation.
Through interviews with 44 migrant workers, primarily from countries in the Global South, Amnesty International details countless instances of mistreatment. Many of these workers have been denied wages, subjected to grueling hours, and forced to work in hazardous, unsanitary conditions. The physical toll of this abuse often results in injuries or chronic health issues, but the emotional scars are just as deep.
Among the personal stories recounted in the report is that of Bénédicte, a woman from Cameroon who was subjected to both psychological and sexual abuse while working on a farm in Canada. Trapped under a two-year closed work permit, Bénédicte’s suffering intensified when her employer canceled her permit after she left the farm. Left without legal status, she became trapped in Canada’s broken immigration system, her future uncertain. “I did not expect to be a slave here,” Bénédicte said, summing up the painful disillusionment that many migrant workers feel.
Miguel, a Guatemalan migrant worker, shared a similarly harrowing experience. His employer not only confiscated his passport but also surveilled him at all times, installing cameras in both his living and working spaces. Miguel’s life was marked by constant fear, a daily grind of living under watchful eyes and limited freedom. For workers like Miguel and Bénédicte, the promise of opportunity in Canada often turns into a cruel illusion.
Beyond the workplace, migrant workers are forced to endure appalling living conditions. Many are housed in overcrowded, filthy environments, lacking even basic amenities like clean drinking water. Overcrowding and unsanitary living quarters create further health risks, while many workers are subjected to racial discrimination—being relegated to the most dangerous, physically taxing jobs simply because of their ethnicity.
Amnesty’s Senior Director for Research, Advocacy, Policy, and Campaigns, Erika Guevara-Rosas, expressed her deep concern, stating, “The abuse experienced by migrant workers in Canada is deeply troubling, especially for a country that claims to be a leader when it comes to protecting human rights.” She called for urgent reforms to the TFWP, urging Canadian authorities to fix the systemic flaws that enable exploitation and to restore the rights and dignity of migrant workers.
In response, Canadian government officials have acknowledged the severity of the situation. A spokesperson for the Canadian government, Nancy Caron, stated that the safety and dignity of temporary foreign workers are of utmost importance. Caron added that the government is working on several initiatives to address the issues raised in the Amnesty report, including providing private health insurance for workers, implementing a tip line for abuse reporting, and exploring the introduction of open work permits, which would allow workers to change employers without fear of retaliation. Although these measures represent a step forward, experts argue that they are insufficient to address the systemic problems within the TFWP. More comprehensive reforms are needed to create an equitable and humane environment for migrant workers.
This report serves as a powerful reminder of the stark contrast between the image Canada projects to the world and the harsh realities many migrant workers face in the country. The pursuit of a better life, a right that should be available to all, has unfortunately become a nightmare for too many. Immediate action is needed to ensure that migrant workers are treated with the respect, dignity, and fairness they deserve.
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