Migrant Worker Policy Recommendations for decent living and working conditions for migrant workers employed in agriculture in Canada Audience: Federal and Provincial Governments of Canada.

This document presents a structured set of policy recommendations aimed at addressing the systemic vulnerabilities of Migrant Agricultural Workers (MAWs) in Canada. Drawing on extensive comparative research conducted between 2022 and 2025, the report identifies the "employer-tied" work permit and "agricultural exceptionalism" in provincial labour laws as the primary drivers of exploitation. The recommendations provide a roadmap for Federal and Provincial governments to align agricultural labour practices with international human rights standards and modern decent work principles.

Methodology & Context

The findings are the result of a multi-year, multi-stakeholder study that integrates:

• Qualitative Analysis: Lived experiences and testimonies from workers under the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP).

• Legal Review: Analysis of the gaps in provincial Employment Standards and Health and Safety legislations.

• International Benchmarking: Evaluation of Canadian policies against the 2024 UN Special Rapporteur report on Contemporary Forms of Slavery and Amnesty International's 2025 findings.

• Participatory Design: Formal consultation processes involving migrant workers and their legal representatives.

Target Audience

This resource is designed for:

1. Academic Researchers: In the fields of migration studies, labour law, sociology, social movements, and public policy.

2. Policymakers: Federal (IRCC, ESDC) and Provincial ministries responsible for labour and immigration.

3. Advocacy Groups & NGOs: To support evidence-based lobbying and awareness campaigns.

4. International Organizations: Monitoring human rights compliance and global labour migration trends.

Key Pillars for Reform

The recommendations are categorized into three high-impact areas:

• Legal Status & Protection: Dismantling the tied-permit system and granting Permanent Residency upon arrival to eliminate dependency on individual employers.

• Labour Rights Alignment: Ending the exclusion of agricultural workers from collective bargaining, unionization, and standard health/safety protections.

• Social & Institutional Support: Implementing status-blind healthcare, ethical recruitment monitoring, and rights-based labelling to leverage consumer awareness.

Document Structure

• Section II: Executive Summary highlighting 9 urgent reform areas.

• Section III: Detailed policy mandates for Federal and Provincial levels, supported by legal citations and socio-economic evidenc