TY - RPRT T1 - Urgent reforms needed for migrant agricultural workers, says UFCW Canada in new report CY - Canada PB - UFCW Canada & The Agriculture Workers Alliance N2 - UFCW Canada, the country’s leading advocate for agricultural workers for over 30 years, is calling for urgent reforms to protect the health, safety and rights of migrant workers in a new report. The Status of Migrant Agricultural Workers in Canada 2023: Special Health & Safety Report examines critical health and safety concerns of the current system, described as contemporary form of slavery, that leaves migrant workers vulnerable to ongoing abuse and exploitation. UFCW’s new report highlights the dangers that migrant agricultural workers face while in Canada, including sub-standard living conditions, chemical hazards, heat stress, and more. These workers face unique health and safety challenges due to their living and working conditions, lack of access to healthcare, and language barriers. The tens of thousands of migrant workers are an integral part of the multi-billion dollar Canadian agricultural industry, providing crucial labour while working in conditions that has been described as “systematic slavery” by workers. In September of 2023, UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of slavery, Tomoya Obokata, raised concerns about Canada’s temporary foreign worker programs, stating that they can foster contemporary forms of slavery. Canada’s employer-specific work permits make workers especially vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Agriculture is one of the most dangerous industries in developed countries. The International Labour Organization (ILO) reports that at least 170,000 agricultural workers worldwide lose their lives annually, with millions more suffering severe injuries or poisoning from agrochemicals. UFCW’s report concludes with urgent recommendations to address the health and safety concerns, including access to collective bargaining, improved housing conditions, reduced pesticide exposure, and more. In addition, the report calls on every level of government – federal, provincial, and municipal – to implement critically needed reforms for migrant workers. For more than three decades, UFCW Canada has led the fight for migrant workers’ rights. To learn more about this advocacy and the reforms that are urgently needed, see UFCW Canada's report: The Status of Migrant Farm Workers in Canada, 2023. Y1 - 2024/// UR - https://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=33571:urgent-reforms-needed-for-migrant-agricultural-workers-says-ufcw-canada-in-new-report&catid=10389&Itemid=6&lang=en Y2 - 2024-02-01 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Canada: Anchor the fight against contemporary forms of slavery in human rights, a UN expert urges PB - United Nations - The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights N2 - OTTAWA (6 September 2023) – Canada’s temporary foreign worker programmes are a breeding ground for contemporary forms of slavery, a UN expert said today, urging the country to do more to protect workers and offer a clear pathway to permanent residency for all migrants. Y1 - 2023/09/06/ UR - https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/09/canada-anchor-fight-against-contemporary-forms-slavery-human-rights-un Y2 - 2023-09-07 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - It Happens Here: Labour Exploitation Among Migrant Workers During the Pandemic IS - 978-1-7775810-0-8 CY - Ontario PB - The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking N2 - New research shows that employer discrimination, unsafe working conditions and gaps in government policy put migrant workers at risk of being exploited once they arrive in Canada. FCJ Refugee Centre and the Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking’s newly released report, It Happens Here: Labour Exploitation Among Migrant Workers During the Pandemic, reveals that migrant labourers’ precarious immigration status makes them vulnerable to exploitation by recruiters and employers. The report summarizes findings from a series of focus group discussions that convened 77 migrant workers in Ontario in early 2022, with the support of Legal Assistance of Windsor (LAW). It highlights that many migrant workers are not aware that they have labour rights while working in Canada. Y1 - 2023/// UR - https://www.canadiancentretoendhumantrafficking.ca/concerns-about-labour-trafficking-increase-amid-higher-demand-for-migrant-workers-in-canada/ Y2 - 2023-02-16 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Debt, Migration and Exploitation: The Seasonal Worker Visa and the Degradation of Working Conditions in UK Horticulture CY - United Kingdom PB - Landworkers’ Alliance (LWA) N2 - A new report from the Landworkers’ Alliance (LWA) shines a light on the systemic drivers of exploitation in the UK immigration system with regard to seasonal fruit and veg pickers. The report ‘Debt, Migration and Exploitation: The Seasonal Worker Visa and the Degradation of Working Conditions in UK Horticulture’ has been written in collaboration with the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants, New Economics Foundation, Focus on Labour Exploitation, Sustain and a farmer solidarity network of former migrant seasonal workers. Seasonal work plays a significant role in UK agriculture. The government estimates that between 50,000 and 60,000 seasonal workers are needed annually to bring in the wider harvest across the UK, and these workers are almost entirely recruited from outside the UK. The latest report from LWA adds to this mounting body of evidence, and lays bare the legal and economic structures that facilitate the exploitation of farmworkers by the industrial food system, giving a platform for farmworkers to share their own account of life on the UK’s farms and develop solutions to the abuses they have faced. The report also includes a supply chain analysis carried out by the New Economics Foundation, which reveals that migrant seasonal workers picking soft fruit retain on average just 7.6% of the total retail price of the produce. Furthermore, the report outlines how workers who have to pay illegal broker fees (money paid by migrant workers to recruitment agencies in their home countries) can result in negative earnings. This means that after accommodation, subsistence and travel costs, some workers are essentially left out of pocket and end up paying more to come to the UK and work, than they keep as retained income to take home. Another chapter in the report features an extended testimony from a former migrant seasonal worker from Nepal, in which they describe the exploitation of recruitment agencies, the debt associated with taking out loans to pay for agency fees and the need for the UK Government to design a more safe and secure seasonal visa scheme. In response to issues raised in previous chapters relating to the supply chain, workers’ rights violations, and lack of redress, the final section of the report explores alternative approaches to labour rights, based on worker-led social responsibility (WSR), using the experience of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and Fair Food Program (FFP) in Florida as a case study. Y1 - 2023/// UR - https://viacampesina.org/en/the-landworkers-alliance-seasonal-worker-visa-and-the-degradation-of-working-conditions-in-uk-horticulture/ Y2 - 2024-02-06 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Jamaican migrant workers in Ontario pen open letter likening conditions to 'systematic slavery' CY - Toronto PB - CBC News N2 - Jamaican migrant farm workers in Niagara Region wrote an open letter to Jamaica's Ministry of Labour requesting more support in the face of what they call "systematic slavery," days before a migrant worker died in Norfolk County. A1 - Raza, Ali Y1 - 2022/// UR - https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/jamaican-migrant-workers-open-letter-1.6557678 Y2 - 2022-08-22 JA - CBC News ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Labor trafficking on specific temporary work visas: A data analysis 2018-2020 CY - Washington, D.C., U.S PB - Polaris Project N2 - Temporary work visas are intended to provide decent jobs to migrant workers while helping U.S. businesses meet their labor needs by filling mostly low-wage jobs that would otherwise sit vacant. Policymakers often refer to the migrants who come to this country as “guest workers.” But data from the National Human Trafficking Hotline shows that these guests — workers who have followed all the rules and laws and are expecting simply to earn a decent living and return home — are frequently exploited and even victimized by forced labor and other forms of trafficking. Indeed, exploitation, trafficking and abuse have become endemic to many of the visa categories. Overall, more than half of the victims of labor trafficking reported to the Trafficking Hotline during this period whose immigration status was identified were foreign nationals holding legal visas of some kind, including temporary work visas. That is no way to treat a guest — let alone hundreds of thousands of them. A1 - Polaris,  Y1 - 2022/// UR - https://polarisproject.org/labor-trafficking-on-specific-temporary-work-visas-report/ Y2 - 2022-07-22 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Migrant women workers in Canada continue to face barriers to abortion access: advocates N2 - Migrant women in Canada face profound barriers in accessing health care, especially when it comes to pregnancy. They often hide their pregnancies because if employers find out, they may send them home or refuse to hire them next season. Workers typically live on their employer’s property and lack the privacy to discreetly seek care. Many live in remote, rural areas where abortion access is already sparse and transportation is hard to come by. And they face the added challenge of being unable to receive health care in their first language. Y1 - 2022/// KW - abortion UR - https://globalnews.ca/news/8876954/migrant-women-canada-abortion-access-barrier/ Y2 - 2022-06-15 JA - Global News ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Trafficking in persons in the agriculture sector: human rights due diligence and sustainable development - Report of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children PB - United Nations Human Rights Council N2 - The present report of the Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons, especially women and children, Siobhán Mullally, was prepared pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 44/4. Characterized by high levels of informality, lack of oversight and protection, trafficking in persons remains a serious concern within the agricultural sector, affecting both adults and children. Temporary, seasonal and migrant workers are provided with limited protection and remain at risk of exploitation. Discrimination on grounds of race, ethnicity, migration status, gender and disability create conditions within which trafficking occurs with impunity. Restrictive migration policies persist, despite demand for agricultural workers. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic saw the designation of agricultural workers as “essential”, yet this did not lead to improved worker protections or expanded safe migration pathways. Child labour remains prevalent within the agriculture sector, with continuing significant risks of trafficking affecting both boys and girls. The growth of agribusiness and the power of corporations, combined with the rapid pace of climate change, have further exacerbated risks of trafficking in persons. Agriculture, and specifically intensive agriculture, is contributing negatively to climate change, reflecting the wider nexus between trafficking in persons, environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity and the climate crisis. Land inequality, particularly affecting women and girls, remains a key driver of exploitation, including trafficking for forced labour. Linked to legacies of colonialism, conflict, patriarchal family and State structures, and racial discrimination, land inequality is exacerbated by the growth of large-scale industrial farming models and limited enforcement of international human rights law and labour standards. The present report examines the continuing prevalence of trafficking in persons in the agricultural sector, in particular, for purposes of forced labour. In the report, the Special Rapporteur highlights the importance of mandatory human rights and environment due diligence measures to combat trafficking in persons within the agriculture sector to achieve the goals of sustainable development. A1 - Mullally, Siobhán Y1 - 2022/// UR - https://www.ohchr.org/en/documents/thematic-reports/ahrc5033-trafficking-persons-agriculture-sector-human-rights-due Y2 - 2022-06-15 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Human rights hearing on allegations of racial profiling of migrant workers caught in mass DNA sweep begins CY - ONLINE PB - CBC NEWS N2 - The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario will hear Monday from migrant workers who allege they were racially targeted by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) as part of a DNA sweep in connection to a 2013 sexual assault investigation. The 54 applicants argue that the indiscriminate manner in which the DNA sweep was conducted violated their rights under Ontario's Human Rights Code. The OPP swabbed 96 Black and brown migrant farm workers from mostly Caribbean countries working on at least five farms in Elgin County, in southwestern Ontario, in 2013 as officers searched for a suspect in a sexual assault. But human rights lawyer Shane Martínez, who is representing the migrant workers pro bono, says most workers who were swabbed did not fit the physical description of the suspect except for the colour of their skin. A1 - Balintec, Vanessa Y1 - 2021/11/22/ UR - https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/kitchener-waterloo/racial-profiling-migrant-workers-1.6257642 Y2 - 2021-12-06 JA - CBC News ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Racism, Discrimination and Migrant Workers in Canada: Evidence from the Literature PB - Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC) N2 - Canada is celebrated as a diverse, multicultural and inclusive nation, with many accolades to its name, and remains a destination of choice for many immigrants worldwide. It is described, similar to Australia and New Zealand, as a “settlement country,” where settlement is an integral part of nation building and immigration an intrinsic component of the national heritage (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), 2015).Footnote1 In short, despite some challenges, Canada is lauded as a successful immigrant nation, and perceived, in terms of its skilled migration system, as a “benchmark for other countries,” as supported by its strong integration outcomes (OECD, 2019). While the literature points to “cracks” in the Canadian immigration model, including “skilled” migration, overall it is widely considered as a model to be emulated by other Western industrialized nations – a phenomenon otherwise known as Canadian “exceptionalism” in the context of multiculturalism and immigration policymaking (Triadafilopoulos, 2021).Footnote2 When it comes to examining racism and discrimination within the Canadian immigration system as a whole, authors point to certain areas that need particular attention, one of which centers, as per the focus of this paper, on temporary migration.Footnote3 Indeed, on the subject of migrant workers, the literature is somewhat more tentative as to Canada’s successes. Accordingly, authors raise concerns that there are “two Canadas,” one of which is constituted by fault lines within temporary migration and defined by “zones of exceptionalism” characterized by substandard labour and social protections as well as restrictions on workers’ mobility.Footnote4 For the majority of authors, “race,” “class,” “gender,” or “geography” (that is, country of origin), but also “skill level” and “entry class” combine with wider historical, and current structures of discrimination to shape the experiences of migrant workers and their migration experience today. The primary objective of this review is to identify and analyze potential markers of racism and discrimination in immigration policy that impact migrant workers in Canada, most specifically those in the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Caregiver Streams that are part of the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The review also examines the International Mobility Program, albeit from a more limited perspective, due to a still nascent, yet fast-growing, literature on the subject.Footnote5 Overall, studies and reports mostly focus on substandard conditions of labour, lack of access, or restricted access, to social services and permanent residence pathways that are typically available to workers from higher-waged and higher-skilled categories. Indeed, most of the literature, including reports from non-profit organizations, and parliamentary committees refer to issues of “abuse and exploitation” in temporary migration programs, including in specific segments of the International Mobility Program. While on the surface, it may appear that these references are dissociated from the terminologies and practices of racism and discrimination, they are in fact often articulated in the context of the historical racist genesis of the programs, and also to processes of racialization that may be drawn from systemic racism and discriminatory practices. Indeed, there is meaningful literature on the historical formation of temporary programs in Canada, and its relationship to racism and discrimination as constituted through gender, geography, and class. Most scholars suggest that these historical formations are key to understanding the situation facing migrant workers in Canada today as they continue to inform the shape and contents of policy. This is sometimes referred to as history’s “ongoing effects” or “lasting impacts.”Footnote6 In this light, the federal government recognizes that historical practices continue to drive processes of stigma and discrimination for racialized peoples (Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), 2020). In the case of migrants, for example, some scholars have drawn connections between systems of indentureship – described as a discriminatory practice – and temporary migration programs. Others point out that the seasonality of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program stems from the racist assumption that racialized peoples cannot adjust to the Canadian climate, nor “assimilate” to Canada due to their inherent nature, as another example. In addition to the above considerations, scholars argue that it is key to be cognizant of the factors surrounding the global movement of migrantsFootnote7 from the (mostly poorer) global South to the (mostly richer) nations of the global North,Footnote8 which is marked by migrants remitting to countries of origin; their separation from families; and isolation in their communities in Canada due to long hours of work; live-in arrangements (living with, or in close proximity to, employers), as well as language based, and other, barriers in accessing social benefits, labour protection information and compensation, legal aid, and settlement services. Relatedly, the literature refers to the “race”-based and gender-based barriers experienced by migrant workers. Authors point out that these unequal global realities may be replicated within nations, but also within households, for caregivers who still “live-in.” As noted, evidence of exploitative practices abounds within these programs, whether for migrant agricultural workers or caregivers. Caregivers, for example, experience downward social mobility in Canada, tied to the absence of the recognition of their foreign credential experience, but also barriers which prevent further study and/or employment choices. In this context, authors depict racism as a structural barrier and the “gendered, racialized, and classed immigration system” that feed into the downward mobility of female care workers (Lightman et al, 2021). There is also a gendered toll on caregiver mothers whose experiences – not unlike those of migrant mothers in temporary agricultural programs – illustrate the importance of examining these issues with an “intersectional” lens. The questions underpinning this study, as related to immigration policy, include: What are the commonly accepted definitions of racism and discrimination? What is the historical backdrop that informs Canada’s temporary migrant programs? What do we know about racism, discrimination and migrant workers? What kind of challenges are encountered by migrant workers on the grounds of “race,” class, gender and other identity factors? The intent of this paper is not to arrive at a fixed conclusion as to whether racism and discrimination exist within these programs, but rather to raise awareness of the debates within the literature and among experts. Having said this, there is a wide consensus in the literature that questions of “race,” “gender,” “class,” “geography” are inevitable factors that impact policies regarding migrant workers whether in the Temporary Foreign Worker Program or the International Mobility Program. There is also a wide consensus that, in the case of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program and the Caregiver Streams, their unequivocal rootedness in racism and discrimination inform the current nomenclature of immigration policies. In other words, though racism may no longer sustain or substantiate these programs, they may not be free of racism, due to the fact that they arose from racism. Some scholars point out that racism and discrimination are an intrinsic part of the matrix that make up these programs, depicting it as “institutional racism.” Others note that the rootedness of racism within these programs cannot be ignored, and that though explicit racist ideas may no longer sustain them, they may still have a discriminatory impact that prevents the full “humanization” of racialized migrants. Most authors, and organizations such as the Ontario Human Rights Commission, explain that discriminatory impact is to be assessed by the disproportional outcomes experienced by a social group, in this case, migrant workers. Are they mostly racialized? Do they mostly originate from the global South? Do they experience differential treatment with adverse and disproportionate effects on their health, participation in their communities, places of work and broader experiences? Are their contributions to the Canadian economy and society proportionally recognized? Depending on how one answers these questions, a thoughtful pause on how Canada addresses potential discrimination in temporary migration, may well be warranted. A1 - Mooten, Nalinie Y1 - 2021/// KW - racism UR - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/reports-statistics/research/racism-discrimination-migrant-workers-canada-evidence-literature.html#s2-5 Y2 - 2022-10-19 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Assessment of the risks of human trafficking for forced labour on the UK Seasonal Workers Pilot. CY - London PB - Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX), N2 - This report presents the findings of research conducted by Focus on Labour Exploitation (FLEX) and Fife Migrants Forum (FMF) between March 2020 and February 2021. This research was initiated in order to seek to understand the risk of human trafficking for forced labour for people coming to Scotland on the Seasonal Workers Pilot (SWP) in the horticultural sector. A two-year SWP was announced by the UK government in 2018 in response to concerns raised by farmers about possible labour shortages in advance of and after the UK had left the European Union (EU). During the development and launch of the SWP the UK government did not engage in meaningful discussion with worker representatives on the scheme, despite serious concerns raised by experts on human trafficking and modern slavery. This report responds directly to these concerns, seeking to document the voices and experiences of the people who have come to Scotland on the SWP. In so doing it seeks to develop strategies that can be taken by the UK and Scottish governments to tackle the risks of human trafficking for forced labour on the SWP and to protect current and future workers. A1 - Robinson, Caroline Y1 - 2021/// UR - https://www.labourexploitation.org/publications/assessment-risks-human-trafficking-forced-labour-uk-seasonal-workers-pilot Y2 - 2022-04-11 ER - TY - GOVDOC T1 - Agri-Food Immigration Pilot (possibly enforced in 2020) A1 - Government of Canada,  Y1 - 2019/07/12/ UR - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2019/07/agri-food-immigration-pilot.html Y2 - 2019-07-30 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - New immigration pilot will offer permanent residency to migrant farm-workers A1 - Wright, Teresa Y1 - 2019/07/12/ UR - https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/new-immigration-pilot-will-offer-permanent-residency-to-migrant-farm-workers-1.4505514 Y2 - 2019-07-30 JA - CTV News ER - TY - RPRT T1 - THE CAREGIVER PROGRAM: Necessary reforms for the respect of migrant caregivers’ fundamental rights in Canada A1 - MigrantWorkersRights-Canada,  A1 - L’Association pour la Défense des Droits du Personnel Domestique/Association for the Rights of Household Workers,  Y1 - 2018/04/06/ ER - TY - MGZN T1 - Le Grand sacrifice des nounous philippines Y1 - 2018/03/01/ UR - http://www.ellequebec.com/societe/reportages/article/le-grand-sacrifice-des-nounous-philippines Y2 - 2018-02-14 JA - ELLE Québec ER - TY - NEWS T1 - How migrant workers took on Ben & Jerry's – and won a historic agreement Y1 - 2018/02/25/ UR - https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/feb/25/ben-jerrys-migrant-workers-dairy-farms Y2 - 2018-02-28 JA - The Guardian ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Indian migrant workers file complaint to Ministry of Labour over unpaid wages from Toronto temple Y1 - 2018/02/18/ UR - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/indian-migrant-worker-ministry-labour-wages-complaint-1.4540824 Y2 - 2018-02-28 JA - CBC News ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Supreme Court ruling affirms injured workers’ rights on the job Y1 - 2018/02/18/ UR - https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/02/18/supreme-court-ruling-affirms-injured-workers-rights-on-the-job.html Y2 - 2018-02-28 JA - The Star ER - TY - NEWS T1 - B.C.'s foreign caregivers seek fair permanent-residency policy from feds A1 - Pynn, Larry Y1 - 2018/02/14/ UR - http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/b-c-s-foreign-caregivers-seek-fair-permanent-residency-policy-from-feds Y2 - 2018-02-14 JA - Vancouver Sun ER - TY - CASE T1 - R. v. Martinez-Mendez, [2018] A.J. No. 48 N2 - Sentencing of an accused who pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm. The accused attended the victim's home in an intoxicated state. An argument occurred between the accused and the victim and the accused punched the victim in the eye. The victim's two children were home at the time of the offence and the assault was witnessed by the victim's eight-year-old daughter. Since the incident, the victim suffered from migraine headaches. She also continued to experiencing a watering eye and blurred vision. The accused was 37 years of age with no prior record. He had been in Canada since 2005 as a temporary foreign worker from Mexico. He showed genuine remorse for his actions. Since the time of the offence, the accused had taken steps to deal with his alcohol addiction, and he had been sober for three years. The Crown sought a suspended sentence and 12 months probation. The accused sought a conditional discharge. HELD: Accused sentenced to an 18-month conditional sentence with probation. Although there were significant aggravating factors, the accused's actions were fueled by alcohol and consisted of a single punch. He had no prior record and a conviction would result in his deportation. A conviction would therefore result in a sentence that was disproportionate and offend the principle of parity. A conditional discharge was in the best interest of the accused and was not contrary to public policy. Sentence: 18-month conditional sentence with probation for assault -- Criminal Code, s. 267(b). Y1 - 2018/// ER - TY - LEGAL T1 - Maryland: An agreement by a foreign worker to waive certain rights is void A2 - Maryland Senate (U.S.A.) N2 - Introduced January 29, 2018 Reporter 2018 Bill Tracking MD S.B. 526 MARYLAND BILL TRACKING > MARYLAND 2018 REGULAR SESSION - 438TH SESSION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY > SENATE BILL 526 > 2018 Bill Tracking MD S.B. 526 Last Action: January 31, 2018; Hearing Scheduled 2/20 at 1:00 p.m. Synopsis Provides that an agreement by a foreign worker to waive certain rights is void as contrary to public policy; requires an individual to be licensed by the Commissioner before the individual may perform a foreign labor contracting service in the State for consideration; provides that a certain license authorizes the licensee to perform foreign labor contracting services for consideration; requires a licensee to take certain actions while performing a foreign labor contracting service in the State. Status 01/29/2018 INTRODUCED. 01/29/2018 To SENATE Committee on FINANCE. 01/31/2018 Hearing Scheduled 2/20 at 1:00 p.m. Sponsor(s) Lee Classification Subject: LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT, LABOR AND EMPLOYMENT- MISC, Alien Labor, POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT, STATE & FED ELECTED & APPTD OFFICIALS- EXEC BRANCH Load-Date: February 2, 2018 MARYLAND BILL TRACKING Copyright © 2018 LexisNexis. All Rights Reserved. A1 - Lee,  Y1 - 2018/01/29/ UR - https://legiscan.com/MD/bill/SB526/2018 Y2 - 2018-02-14 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - 'It's slavery in the modern world': Foreign workers say they were hungry, abused at Toronto temple A1 - Glover, Chris Y1 - 2018/01/17/ UR - https://www.cicnews.com/2018/01/latest-h-1b-news-parallels-spike-in-u-s-searches-on-canadian-immigration-0110052.html#gs.cY88b2k Y2 - 2018-01-15 JA - CBC News ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - Hong Kong set to jail 'dishonest' maid recruiters in slavery fight A1 - Yi, Beh Lih Y1 - 2018/01/10/ UR - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-hongkong-maids-prison/hong-kong-set-to-jail-dishonest-maid-recruiters-in-slavery-fight-idUSKBN1FJ1WV Y2 - 2018-02-14 JA - Reuters ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Retour à l'expéditeur A1 - Champagne, Sarah R. Y1 - 2017/12/26/ UR - http://www.ledevoir.com/documents/special/17-12_guatemala/index.html Y2 - 2017-12-26 JA - Le Devoir ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Expanding Worker Rights-Open Work Permit Program for Migrant Workers Facing Risk A1 - Migrant Workers Alliance for Change,  Y1 - 2017/12/18/ UR - http://www.migrantworkersalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Open-Work-Permit-Program-for-Migrant-Workers-Facing-Risk.pdf Y2 - 2017-12-26 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Foreign caregivers’ Christmas wishes to Santa, Trudeau and Hussen A1 - Keung, Nicholas Y1 - 2017/12/17/ UR - https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/12/15/foreign-caregivers-christmas-wishes-to-santa-trudeau-and-hussen.html Y2 - 2017-12-26 JA - Toronto Star ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Committee urges federal government to repeal law that bans disabled immigrants A1 - Keung, Nicholas Y1 - 2017/12/17/ UR - https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/12/13/committee-urges-federal-government-to-repeal-law-that-bans-disabled-immigrants.html Y2 - 2017-12-26 JA - Toronto Star ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Building an Inclusive Canada: Bringing the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act in Stop With Modern Values A1 - Canada. Parliament. House of Commons. Standing Committee on Citizenship and Immigration.,  Y1 - 2017/12/13/ UR - https://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/Committee/421/CIMM/Reports/RP9322080/cimmrp15/cimmrp15-e.pdf Y2 - 2017-12-26 ER - TY - GOVDOC T1 - Processing surge puts Government on track to largely eliminate Live-in Caregiver Program backlog by end of 2018 A1 - Immigration and Refugee Protection Canada,  Y1 - 2017/12/03/ UR - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/2017/12/federal_governmentcontinuestomakefamilyreunificationapriority.html Y2 - 2017-12-11 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - High Court victory sets precedent for migrant workers’ rights A1 - Humanitarian Organization for Migration Economics,  Y1 - 2017/11/21/ UR - https://www.theonlinecitizen.com/2017/11/21/high-court-victory-sets-precedent-for-migrant-workers-rights/ Y2 - 2017-11-26 JA - The Online Citizen ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Advocates ask the government to rethink disablist immigration law A1 - Fitzpatrick ,  Brian Y1 - 2017/11/20/ UR - http://www.metronews.ca/news/toronto/2017/11/20/advocates-ask-the-government-to-rethink-disablist-immigration-law.html Y2 - 2017-11-26 JA - Metro News Toronto ER - TY - NEWS T1 - B.C. court approves migrant workers' class-action lawsuit against Mac’s Convenience Stores A1 - Keung, Nicholas Y1 - 2017/10/27/ UR - https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/10/27/bc-court-approves-migrant-workers-class-action-lawsuit-against-macs-convenience-stores.html Y2 - 2017-12-26 JA - Toronto Star ER - TY - GEN T1 - Immigration Minister's answer to parliamentary petition (abolition of employer-tied work permits) A1 - Immigration and Refugee Protection Canada,  Y1 - 2017/10/18/ UR - http://www.ourcommons.ca/Content/ePetitions/Responses/421/e-1034/421-01716_IRCC_E.pdf Y2 - 2017-12-11 ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - Immigration Canada ‘breaking the law,’ when denying some disabled applicants, say legal experts A1 - Russell, Andrew A1 - Hill, Brian Y1 - 2017/// UR - https://globalnews.ca/news/3685104/immigration-canada-breaking-the-law-when-denying-some-disabled-applicants-say-legal-experts/ Y2 - 2017-10-01 JA - Global News ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - NDP slam Liberal government for lack of action on ending ‘discriminatory’ immigration policy A1 - Russell, Andrew A1 - Hill, Brian Y1 - 2017/09/19/ UR - https://globalnews.ca/news/3756752/ndp-slam-liberal-government-for-lack-of-action-on-ending-discriminatory-immigration-policy/ Y2 - 2017-10-01 JA - Global News ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - Immigration Canada reopens Manitoba family’s application for permanent residency A1 - Russell, Andrew A1 - Hill, Brian Y1 - 2017/09/06/ UR - https://globalnews.ca/news/3723425/immigration-canada-reopens-manitoba-familys-application-for-permanent-residency/ Y2 - 2017-10-01 JA - Global News ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Korean workers in some Winnipeg sushi restaurants coerced into handing over part of pay to employers N2 - Unlicensed immigration consultant facing charges sheds light on pay problems. As many as 26 sushi restaurants in Winnipeg may have used an unlicensed immigration consultant to hire Korean workers and some were coerced into slicing off part of their paycheques to give to their employers, according to court documents obtained by the CBC's I-Team. A1 - Annable, Kristin Y1 - 2017/// KW - work permit KW - illegal recruitment UR - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/immigration-wages-consultants-1.4179163 Y2 - 2017-07-07 JA - CBC News - Manitoba ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Are H-1B visa workers really paid less than Americans? A1 - Liu, Evie Y1 - 2017/// UR - http://www.marketwatch.com/story/are-h-1b-visa-workers-really-paid-less-than-americans-2017-04-24 Y2 - 2017-06-15 JA - MarketWatch.com ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Houston immigrant doctors given 24 hours to leave the U.S., then a reprieve CY - Houston, Texas N2 - On Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Pankaj Satija and his wife, both immigrants from India living and working legally in Houston, were abruptly told by immigration officials they had 24 hours to leave the United States. A new policy, they were told, no longer allowed them to extend their temporary permission to stay while they waited for permanent authorization. Y1 - 2017/// KW - Houston immigrant doctors UR - http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Houston-immigrant-doctors-given-24-hours-to-leave-11040259.php?t=493cd1a1b8438d9cbb&cmpid=twitter-premium Y2 - 2017-04-12 JA - Houston chronicle SP - 1 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Beyond Our Plates- Report CY - Vancouver,Canada PB - Migrant Workers' Dignity Association (MWDA) N2 - Before sharing our experiences of working with Temporary Foreign Farm Workers (TFFWs) with you, we asked the workers what they wanted us to tell you so as to best relate the conditions they endure. Every one of them advised us: tell them about our job stories, tell them about all the things that our hearts are suffering. By telling you some of their stories, we will make some recommendations and we hope to answer, at least in part, the following questions: * Who is involved in the production of the food we eat? * What is the real price that we are paying for our food? * Why are TFFWs called temporary and "guest" when they live in Canada for longer periods than in their own countries? * Why do the governments, as well as farm employers, think that Temporary Foreign Worker Programs (TFWPs) are successful programs? * What can Canadians do to stop the new slavery and social apartheid of TFFWs? *Why are Canadians concerned with eating local and organic produce but do not care about the unethical treatment of TFFWs? A1 - Migrant Workers' Dignity Association,  Y1 - 2017/// KW - Migrants story and abuse UR - https://dignidadmigrante.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/MWDA-BeyondOurPlates_web.pdf Y2 - 2017-04-12 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Disabled son deemed 'medically inadmissible' to join mother in Canada A1 - Keung, Nicholas Y1 - 2017/04/02/ UR - https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/04/02/disabled-son-deemed-medically-inadmissible-to-join-mother-in-canada.html Y2 - 2017-05-01 JA - The Toronto Star ER - TY - PAMP T1 - Caregiving Work in Canada CY - Canada PB - Kwentong Bayan Collective N2 - Canadian families have always relied on domestic workers. This was true before Confederation, when Canadian families used Indigenous and Black women as slaves. This was also true afterwards, when the Canadian government recruited women from overseas to work as domestic workers. A1 - Graphic History Collective,  Y1 - 2017/// KW - immigration KW - Canadian Policy KW - Domestic Work KW - World War II KW - Employment Standards Act UR - http://graphichistorycollective.com/files/2017/02/RRR03-Caregivers-Web.pdf Y2 - 2017-03-29 ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - Eric Trump's winery is hiring foreign workers because U.S.-born workers don't want the job PB - Daily Kos N2 - Donald Trump vowed to "buy American and hire American,” but like everything coming out of his mouth, it was a bunch of b*******. The Denver Post reports that Eric Trump’s winery has asked his dad’s government for permission to hire dozens of foreign workers because—get this—U.S.-born workers don’t want the jobs A1 - Ortiz, Gabe Y1 - 2017/// KW - H-2A visa program KW - Trump KW - Migrants workers KW - Trump vineyard estate UR - http://m.dailykos.com/stories/2017/3/21/1645734/-Eric-Trump-s-winery-is-hiring-foreign-workers-because-U-S-born-workers-don-t-want-the-job?detail=facebook Y2 - 2017-03-29 ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - Cannabis industry must respect workers' rights, says National President Paul Meinema CY - Toronto PB - Paul Meneima N2 - When it comes to workplace safety and rights for cannabis workers in Canada, the recent report by the Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation leaves some labour advocates a bit dazed and confused. A1 - UFCW/TUAC Canada,  Y1 - 2017/// KW - Immigrants KW - foreign workers KW - Cannabis culture KW - agriculture workers UR - http://www.ufcw.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31335:cannabis-industry-must-respect-workers-rights-says-national-president-paul-meinema&catid=9806&Itemid=6&lang=en Y2 - 2017-03-06 JA - UFCW Canada ER - TY - NEWS T1 - This sexually abused migrant worker is now safe — but she knows others aren't N2 - Mere weeks after she came to Canada, the migrant worker was threatened with deportation. A1 - Mojtehedzadeh, Sara Y1 - 2017/// UR - https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/migrants/2017/10/07/this-sexually-abused-migrant-worker-is-now-safe-but-she-knows-others-arent.html Y2 - 2018-02-04 JA - The Toronto Star ER - TY - NEWS T1 - He's worked legally in Canada for 37 years but the government considers him ‘temporary’ N2 - Low-wage migrant farmworkers are a crucial and growing part of Canada’s economy. Yet in most cases it’s impossible for them to get permanents status, which experts say leaves them vulnerable to exploitation. A1 - Keung, Nicholas Y1 - 2017/// UR - https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/migrants/2017/10/05/hes-worked-legally-in-canada-for-37-years-but-the-government-considers-him-temporary.html Y2 - 2018-02-04 JA - The Toronto Star ER - TY - NEWS T1 - BREAKING NEWS: Deportation order against migrant activist Gina Bahiwal cancelled N2 - After an outpouring of support from all across Canada, the deportation order for migrant activist Gina Bahiwal has been cancelled. Huge thanks to everyone who took the time to write letters of support; grassroots public pressure makes a difference. Gina’s struggle was also supported by dedicated work from her lawyer, Richard Wazana of Wazana Law. Y1 - 2017/// KW - Incarceration of migrant workers UR - https://harvestingfreedom.org/2017/01/13/breaking-news-deportation-order-against-migrant-activist-gina-bahiwal-cancelled/ Y2 - 2017-01-13 JA - Haversting freedom SP - 1 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Businesses applaud changes to allow temporary foreign workers to stay as long as permits renewed N2 - Ottawa’s decision to scrap a controversial rule that limited how long foreign workers can stay in Canada is being welcomed by businesses, analysts and migrant worker advocates as the first step in a series of reforms they hope will ultimately transform the immigration system. A1 - Dharssi, Alia Y1 - 2017/// KW - Temporary Foreign Workers UR - http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/businesses-applaud-changes-to-allow-temporary-foreign-workers-to-remain-in-canada-as-long-as-they-want Y2 - 2017-01-12 JA - National Post SP - 2 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Just 3 employers fined or banned after overhaul of foreign worker program N2 - A year after Ottawa rolled out new regulations to crack down on non-compliant employers, only three businesses have been fined or banned from the migrant workers program. A1 - Keung, Nicholas Y1 - 2017/// KW - Employers and violation UR - https://www.thestar.com/news/immigration/2017/01/03/just-3-employers-fined-or-banned-after-overhaul-of-foreign-worker-program.html Y2 - 2017-01-13 JA - The star SP - 1 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - The murky world of the agencies that recruit temporary foreign workers CY - Calgary N2 - Chances are the migrant workers building condos in Vancouver, cleaning hotel rooms in Alberta or picking tomatoes in Ontario greenhouses paid fees to come to Canada and work in their low-paying jobs.In some cases, workers are further abused by recruiters who control their money, housing and movements. A1 - Dharssi, Alia Y1 - 2016/// KW - Agencies case of abuse UR - http://calgaryherald.com/news/national/the-murky-world-of-the-agencies-that-recruit-temporary-foreign-workers Y2 - 2016-11-10 JA - Calgary Herald SP - 1 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Andy Hall of Migrant Workers Rights Network found guilty of Defamation in Thai court N2 - Andy Hall was on Tuesday found guilty of defamation and computer crimes in a Thai Court. The 36 year old British Man was sentenced to three years in jail and fined 200,000 baht in connection with his work on a 2013 report by aAndy Hall. Finnish advocacy group that accused Thai company Natural Fruit of violating the rights of its workers. The prison sentence was suspended for two years, effectively putting Hall on probation, a move which will impede his efforts to investigate corporate supply chains in Thailand. Y1 - 2016/// KW - Diffamation UR - http://www.samuitimes.com/andy-hall-of-migrant-workers-rights-network-found-guilty-of-defamation-in-thai-court/ Y2 - 2016-09-30 JA - SAMUI TIMES SP - 1 ER - TY - THES T1 - Up-rooted lives, deep-rooted memories: Stress and resilience among Jamaican agricultural workers in Southern Ontario CY - Hamilton, Ontario PB - McMaster University N2 - The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) is a transnational labour agreement between Canada, Mexico, and various Caribbean countries that brings thousands of Jamaican migrant workers to Canada each year to work on farms. This thesis explores Jamaican SAWP workers’ experiences of stress in Ontario, and situates these experiences within a system of power and international inequality. When describing their experiences of stress and suffering in Ontario, many Jamaican workers drew analogies between historic and modern slavery under the SAWP. However, stress discourses also inspired workers to emphasise their resilience, and many workers gave equal attention to explaining their inherent strength as “Jamaicans”, which they associate with national independence and the history of slavery. In this way, I suggest stress discourses are sites of flexibility and resilience for Jamaican workers, and this thesis presents the foremost cultural, political, and historical factors that support Jamaican workers’ resilience in Ontario. Moreover, the predominant coping strategies workers employ in Ontario will be explored within the context of their restricted agency under the SAWP. This thesis concludes with a discussion of stress as an expression of subjectivity that is characterised by strength, faith, and the history of slavery. A1 - Mayell, Stephanie Y1 - 2016/// VL - Masters T2 - Anthropology SP - 107 ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Travailleurs agricoles exploités à Drummondville : un cas isolé, dit l`UPA CY - Montréal PB - Radio Canada N2 - Quatre Guatémaltèques qui ont travaillé dans une ferme de Drummondville en 2012 ont été exploités et abusés par leur employeur. C'est ce que conclut le Tribunal administratif dans un jugement rendu en avril. A1 - Radio Canada,  Y1 - 2016/// UR - http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/estrie/2016/05/16/003-travailleurs-agricoles-exploites-ferme-drummondville-cas-isole-upa-estrie.shtml Y2 - 2016-05-27 JA - Radio Canada ER - TY - NEWS T1 - The shame of our disposable workers CY - Toronto PB - Toronto Star N2 - The case of fatally injured Jamaican farm hand Sheldon McKenzie exposes the injustices of the seasonal worker program. A1 - Cole, Desmond Y1 - 2016/05/19/ UR - https://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2016/05/19/the-shame-of-our-disposable-workers.html Y2 - 2016-05-27 JA - Toronto Star ER - TY - NEWS T1 - "Bachelor ban" in Qatar tests relations with migrant workers CY - AL KHOR, QATAR PB - Reuters A1 - Finn, Tom Y1 - 2016/05/17/ UR - http://in.reuters.com/article/qatar-labour-bachelors-idINKCN0Y81JQ Y2 - 2016-05-27 JA - Reuters ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Travailleurs agricoles saisonniers : un programme « pire que l`esclavage » CY - Montréal PB - Radio Canada A1 - Radio Canada,  Y1 - 2016/05/16/ UR - http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/ontario/2016/05/16/006-programme-travailleurs-agricoles-saisonniers-mort-sheldon-mckenzie.shtml Y2 - 2016-05-27 JA - Radio Canada ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Migrant worker program called `worse than slavery` after injured participants sent home without treatment CY - Canada PB - CBC N2 - The family of a migrant worker who died several months after a severe head injury says the program that brought him to Canada (SAWP) stripped him of his labour rights after he was hurt, then tried to cut off his access to health care. A1 - Marchitelli, Rosa Y1 - 2016/05/16/ JA - CBC News ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Ferme agricole: traités comme des «esclaves» à Drummondville PB - La presse A1 - Duchaine, Gabrielle Y1 - 2016/05/16/ UR - http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/justice-et-affaires-criminelles/201605/16/01-4982026-ferme-agricole-traites-comme-des-esclaves-a-drummondville.php Y2 - 2016-05-27 JA - La presse ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Hong Kong - Submission to the Legislative Council Panel on Manpower N2 - Between May and October 2012, Amnesty International interviewed 50 Indonesian migrant domestic workers in Hong Kong. In March 2013, further interviews were conducted with 47 returnees in Indonesia who had worked in Hong Kong as domestic workers.1 All of the interviewees were women. The issues raised are not limited to Indonesians, but reflect the problems faced by the wider community of migrant domestic workers irrespective of nationality. Amnesty International’s research demonstrates that placement agencies in Hong Kong employ coercive practices to maintain control over migrant domestic workers (e.g. the confiscation of identity documents, manipulation of debt and restrictions on freedom of movement). In this way, they compel migrant domestic workers to work in conditions where they are exposed to exploitation, forced labour, threats and physical/psychological violence. Hong Kong placement agencies work in close partnership with Indonesian recruitment agencies, but they are separate organizations and come under the jurisdiction of the HKSAR authorities which have a responsibility to monitor and regulate them, and ensure that they are operating in full compliance with the laws in the Hong Kong SAR. The following outlines specific abusive practices, which in combination amount to trafficking and forced labour A1 - Amnesty International, International Secretariat,  Y1 - 2016/// UR - https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/4000/asa170052014en.pdf Y2 - 2016-03-14 ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - La commission des relations de travail confirme l’accréditation de l’unité agricole de la section locale 1518 des TUAC chez Floralia A1 - UFCW/TUAC Canada,  Y1 - 2016/03/10/ UR - http://www.tuac.ca/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=30983:la-commission-des-relations-de-travail-confirme-l-accreditation-de-l-unite-agricole-de-la-section-locale-1518-des-tuac-chez-floralia&catid=9720&Itemid=6&lang=fr Y2 - 2016-03-15 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Energy giant CNRL derails full public inquiry into foreign workers' deaths A1 - Reith, Terry Y1 - 2016/// UR - http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/cnrl-fights-against-public-inquiry-1.3439011 Y2 - 2016-02-29 T3 - CBC News ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Troubling Freedom: Migration, debt, and modern slavery N2 - This article is concerned with the role of debt in contemporary practices of mobility. It explores how the phenomenon of debt-financed migration disturbs the trafficking/ smuggling, illegal/legal, and forced/voluntary dyads that are widely used to make sense of migration and troubles the liberal construction of ‘freedom’ and ‘slavery’ as oppositional categories. The research literature reveals that while debt can lock mi- grants into highly asymmetrical, personalistic, and often violent relations of power and dependency sometimes for several years, it is also a means by which many seek to extend and secure their future freedoms. Financing migration through debt can be an active choice without also being a ‘voluntary’ or ‘autonomous’ choice, and migrants’ decisions to take on debts that will imply heavy restrictions on their freedom are taken in the context of migration and other policies that severely constrain their alternatives. Vulnerability to abuse and exploitation is also politically constructed, and even migrant-debtors whose movement is state sanctioned often lack protections both as workers and as debtors. Indeed, large numbers of migrants are excluded from the rights and freedoms that in theory constitute the opposite of slavery. As argued in the conclusion, this illustrates the contemporary relevance of Losurdo’s historical account of the fundamentally illiberal realities of self-conceived liberal societies. There remain ‘exclusion clauses’ in the social contract that supposedly affords universal equality and freedom, clauses that are of enormous consequence for many groups of migrants, and that also deleteriously affect those citizens who are poor and/or other- wise marginalized. A1 - Davidson, Julia Y1 - 2016/// JA - Migration Studies ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Stop Breaking Our Hearts: Migrant Workers Urge Immigration Minister This Family Day Long Weekend to End Two-Tiered Immigration System so That Migrants Can Reunite With Families A1 - Ramsaroop, Chris A1 - Leal, Tzazna Y1 - 2016/// UR - http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/2834838 Y2 - 2016-02-29 ER - TY - CASE T1 - Lorenzo v. Canada (Minister of Citizenship and Immigration) PB - Federal Court N2 - This is an application for judicial review by the Applicant pursuant to subsection 72(1) of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, SC 2001, c 27 [IRPA] of a decision by an immigration officer [Officer] dated June 2, 2015, wherein the Officer held that the Applicant was not a victim of human trafficking; and, furthermore, rejected the Applicant's application for a Temporary Resident Permit and open Work Permit as the Applicant was, at the time of the decision, admissible to Canada. A1 - Federal Court,  Y1 - 2016/// UR - https://www.canlii.org/en/ca/fct/doc/2016/2016fc37/2016fc37.html?autocompleteStr=IMM-2949-15&autocompletePos=1 Y2 - 2016-01-29 ER - TY - PAMP T1 - Migrant Farmworkers ask Trudeau for Permanent Residency in Canada as they announce caravan to Ottawa PB - MarketWatch N2 - Migrant farmworkers call for real change in 2016 under advocacy group Justicia for Migrants Workers (J4MW). A1 - Justicia for Migrant Workers,  Y1 - 2016/// UR - http://www.marketwatch.com/story/migrant-farmworkers-ask-trudeau-for-permanent-residency-in-canada-as-they-announce-caravan-to-ottawa-2016-01-25 Y2 - 2016-01-29 ER - TY - JOUR T1 - Blacklisting as a modality of deportability: Mexico's response to circular migrant agricultural workers' pursuit of collective bargaining rights in British Columbia, Canada PB - Taylor & Francis N2 - This article illustrates how blacklisting can function as a modality of deportability among temporary migrant workers participating in a programme touted as a model of ordered migration internationally, with attention to sending state action. In 2010, Local 1518 of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union applied successfully to British Columbia's Labour Relations Board to represent a group of circular migrants engaged under Canada's Seasonal Agricultural Worker Programme. Yet less than a year later, the union complained of unfair labour practices on the part of not only the host state employer and certain employees but sending state officials who select and assign workers to Canadian employers, contending that they blocked the visa reapplications of union members eligible for recall and improperly interfered in a decertification application. On account of the unique empirics available through this case, its analysis offers a window into practices which are routinely obscured but nevertheless central to how deportability operates. A1 - Geddes, Andrew A1 - Taylor , Andrew A1 - Vosko, Leah Y1 - 2015/// KW - foreign workers KW - temporary migration KW - labour rights KW - collective bargaining KW - Deportability KW - blacklisting KW - sending states UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2015.1111134 Y2 - 2015-12-01 JA - Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies VL - 41 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - The State of the World's Human Rights: Amnesty International Report 2014/2015 PB - Amnesty International N2 - Migrant workers fuelled the economies of many states across the region, not least in the oil and gas-rich states of the Gulf, where they performed vital roles in construction and other industries and in the service sector. Despite their importance to local economies, in most states migrant workers remained inadequately protected under local labour laws and were subject to exploitation and abuse. Qatar’s selection to host the football World Cup in 2022 ensured that its of cial policies and practices in relation to the workers it hired to build new stadiums and other facilities remained under scrutiny, and the government made promises of reform in response to pressure. Nevertheless, in Qatar as in other Gulf states, the sponsorship, or kafala, system used to recruit migrant workers and regulate their employment facilitated rights abuses that were exacerbated by a common absence of of cial enforcement measures to uphold migrants’ rights. Many migrant workers in the region were required by employers to work excessive hours without rest or days off, and were prevented by threat of arrest and deportation from leaving abusive employers. Perhaps most vulnerable of all were the many thousands of women from Asia, in particular, who were employed as domestic workers, and could be subjected to physical or other abuse, including sexual abuse as well as other forms of labour abuse without any or adequate means of remedy. The Saudi Arabian authorities engaged in mass expulsions of “surplus” migrant workers to Yemen and other countries, often after rst detaining them in harsh conditions. Elsewhere, in countries such as Libya where lawlessness prevailed, migrant workers faced discrimination and other abuses, including violence and armed robbery at checkpoints, roadblocks and on the streets. Thousands of people, many of them prey to human traf ckers and people smugglers, sought to escape and make new lives for themselves by boarding often overcrowded and unseaworthy vessels to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Some made it to Europe; others were pulled from the sea by the Italian navy, and at least 3,000 were reported to have drowned. A1 - Amnesty International Canada,  Y1 - 2015/// KW - Abuse KW - discrimination UR - https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol10/0001/2015/en/ Y2 - 2015-11-26 ER - TY - RPRT T1 -  Citizenship and Precarious Labour in Canadian Agriculture N1 - Precarious status identi es individuals or groups to whom the following applies: “the absence of permanent residence authorization; lack of permanent work authorization; depending on a third party for residence or employment rights; restricted or no access to public services and protections available to permanent residents (e.g. health care, education, unionization, workplace rights); and deportability.”61 The concept of pre- carious status goes beyond either/or categorizations of migrant farmworker status (e.g. irregular/ regular, undocumented/documented, etc.) and recognizes the overlap or fuzziness between such categories and the membership norms, rights, regulations, public bene ts and so forth associated with each. On average, South Asian immigrant farmworkers were older, married women who came from India as Family Class immigrants and now held Canadian citizenship (65 per cent) or permanent resi- dence (35 per cent). Most had very little formal education: more than a fth lacked primary school education. Conversely, Mexican migrants were generally young, married men and had completed junior high school or higher. A majority were from the most populous (and poorest) central and southern states of Mexico, and more than half spoke an indigenous language, a strong indicator of indigeneity. While South Asian survey participants included mixed numbers of newcomers and longer-settled immigrants, the majority of Mexican migrants (84 per cent) had just begun their labour trajectories in Canada, and over three-quarters had only worked in British Columbia. A further principal nding was that most farmworkers — 74 per cent of Mexican migrants and 70 per cent of South Asian immigrants—did not receive health and safety training for their jobs at their principal worksite. PB - Canadian Center for Policy Alternative N2 - DISCUSSIONS ABOUT LOCAL FOOD and sustainable agriculture have not generally considered employment conditions for agricultural workers. However, in British Columbia almost all of these workers are immigrants and migrants, subject to coercive employment practices with serious con- sequences for health and safety. Farmworkers’ fear of losing hours or jeopardizing their employ- ment leads them to accept unsafe work or transportation, work long hours, work while ill or injured and, in the case of migrants, acquiesce to poor housing. Meanwhile, regulations and enforcement for this sector are very weak. Certainly our current food system can’t be seen as “sustainable.” This study explores how citizenship status affects agricultural employment, and makes comprehen- sive recommendations for change. Our research included questionnaires with 200 farmworkers; 53 in-depth interviews with stakeholders (farmworkers, growers, industry representatives, advocacy groups and Canadian and Mexican civil servants); and a detailed review of secondary data. A1 - Otero, Gerardo A1 - Preibish, Kerry Y1 - 2015/11/18/ KW - precarious employment KW - training barriers KW - language barriers KW - coercive labour practices UR - https://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/BC%20Office/2015/11/CCPA-BC_CitizenshipPrecariousLabourCdnAgri_web.pdf Y2 - 2015-11-30 ER - TY - GOVDOC T1 - Caregiver programs implementation - answers (CIC) A1 - Citizenship and Immigration Canada,  Y1 - 2015/09/17/ ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - Alberta’s oilsands trade-off A1 - Steward, Gillian Y1 - 2015/08/28/ UR - http://www.thestar.com/news/atkinsonseries/2015/08/28/albertas-oilsands-trade-off.html Y2 - 2015-08-30 JA - Toronto Star ER - TY - NEWS T1 - Provincial labour laws allow foreign workers to be treated like slaves, say advocates A1 - Spalding, Derek Y1 - 2015/07/06/ UR - http://blogs.windsorstar.com/news/provincial-labour-laws-allow-foreign-workers-to-be-treated-like-slaves-say-advocates Y2 - 2015-07-28 JA - The Windsor Star ER - TY - NEWS T1 - From all corners of the city, lessons on precarious work N2 - How to fix Ontario’s precarious work problem: Activists share their thoughts. Workers from across the city came together at the first public consultation in Ontario’s Changing Workplaces review of outdated labour laws. A1 - Mojtehedzadeh, Sara Y1 - 2015/06/16/ UR - http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2015/06/16/from-all-corners-of-the-city-lessons-on-precarious-work.html Y2 - 2015-06-30 JA - The Star ER - TY - RPRT T1 - La santé des travailleurs migrants temporaires dans le secteur agricole au Canada IS - WP#6 N2 - Revue de la littérature sur la santé physique et psychologique des travailleurs agricoles migrants temporaires au Canada Litterature review on migrant agricultural workers' physical and psychological health in Canada A1 - Deslauriers, Véronique Y1 - 2015/// T3 - Working papers du CÉRIUM/REDTAC-(im)migration ER - TY - RPRT T1 - 10% Approval Rate from Citizenship and Immigration for New Caregiver Program Applications A1 - Unionresearch.org,  Y1 - 2015/06/02/ UR - https://unionresearch.org/2015/06/02 Y2 - 2017-10-01 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Moving the Temporary Labour Migration Debate to the Fundamentals: Employer/Agent-Bonded Migrant Workers as Victims of State Violations of Human Rights CY - Montreal PB - CÉRIUM/REDTAC-(im)migration N2 - "The name of the employer is stamped in the passport of the worker, and he is prohibited from working for another employer (...). (...) [H]uman dignity is not satisfied (...). The right to liberty, for its part, is violated (...) [T]he ‘change of employer procedure’ (...) cannot negate this violation. (...) [W]e cannot avoid the conclusion (...) that the restrictive arrangement has created a modern form of slavery." - Justice Levy (unanimous decision), Supreme Court of Israel, 2006 Eugénie Depatie-Pelletier is completing the doctoral program at the University of Montreal Faculty of Law and coordinates the CÉRIUM/REDTAC-(im)migration research network. Since 2006, she conducted studies and collective discussions on immigration and migrant workers protection policies within academic circles, and worked as expert for the benefit of non‐governmental organisations, Canadian and Chinese public agencies, as well as international organizations. Her current research concerns employer/agent-bonding policies restricting (im)migrant workers’ right to liberty, right to physical and psychological integrity, right to equality, and freedom of association. A1 - Depatie-Pelletier, Eugénie Y1 - 2015/06/01/ T3 - CÉRIUM/REDTAC-(im)migration Working papers ER - TY - ADVS T1 - Emploi de travailleurs migrants et risques de travail forcé: Le Cas du Canada N2 - Catégories d’admission de travailleurs migrants au Canada (2013) Restriction des libertés au Canada des travailleurs admis sous permis lié à l’employeur (PTET) Restriction de libertés et obstacles à l’exercice des droits humains et du travail/risque de travail forcé: Exemples canadiens Des pratiques d’emploi de migrants respectant les droits humains: 5 éléments essentiels A1 - Eugénie Depatie-Pelletier,  Y1 - 2015/03/12/ ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - L’obligation de résidence : un dispositif juridique au service d’une forme de travail non libre CY - En ligne A1 - Gallié, Martin A1 - Galerand, Elsa Y1 - 2014/// UR - http://interventionseconomiques.revues.org/2203 Y2 - 2014-12-04 JA - Revue Interventions Économiques VL - 51 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Bitter Harvest: Exploitation and Forced Labour of Migrant Agricultural Workers in South Korea IS - ASA 25/004/2014 CY - London, UK PB - Amnesty International, International Secretariat N2 - As of 2013, around 250,000 migrant workers were employed in the Republic of Korea (South Korea) under the Employment Permit System (EPS). Since the establishment of the EPS ten years ago, Amnesty International has repeatedly raised concerns on how this work scheme directly contributes to human and labour rights violations by severely restricting migrant workers’ ability to change jobs and challenge abusive practices by employers. Similar concerns have also been raised by a number of UN bodies,2 but the South Korean government has consistently failed to implement their recommendations. As a consequence, a significant number of migrant workers continue to be regularly exposed to serious exploitation, which includes excessive working hours, unpaid overtime, denial of rest days and breaks, threats, violence, trafficking and forced labour Following Amnesty International’s previous research on the EPS in 2006 and 2009,3 this report focuses on migrant agricultural workers, who account for some 8% of all EPS workers.4 Agriculture is one of the sectors with the least legal safeguards and, consequently, migrant workers in this sector are at greater risk of exploitation and abuse. A1 - Amnesty International, International Secretariat,  Y1 - 2014/// KW - Underpayment KW - Late payment KW - Denial of Leave KW - Excessive hours UR - http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/ASA25/004/2014/en/5e1c9341-d0ec-43c3-b858-68ad69bc6d52/asa250042014en.pdf Y2 - 2014-11-10 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Still enslaved: The migrant domestic workers who are trapped by the immigration rules CY - London, UK PB - Kalayaan, Justice for migrant domestic workers A1 - Kalayaan,  Y1 - 2014/// T3 - Kalayaan, Justice for migrant domestic workers ER - TY - JOUR T1 - "Silence Means Yes Here in Canada": Precarious Migrants, Work and the Law IS - 1 N2 - A growing number of workers in the Canadian labour force have precarious migration status as participants in authorized temporary work programs, or have no status at all. This article reports the findings of a study that interviewed precarious migrants in British Columbia, and employees of agencies which provided services to them, with a view to assessing the impact of migration status on their conditions of work and on the practical availability to them of legal protections set out in provincial legislation on employment standards, occupational health and safety, and workers' compensation. Data gathered from the interviews indicate that precarious migration status was associated with deskilling, decreased job security and mobility, illegally low pay and long hours, and various health and safety risks. Provincial laws and policies regulating the workplace do not exclude anyone from protection on the basis of migration status. However, federal law gives employers a great deal of employer discretion over the status of temporary foreign workers, aggravating the employer-employee power imbalance and making those workers fearful of seeking redress for violations of their rights under provincial law. The author suggests that local initiatives emphasizing the provision of access to services "without fear" for workers with precarious migration status, or with no status, can help to overcome their marginalization and recognize their place in Canadian society. A1 - Marsden, Sarah Y1 - 2014/// JA - Canadian Labour and Employment Law Journal VL - 18 SP - 1 M2 - 1 SP - 1-38 ER - TY - EJOUR T1 - The Next Chapter for Ontario Agriculture Workers A1 - UFCW Canada,  Y1 - 2014/// KW - Systemic Problem ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Abusive Labour Migration Policies Submission to the UN Committee on Migrant Workers Day of General Discussion on Workplace Exploitation and Workplace Protection N2 - This paper focuses on labour migration policies that increase migrant workers’ risk of suffering labour exploitation and other abuses at the hand of private actors such as recruitment agencies and employers. Amnesty International offers these observations to the UN Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families (CMW) as contribution to the Day of general discussion on workplace exploitation and workplace protection, which the Committee will hold on 7 April 2014. A1 - Amnesty International, International Secretariat,  Y1 - 2014/// UR - https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/Submitted%20after%202015-05-11T11%2024%2035/IOR420022014ENGLISH.pdf Y2 - 2016-03-14 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - CCR’s Resolutions on Migrant Workers PB - Conseil canadien pour les réfugiés / Canadian Council for Refugees N2 - Right to unionize and to bargain collectively Res.: 2 , Nov 2014 Whereas: The freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining are internationally recognized as fundamental principles and rights in the workplace; Some jurisdictions in Canada effectively prevent workers from unionizing or collectively bargaining based on their immigration status or sector of employment; Therefore be it resolved: that the CCR advocate that all workers, regardless of sector of employment or immigration status in Canada, have the right to unionize and to bargain collectively. Extending labour protections to all workers Res.: 3 , Nov 2014 Whereas: In Canada, some workers are excluded from labour protections such as labour standards and workers compensation, health and safety protections and effective anti-reprisals protections, based on their immigration status; Some jurisdictions in Canada explicitly exclude categories of workers such as domestic workers and agricultural workers, who are disproportionately migrant workers; Therefore be it resolved: that the CCR advocate that all workers regardless of status in Canada and of type of work have access to the full range of labour rights and protections, including provincial labour and employment standards, health and safety standards, and workers compensation. Expanding economic immigration to workers of all skill levels Res.: 1 , Nov 2014 Whereas: The rampant expansion and continuous demand for the low-skilled (now low-wage) streams of the Temporary Foreign Workers Program (TFWP) make it clear that the labour shortages being filled are long-term and not temporary; The 2011 rule limiting migrant workers in the low-wage stream of the TFWP (previously known as the low-skilled pilot project) to four years of work in Canada, was intended to reinforce the temporary nature of the program, despite the continuing nature of the demand; The above time limits, which only apply to workers in the low-wage stream, exacerbate existing vulnerabilities; Canada’s traditional immigration approach was focused on nation-building through permanent immigration that met the broad range of labour needs across the Canadian economy; all workers were part of the national project; Canada’s shift towards temporary labour migration promotes a two-tiered, stratified society; Therefore be it resolved: that the CCR call for Canada’s economic immigration program to be expanded to reflect the broad social, cultural, linguistic and environmental needs of the Canadian labour market by including workers of all skill levels. Caregivers, Live-in Status and Family Reunification Res.: 4 , Nov 2011 Whereas: The live-in caregiver program currently requires workers to live in the employer’s home; Living in the employer’s home creates a greater possibility for sexual and labour exploitation; The program does not allow family members to accompany the worker until they fulfill their required hours, thereby leading to family separation for a minimum period of 2 years; Therefore be it resolved: that the CCR request that: “The live-in” requirement be removed from the conditions of the program; Caregivers’ families be allowed to accompany them or join them in Canada at any point during their participation in the program. Equitable Enforcement Res.: 4 , Nov 2010 Whereas: Temporary Foreign Workers are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse with numerous documented cases; Their vulnerability is increased by contraventions of IRPA committed by employers and recruiters; There are limited or no resources for mandatory monitoring and enforcement; When there is no system of enforcement, Temporary Foreign Workers are the ones penalized, resulting in further victimization; Therefore be it resolved: That the CCR: Advocate for provincial governments to protect Temporary Foreign Workers’ rights through workplace audits and enforcement of appropriate legislation, including criminal, against employers and recruiters. Advocate that the federal government: Prosecute recruiters and employers who contravene IRPA. Put in place a mechanism and systems to protect rather than penalize Temporary Foreign Workers who have contravened IRPA as a result of victimization by recruiters and employers; Enter into international agreements whereby Canada and the source countries of Temporary Foreign Workers agree to prohibit the charging to the workers of recruitment and placement fees. No to the changes on timelines in Temporary Foreign Workers Program Res.: 2 , Nov 2010 Whereas: Changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program to be implemented in April 2011 will impose a four year limit on the stay of Temporary Foreign Workers and a four year delay before they are able to participate again in the program; This will increase the undocumented workforce and thus increase the vulnerability of workers; Therefore be it resolved: That the CCR oppose the limit on duration of Temporary Foreign Workers’ stay and the imposed time period to re-apply for the program. Mandatory Monitoring System on Temporary Foreign Workers Res.: 3 , Nov 2010 Whereas: The monitoring system implemented by CIC as part of recent changes to the Temporary Foreign Workers Program is voluntary and therefore ineffective; Abuses of Temporary Foreign Workers by employers are widespread and have been well documented; Therefore be it resolved: That the CCR advocate that the federal government enforce a mandatory monitoring system for the employers of Temporary Foreign Workers. Temporary Foreign Workers and Welcoming Communities Initiative Res.: 3 , Dec 2009 Whereas: The federal Temporary Foreign Workers Program frustrates the attempts of communities to attract and retain population permanently, and contradicts the goals of CIC’s Welcoming Communities Initiative and similar initiatives of other jurisdictions; The goals of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act promote immigration to build the future of Canada; The CCR supports access to permanent residency for temporary workers; Many concerns have been raised about lack of equitable access for temporary workers to permanent residency through the underutilized Canadian Experience Class; Therefore be it resolved: That CCR advocate for the federal Temporary Foreign Workers Program to be brought into alignment with the Welcoming Communities Initiative’s and similar initiatives of other jurisdictions goals of cohesiveness, social inclusiveness and retention of population permanently. Temporary Foreign Workers Res.: 4 , May 2008 Whereas: The Temporary Foreign Worker program has greatly expanded; There have been numerous incidents of worker abuse and exploitation; When spouses and children accompany Temporary Foreign Workers, there are very limited options for them; Therefore be it resolved: That the CCR request CIC: To stop restricting Temporary Foreign Workers to specific named employers, giving them the same rights to labour mobility as other Canadian workers; Issue work permits to accompanying spouses and children of Temporary Foreign Workers. Canadian Experience Class Res.: 2 , May 2008 Whereas: CIC is considering implementing a new “Canadian Experience” Class; CIC has indicated that this proposed new class will be restricted to highly skilled workers; Therefore be it resolved: That the CCR: Express to CIC that this class be open to all applicants regardless of skill level. Express to the Quebec government that it should to give temporary foreign workers access to permanent residence class without regard to skill levels. Formally adopt the position paper prepared for the consultation with CIC on the proposed class as its formal position on the class. Right to permanent residence for migrant workers Res.: 4 , Nov 2007 Whereas: Emphasis on temporary rather than permanent migration creates a class of vulnerable and disposable workers; Canada’s immigration program should be revised to ensure that those who are able and willing to fill labour market needs can qualify as immigrants; Therefore be it resolved: That the CCR demand that all those with temporary work permits, in all the different classes, have the right to apply for permanent resident status at the same time as they apply for the work permit, and should have the right to bring family members as is currently being done in Ontario for the Provincial Nominee Program. Migrant and temporary workers Res.: 6 , Nov 2005 Whereas: The Canadian government denies seasonal agricultural workers and foreign temporary workers the right to apply for permanent residence status through these programs; This right is available through the live-in caregiver program; Therefore be it resolved: That the CCR demand: Access to secure permanent resident status for these workers and their families. Improved working and housing conditions for these workers. That provincial governments enforce the rights guaranteed to migrant workers under provincial employment and human right laws, rather than abdicating this responsibility to foreign governments. Temporary Work Permits – Rights of workers Res.: 4 , Nov 2004 Whereas: Workers on temporary work permits are not aware of their rights under the program and the charter; Many workers are not permitted by employers to retain their personal documentation such as passport, return air ticket and health card. Therefore be it resolved: That the CCR demand that CIC and HRSDC: Ensure that temporary workers are fully informed of their rights under the program before or when they enter Canada; Ensure that temporary workers are given control of their own papers. Temporary Work Permits – Terms and conditions Res.: 3 , Nov 2004 Whereas: CIC changes the terms and conditions of temporary work permit programs every year; This information is not made available to NGOs or others that try to assist individuals on temporary work permits. Therefore be it resolved: That the CCR demand that CIC to make any change in terms and conditions publicly available as soon as such changes are made. A1 - Canadian Council for Refugees,  Y1 - 2014/// UR - http://ccrweb.ca/en/resolutions?term_node_tid_depth_1=901&title=&term_node_tid_depth_op=or&term_node_tid_depth=877&field_res_whereas_value_op=%3D&field_res_whereas_value= Y2 - 2015-03-11 T3 - CCR’s Resolutions on Migrant Workers ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Exploited for profit, failed by governments : Indonesian migrant domestic workers trafficked to Hong Kong N1 - **: The inability to find new employment in the two-week time limit leaves migrant domestic workers with little choice but to remain in abusive and/or exploitative conditions or accept jobs with unfavourable work conditions in order to maintain their immigration status. In 2006, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women,370 raised concerns that the Two-Week Rule pushes “foreign domestic workers to accept employment which may have unfair or abusive terms and conditions in order to stay in Hong Kong” ...In addition to increasing migrant domestic worker’s vulnerability to exploitative and abusive working conditions, the Two-Week Rule also significantly impedes their ability to access redress mechanisms in Hong Kong -p.76 CY - London PB - Amnesty International N2 - The workers are not tied to a single employer. However, if they leave their employer, they only have 2 weeks to find another, or else they fall under irregular status, a policy which acts similar to employer bondage. A1 - Amnesty International, International Secretariat,  Y1 - 2013/// KW - Trafficking UR - https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ASA17/029/2013/en/ Y2 - 2015-11-04 ER - TY - CASE T1 - Tobar-Pinto et Verger Caron enr. 2013 QCCLP 6184 A2 - 2013 QCCLP 6184 PB - Commission des Lésions Professionnelles A1 - Commission des lésions professionnelles,  Y1 - 2013/10/22/ UR - http://canlii.ca/t/g1nch Y2 - 2015-09-12 ER - TY - LEGAL T1 - Employment Insurance Regulations — Regulations Amending Employment Insurance Act SOR/2012-260 A1 - Duffy, Michael Y1 - 2012/12/09/ UR - http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2012/2012-12-19/html/sor-dors260-eng.html UR - http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2012/2012-12-19/html/index-fra.html Y2 - 2015-05-10 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - South Korea: "Migrant Workers are also Human Beings" N1 - p. 43: ****: (recommendation to Korean government) Address the lack of labour mobility of migrant workers which is a major reason for human rights violations and also for forcing migrant workers to become undocumented migrant workers. Work permits should not be tied to one single employer, as this is a major cause of human rights violations p. 4: ***: Amnesty International’s research has shown that under the EPS system, migrant workers, in practice, have very limited scope for changing their workplace. This can seriously hamper their ability to lodge complaints about abuses because they fear antagonizing their employers or because they fear losing their jobs and thereby losing their legal status to work in South Korea. There are also reports that employers have seized official documents, including passports and work permits, preventing migrant workers from looking for jobs elsewhere p. 22: ***: Given this ever-present risk of dismissal and deportation, migrant workers often consider they have no choice but to accept poor working conditions and are less likely to seek to exercise fully their rights. IS - ASA/25/007/2006 PB - Amnesty International N2 - p. 21: Under the EPS migrant workers who want to change workplace continue to face severe restrictions. For example, migrant workers can change their jobs no more than three times and only with the permission of the employer. Migrant workers are unable to change jobs because of health problems that prevent them from continuing to do a particular job, or when they have suffered human rights violations in a particular workplace unless it (serious health problems and/or human rights violations) has been officially reported. A recent study showed that the majority of migrant workers interviewed (81.8 per cent) found it difficult to change workplaces under the EPS. In some cases, their situation became even more difficult after they highlighted abuses by their employers which made them want to change jobs. A1 - Amnesty International, International Secretariat,  Y1 - 2006/// UR - https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/ASA25/007/2006/en/ Y2 - 2015-11-06 ER - TY - RPRT T1 - Protecting Overseas Workers Research Findings and Strategic Perspectives on Labor Protections for Foreign Contract Workers in Asia and the Middle East A1 - Verite,  Y1 - 2005/// UR - http://www.verite.org/sites/default/files/images/Protecting%20Overseas%20Workers.pdf Y2 - 2016-03-10 ER - TY - CPAPER T1 - Risky Business: Debt Bondage International Labour Migration from Northern Thailand CY - Bangkok, Thailand N2 - In Northern Thailand, as in other parts of the world, debt bondage unauthorized recruitment offers some potential migrants an opportunity to access what they believe to be lucrative overseas opportunities. Many potential international labour migrants cannot raise enough money to pay for the travel expenses and recruiter's commission at the time of their migration, fees which often amount to the equivalent of several years’ salary for unskilled workers in Thailand. They therefore may arrange to go abroad with a recruiter who pays these expenses up front and then turns them over to an overseas employer who reimburses the recruiter for their travel expenses and pays the recruiter’s commission. The migrant workers are then held in ‘debt bondage’ by the overseas employer, usually for a set number of months or until they have repaid a fixed amount of money which usually includes a very high rate of interest. The focus on the human rights abuses of trafficking and debt bondage labour migration has, in fact, had the significant impact of garnering attention and financial support for prohibiting trafficking (and prostitution) from the Clinton administration as well as the UN and various governments in Southeast Asia, including the Thai government. But, the over-emphasis on recruiters who trick ‘unknowing’ Thai women into taking their chances abroad and on the seemingly inevitable exploitation of such women has had the unfortunate impact of drawing attention away from the structural and gender inequalities within the global capitalist economic system that make overseas labour opportunities in prostitution, domestic work, and the service industry the most attractive employment opportunities available to many poor rural women. It has drawn attention from the structural inequities in the Thai system that have limited and continue to limit access to high quality education and labour markets within Thailand for many young Thai and ethnic minority women (and men) in rural areas. It has drawn attention from the agency of women who, in part because their economic options at home are limited, actively choose to go abroad as debt bondage migrants in order to capitalize on higher paying economic opportunities and hopefully improve their own and often their family’s socioeconomic status.21 And finally, it has drawn attention from the restrictions on authorized labour migration, which, in the context of demand for foreign workers among overseas employers and demand for well-paid positions abroad among potential migrants, raise potential profits from labour recruitment, attracting unauthorized recruiters and organized crime into the business of labour recruiting and trafficking and likely increasing the degree of coercion and exploitation experienced by some male and female labour migrants. In the end, it is likely that the greatest opportunity for halting debt bondage labour recruitment, trafficking, and unauthorized labour migration will involve enacting broader economic, political, social, and legal change within the context of the international labour migration system and the global political economy. In order to move towards such change and towards addressing labour exploitation in all its forms, in my view, we will have to move beyond the narrow human rights focus of much of the literature on Thai international labour migration and trafficking to date. Instead, as I have attempted to do here, we will need to acknowledge and take into account the diversity of experiences of debt bondage migrants and trafficked migrants in different service and sex industries, explore in greater depth the various causes of trafficking and why it is perpetuated in particular settings, and situate the experiences of trafficked workers in the context of other types of labour migration--both authorized and unauthorized--that also frequently involve exploitation to varying degrees. A1 - Sobieszczyk, Teresa Y1 - 2002/// KW - debt KW - bondage KW - sex slaves T2 - IUSSP Regional Population Conference on ‘Southeast Asia’s Population in a Changing Asian Context ER -