Thousands Left Out of New Income Support Benefits

- Migrant Rights Network -

At 3:00 am this morning [September 30], in a rare overnight sitting, Parliament passed a law creating new income support benefits -- CRB (Canada Response Benefit) -- to replace the CERB [Canada Emergency Response Benefit].

The CRB excludes migrants without a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN).

Hundreds of thousands of migrants who can't renew our SIN because of delays in processing our work and study permits -- even our Permanent Residence applications -- are shut out. Undocumented migrants living and working in this country for years without status have been denied vital income support.

We are in the second wave of COVID-19, and yet again, immigration rules are being used to deny protections to migrants. While the income support law has effectively passed, there is still a solution for us: granting full and permanent immigration status to everyone in Canada, thus guaranteeing a valid SIN.

Already over 350 organizations, and 8,000 people have signed a letter calling for #StatusforAll.

Just last Wednesday [September 23], the federal government's Throne Speech promised "full support and protection" for migrant food and farmworkers, and that the government will "continue to bring in newcomers and support family reunification." The government knows that the simplest way to do this is by ensuring full and permanent immigration status for all 1.6 million people in the country without permanent resident status.

But instead of that, politicians passed a law that denies income support to:

- Migrant domestic workers and others who applied for Permanent Residency as early as January 2020, and are allowed to live and work in Canada, but no longer have a valid SIN while they await an answer on their application;

- Migrant workers, including former international students, whose work permits have expired or will expire soon because of COVID-19 delays, who will be unable to work to support themselves and their families.

- Undocumented migrants who lost their immigration status because of unjust rules but who have remained in the country working in essential and undervalued jobs -- cleaning, delivery, care work, food service, construction -- and are building community.

Actions speak louder than words. Only pressure from us will push politicians to build a fair society with equal rights and full immigration status for all. We are planning future actions and will announce them soon. If you are a migrant or undocumented person, get in touch with us to get organized! Share this petition broadly.

Momentum is growing behind our demand for status for all. Last Saturday, the investigative show W5 on CTV took an in-depth look at how the lack of permanent status puts migrant farm workers in dangerous and exploitative situations.

Watch workers tell their stories of fighting back here.

Together, we will win.

Hussan & Karen,
Migrant Rights Network

PS: If you are on a post-graduate work permit that's expiring, or know someone who is, join this meeting to be part of the fight for change: Zoom webinar.

This article was published in

Volume 50 Number 37 - October 3, 2020

Article Link:
Thousands Left Out of New Income Support Benefits - Migrant Rights Network

    

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