Strengthening Labour and Employment Rights For Illegalized Workers

This major research paper (MRP) takes a critical perspective on the neo-liberal policies that are generating illegalized immigrants, notably the temporary foreign workers program. The state is fully aware that these policies are generating a pool of flexible and exploitable illegalized workers. In order to show the public that it is controlling the “illegal” immigration phenomenon, the state continues to uphold strict border patrol and immigration laws. However, state tactics are merely for show, as most illegalized immigrants originally enter through legal avenues. Many illegalized immigrants are forced into the underground workforce, which makes them vulnerable to exploitation by employers. Although Toronto is a Sanctuary City and provides access to illegalized immigrants, it cannot fully protect them from workplace violations, as labour and employment rights are under provincial jurisdiction. Thus, Ontario should become a Sanctuary Province, in order to provide equitable employment to illegalized workers.