Migrant farmworkers in Canada report systemic abuse, hazardous working conditions, and fear of retaliation, fueling calls for permanent residency status.

Canada’s agricultural sector, valued at $87.7 billion annually, relies heavily on migrant labor through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP). Workers recruited from Caribbean nations and Mexico report facing verbal abuse, hazardous conditions, and limited healthcare access. Many migrants state that the threat of being blacklisted or deported prevents them from reporting mistreatment or seeking medical care for injuries sustained on the job.

Working Conditions and Health Risks

Migrant workers frequently report long hours, cramped and unsanitary housing, and a lack of benefits or sick leave. Conwade Bramwell, a Jamaican worker, described his experience on an Ontario farm as punishing, citing 10-hour workdays and hostile management. A 2022 study in the International Journal for Equity in Health identified at least nine deaths among migrant agricultural workers in Ontario between 2020 and 2021, highlighting significant barriers to healthcare access. Fatal incidents have occurred, including the 2022 death of Garvin Yapp and the death of another worker in Niagara-on-the-Lake due to unknown causes. Workers have reported being pressured to sign waivers exempting employers from liability regarding COVID-19, and some have suffered severe physical injuries, such as brain trauma from falls, while working in industrial environments.

Advocacy and Calls for Reform

Because employers hold the power to renew or terminate contracts, workers often fear that speaking out will result in being barred from future seasons. Despite this, organized efforts are growing. In August 2022, Jamaican workers wrote an open letter to their government regarding conditions at Ontario farms, which led to a fact-finding investigation and the removal of workers from four farms. Similarly, Mexican workers have petitioned their government to raise concerns about working conditions. Syed Hussan, executive director of the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, argues that federal immigration laws facilitate exploitation by tying workers' status to specific employers. Advocates, including the Migrant Workers Alliance for Change, are pushing for permanent residency, which they argue would provide the security necessary for workers to assert their labor rights and access healthcare without fear of reprisal.