12/10/2025
December 10- Today as we commemorate the International Human Rights Day and in heeding the call of IMA Global to observe 9 DAYS OF MIGRANT AND REFUGEE ACTIVISM: Resist, Unify, and Collectively Fight!
The Migrants Resource Centre Canada offers a year in review of what migrant workers and advocates faced this past year.
The year 2025 is marked by several challenges in the economic, political fields characterized by “trade wars” between Canada and the United States- a significant shift in what we know of the rules-based order ensuring synchrony among imperialists nations on dividing up the global resources, in controlling the markets in the name of super profit. We saw unprecedented death and destruction in the genocide of the Palestinian people where Canada’s complicity came front and center with its continuous support for the US and Zionist state of Israel. As a result, we saw the continuing displacement of people, from refugees, economic migrants to temporary workers globally.
Through its temporary foreign worker program as well as with new immigration streams like the International Students stream, several skilled programs, Canada remains at the top of the list of countries that bring in temporary migrants and refugees as a source of cheap labor.
This year was no different, marked by several anti-migrant policies, a rise in anti migrant sentiments these were all faced head on by migrants, refugees and advocates.
In the first half of the year, just five months after the United Nations Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Tomoya Obokata, released a final report in August 2024 that described Canada's Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP) as a "breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery"
On January 30, 2025, Amnesty International released a major report accusing Canada's TFWP of being an "inherently exploitative" system that subjects migrant workers to "shocking abuse and discrimination".
Just a week before the release of this report, the Canadian government announced the Restricted Open Work Permits (OWPs). Effective January 21, 2025, eligibility for OWPs for family members of temporary foreign workers and international students was tightened. A cap on new study permit applications was also introduced in January, aiming to process only 550,162 applications in 2025, a significant reduction from previous years.
In June, the Liberal government introduced Bill C2 also known as the Strong Borders Act which was highly opposed by many migrants and their allies.
In the second half of the year, Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre called for an end to the TFWP. Soon after we saw an increase in anti migrant sentiment among the public, xenophobia rose in our communities.
A news conference was held in the Parliament where migrant workers and civil society groups responded to growing calls to cancel or change Canada’s temporary foreign worker (TFW) program. In October, the liberal government announced Bill C12 “Strengthening Canada's Immigration System and Borders Act, a re-tooled version of Bill C2.
As we near the last quarter of 2025, we saw increased workplace raids at works sites in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario.
In November, Canada (through its new budget) announced the hiring of 1,000 new Canada Border Services Agency officers, modernizing border technology, and strengthening intelligence-sharing to stop illegal guns, drugs, and human smuggling. Through Canada's $1.3 billion Border Plan—an unprecedented investment in border control.
Amid shifting global economic order, Canada’s response has been clear to prioritize its own and build itself as a strong & resilient economy within the G7. What comes with it is the increased restriction in border control and slashing of immigration intakes per year.
This may be understood for a few reasons. First, for domestic political reasons – as a populist move due to a rising right in government and in the public. Second, is that Canada maintains and shares an 8.8-thousand-kilometer border with the United States.
With Canada charting a new path to build, protect and empower its economy it will undoubtedly remain reliant on cheap, docile and disposable labor and thus it sees migrant workers including undocumented workers who are stripped of status or any protection remain as a viable source.
The challenges ahead for migrants, refugees and allies remain immense but are not insurmountable. Guided by the calls of the International Migrants Alliance, we must “Defend Migrants’ Rights, Livelihood, Lives and Movement: Strengthen and Expand IMA, and Unite with Working and Oppressed People against Imperialism!”
The International Migrants Alliance Canada Chapter looks forward to two important activities this coming year.
• A historic migrant tribunal putting the Canadian government for the first time on trial for its complicity and neglect of migrant workers in May 2026.
• The official launching of IMA-Canada in the second quarter of 2026.
Migrant workers and advocates have begun organizing across sectors, in workplaces, on campuses, communities forging unities and relationships founded on their shared aspirations of a world where the dignity and freedom of movement of all are placed above profit and plunder.
Today on International Human Rights Day, we join the millions of workers worldwide in their call: Migrants rights are Human rights! Defend migrants’ and refugees’ rights!
Long live international solidarity!
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