Mistreatment: Workers and Right Direction

mistreatment: Migrant workers' advocate Syed Hussan said the proposed changes are a step in the right direction but need strengthening, according to Toronto Star. Bernard Weil / Toronto Star file photo With an open work permit, the worker would be able to look for new work immediately and escape the situation they had been facing, immigration department spokesperson Peter Liang told the Star in an email. Ottawa has announced it is planning to allow migrant workers, with proven allegations of mistreatment, to find employment elsewhere in Canada without fear of being penalized or sent home. These proposed regulations, if adopted, are expected to reduce the likelihood that migrant workers would choose to endure mistreatment or abuse, and encourage employers to treat workers with respect. Article Continued Below Advocates for migrant workers have long complained restricted work permits expose workers to employers' abuse and exploitation, because workers fear that if they complain, they will lose their job, and, without an open permit allowing them to find work elsewhere, they must return to their home country. Of the 302,500 temporary foreign workers employed in Canada in 2017, according to the immigration department, about half, or 153,460, were on employer-specific work permits, issued primarily to caregivers and labourers in agriculture. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.