In early 2020, COVID-19 outbreaks among migrant farm workers caused produce sections of Canadian grocery stores to become increasingly empty. The workers are hired through Canada’s Temporary Foreign Worker Program, which has been accused of abuse due to unsafe workplaces and living conditions. The program will be altered in September with a new initiative, Recognized Employer Pilot, to reduce the administrative burden on employers with the highest worker protection level. The pilot will last three years and help prevent workplace and living conditions from deteriorating. The power imbalance between employers and workers is the root of the problem, which is caused by employer-specific work permits and the tenuous immigration status of workers.
