The federal government will soon have recommendations from a Senate committee to improve conditions for migrant workers and their employers.
The Standing Senate Committee on Social Affairs, Science and Technology has been working the past year on a report detailing the experiences of temporary foreign workers in lower-wage industries, their advocates, food growers and processors, caregiving agencies, and seafood processors.
Chair Senator Retna Omidvar recently returned from a fact-finding mission to Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Her discoveries are valuable for migrant workers and employers across the country.
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Workers recounted numerous horror stories about working conditions, living conditions, unscrupulous recruiters, and exploitative employers, mirroring stories told in Southwestern Ontario.
"We heard about conditions that were, frankly, intolerable," said Omidvar. "At the same time, we also saw housing that was really decent."
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Members of the impacted industries told Omidvar and other committee members how flaws hurt them, including how workplace permits create difficulties in moving workers from one location to another when demand shifts.
"I think that we could serve them all better if we moved from temporary work permits that tie you to a singular employer and move to, what I would call, regional sector work permits," offered Omidvar.
Part of the committee's job is to protect those sectors.
"We're also keen on making sure that essential sectors of our Canadian economy are able to continue to produce, manufacture, and put their products on the shelf," she said. "We heard they cannot do this without migrant workers."
Some employers are innovating on behalf of their employees. Omidvar recalled a seafood plant in Prince Edward Island that sponsors workers for permanent residency, something many advocates argue is essential.
While revamping the migrant worker permit program and strengthening federal workplace inspections could resolve some issues, others, including how to address fraudulent recruiters, will be more challenging.
The committee heard from advocates some misled workers into believing that work permits are a pathway to permanent residency in Canada. Others charge as much as $80,000 for recruitment fees, sometimes for employers or jobs that do not exist.
"People come to Canada with false expectations, which have been provided to them by unethical consultants overseas. We can't do anything about the consultants," Omidvar said. "But I believe we can do much better in reaching the populations through our consulates and embassies in sending countries."
While immigration and the temporary worker program are separate issues, Omidvar admits the public tends to conflate them. Having come to Canada in the early 1980s, she used the opportunity to speak out against some rhetoric regarding Canada's housing crisis that could harm both groups.
"For the first time, we are seeing a shift in public opinion," she said. "We have not invested as a country in housing for decades. No level of government has invested in public housing, and all of a sudden, immigrants are to blame. I think that needs to be called out."
The committee expects to file its report to the federal government within three months.