Sentidokomon

By Carmela Bignotia (OFW Guide)

From the point of view of Canada’s immigration officials, recent developments regarding the immigration policy of Canada on its foreign workers are positive. However, various organizations of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) there think otherwise.

The statement from the Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) referring to the changes as improvements to the Temporary Foreign Worker program were met with criticisms and disapproval. Likewise, Filipino workers in Canada refuse to believe that the new rules are meant to address challenges that Canadian employers face. Under the new system, live-in caregivers will only be qualified for a work permit if they stay with one employer for three years and three months. Filipino workers in Canada think the new policy is a human rights violation, as it is racist and anti-women.

Glecy Duran, National Vice-Chairperson for Western Canada of SIKLAB-Canada (Advance and Uphold the Rights of Overseas Filipino Workers-Canada said, “These changes are once again a slap in the face of thousands of migrant workers in Canada especially Filipino live-in caregivers working under the Live-in Caregiver Program (LCP). These changes do not fundamentally alter the LCP in ways that would uphold the human rights of these migrant workers.�

Duran explains why the new policy is not necessary with the following statements, “Many live-in caregivers do not remain working for the same employer over this two to three year period for various legitimate reasons. For instance, some decide to leave their employers to look for better working conditions with another employer if they suffer severe exploitation and oppressive conditions while living in their original employers’ homes.�

Duran also states why the new rule is geared towards the interest of the employers and not the workers. She said, “These changes are clearly in response to employers’ complaints about the long processing time they had to wait in recruiting foreign workers. Yet the government chooses to blatantly ignore the plight of live-in caregivers, the majority of whom are Filipino women.�

Filipino workers in Canada are appealing to the Canadian government who greatly needs foreign workers to fill up their labor shortage.

Duran stressed, “If Canada is really serious about its leading role as a champion of human rights, then the government should recognize the vast contribution that live-in caregivers have made to Canadian society by removing the live-in requirement and grant permanent residency to these migrant workers, as well as full accreditation and reciprocity to foreign trained professionals.�