Migrant workers in P.E.I. demand the right to stay in Canada
Migrant workers protesting are warning of hunger strikes, until they starve to death, if their demands are not met.
CHARLOTTETOWN, PEI: Rebel News' @lincolnmjay speaks with an immigrant worker from India, who joins the protest in demand for work permit extensions.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 16, 2024
He claims many demonstrators have committed to work and hunger strikes, and that they 'will not take no for an answer'.… pic.twitter.com/CvWVwbala5
Prince Edward Island is prioritizing work permits for high-demand sectors. People working in the sales and service sectors are not likely to have their work permits extended.
Immigrant workers are on the streets of Charlottetown, PEI, to protest the expiry of their work permits.
— Lincoln Jay (@lincolnmjay) May 16, 2024
Will the government give in to their demands?
Stay tuned for the full report at https://t.co/BSfC94asg0 pic.twitter.com/V0dxNmJwHV
The protesters are on post-graduate work permits, meaning that they studied in Canada and are permitted to work for a certain period. Many of them will have their work permits expire in the next few months.
The workers stated that having full-time employment in P.E.I. for a period of six months allows them to apply for permanent residency.
Some Canadians, however, argue that immigrant workers have no right to demand the extension. A former international student from India who now resides in Canada spoke out against the protesters and their demands.
He detailed how immigration agents and institutions are profiting from the surge of people coming to study and eventually work in Canada. He believes that many of the people coming to Canada are exploiting the system to gain permanent residency quicker.
Migrants in PEI are "demanding fairness" from the government after coming to Canada on temporary work permits.
— Rebel News (@RebelNewsOnline) May 16, 2024
Changes to laws have left migrants with "no pathways to permanent residency," especially in the sales and services sector, they say.https://t.co/WqweK1y1Sa pic.twitter.com/eUNoj25MLA
Similar protests in Manitoba led to the government extending work permits. Prince Edward Island has yet to respond to the protesters' demands, and, as of now, the rules remain in place.
Lincoln Jay
Video Journalist
Born and raised west of Toronto in the city of Mississauga, Lincoln Jay joined Rebel News as a videographer in August 2020. While specializing in video editing and camera work, Lincoln has also expanded into reporting and presenting his own stories. With stories from Calgary, Alberta all the way to London, England, you can expect a wide variety of content in his reports.
https://twitter.com/lincolnmjay
