Spike in open permits the 'tip of the iceberg'

Immigration watchdogs believe numbers will continue to increase

- GHADA ALSHARIF

The surge in open work permits, which allow workers to change employers, shows the challenges faced by migrant workers, experts say.

The number of open work permits issued to vulnerable migrant workers facing abuse by Canadian employers have surged in the last five years, a concerning development that points to rampant abuse in the federal temporary foreign program, experts say.

In a bid to address abuse in the federal program, the government introduced the open work permits for vulnerable workers program in 2019, which allows temporary foreign workers experiencing or at risk of abuse to apply for a new permit and leave their employer.

According to data from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), the number of approved open work permits for vulnerable workers jumped from 240 out of 567 applications in 2019 to 2,060 out of 3,930 applications received in 2023.

This year, from January to July alone, the number of work permits has increased to 2,395 out of 3,121 applications and is expected to increase by the end of the year, according to immigration lawyers and consultants.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” said Amanda Aziz, a staff lawyer at the Migrant Workers Centre who helps migrant workers apply for open work permits. “We anticipate that numbers will continue to increase.”